A bit earlier this year, my husband Kevin, had a bizarre phone call from a researcher working for  LOVE productions, a TV production company making a program for ITV. LOVE productions are responsible for a few TV favourites like The Great British Bakeoff so have a good pedigree in program making.

They wanted to make a 60-minute documentary for ITV1  which followed the residents of Morpeth Street, Bethnal Green, East London, as they attempted to turn back the clock and re-enact a street party held for the Coronation in 1953 down to the smallest detail.

One of the biggest resources they had was an article in the  Picture Post a magazine that recorded in words and more importantly photographs the life and times of Britain during some very significant parts of our history pre and post World War Two. It didn't just record celebrities and the rich and famous, it showed ordinary people as they were.  These images are iconic, and many of them  now reside in  the Getty Images Library for posterity as the magazine sadly closed down in 1957.

My husband's family have a copy of the Coronation issue of the magazine, which in this Diamond Jubilee year has been brought out and read and reread several times.   We have copies of many of the original photographs taken at the time. Many of them feature members of my Husband's family. Notably his Mother, Hetty, who is now 91, and his older sister, Brenda who was 6 years old at the time. Others feature his Grandfather, and his Aunties: Edna, Ivy, and Beattie.  It was a  snap shot of an era now long gone.  Cockney culture long since disappeared. The photograph on the bottom left of the magazine shows Brenda (girl in the middle) winning one of the children's races they had as part of their Coronation Street Party celebrations. Below is a copy of the photo we have of the same image - you can see the detail better.

My husband's Mother, Hetty, was very involved in the organising of the 1953 street party, and was responsible for many of the frocks the girls wore that day as she used to work as a seamstress. The program is being screened on ITV tomorrow evening at 9pm and is called 'Britain. Then and Now'. From what we know about my Mother in Law's antics as she spent 4 days with a film crew and other people who were there then,  I suspect it will be entertaining. My husband thinks he may well watch it from behind the sofa, as we all know just how naughty his Mum can be! Below is a photo of Hetty at the street party with many of the other women who took on the role of waitress as they served the children their tea of sandwiches and jelly and custard.  Hetty, my Mum in Law is front right. Tune in!