Christmas is time for giving

Christmas is all about sharing time with loved ones & where we can, giving back to the community, especially in times when we’ve experienced being without our family & friends. Below are some festive stories we’ve found within the Historical Photographs and Prints, 1704-1989.

 

20 Dec 1945 – Much interest is being paid in the fixing of the Christmas decorations at a shelter, which accommodates 800 persons beneath the cinema in South London. The shelter itself is divided into cubicles, and the occupants of each have fixed up some attractive decorations with the result that there is almost a “competition” in progress between each cubicle.

 

24 Nov 1938 – Christmas preparations are not to be a last-minute affair at the Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, for the nurses, are already busy cutting out and preparing figures for a representation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to decorate the Children’s Wards.

 

23 Dec 1953 – For the past three years, the catering staff of Euston Station have made weekly contributions to send toys to children in hospital at Christmas time. This year, they set themselves a target of 500 toys, all of which they are sending to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital.

 

19 Dec 1938 – Oxfordshire Girl Guides have been busy collecting Christmas stockings for the children of RISCA, the Monmouthshire town adopted by Oxford City. Photo shows – Oxford Girl Guides arriving at Rhodes House, Oxford, with their collection of Xmas stockings.

 

8 Dec 1937 – The police of West Sussex will act as “Fairy Godfathers” this Christmas to about 1700 poor and needy families in Chichester, Arundel and Horsham. They have carried out investigations into the requirements of the families, and on Christmas Eve will call at their houses laden with parcels of meat, groceries, sweets, clothing and even coal. Special parcels for the aged and a cinema show for the youngsters have been organised. Policemen at Horsham Police Station arranging some of the £1,000 worth of gifts.

 

26 Dec – Thousands of children are spending their Christmas in school camps in all parts of the country and every effort has been made to make it a real enjoyable time. Photo shows- “Father Xmas” – one of the teachers – hands out the presents at the St. Margaret’s Camp at Great Gaddesden, Herts.

 

16 Dec 1939 – Some of the first British casualties from France are not in a hospital somewhere in Surrey and are busy preparing to make their Xmas there as cheerful as possible. Photo shows- A Tommy and his nurse making paper chains for Christmas decoration of the ward

 

22 Dec 1937 – Soldier’s children had a Christmas Party at the Recruiting Depot, at Gt. Scotland Yard, this evening. Photo shows – soldiers serving the children during the party this evening.