Picture special: Peace Day 100 celebrations in Market Rasen

Centenary of Peace Day at Market Rasen. Gillian Anderton on the Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club stall, in Festival Hall. EMN-190721-220654001

The day began with a peal of bells at the parish church, which, like the other places of worship in the town, was decorated with laurel wreaths, doves and a Peace tree, with flowers and poppies around the war memorials.

There were information displays too on the men listed on the memorials.

In St Thomas’s church rooms, a local collector showed visitors her WWI postcard collection and research books.

Centenary of Peace Day at Market Rasen. Event organiser Caroline Foster in th Festival Hall EMN-190721-220511001

Over in the library, which was decorated with Union flags, doves and wreaths, children enjoyed craft activities.

A number of visitors popped into the Railway Station to see the Station Master’s old office, however the only trains actually running where in the Festival Hall, where the model railway layout delighted ‘children’ of all ages.

Also in the Festival Hall was an art show, stands on Market Rasen Lions, Probus, Ex Servicemen Breakfast Club, Girl Guides and Rase Heritage Society (RHS).

The main exhibition was on Market Rasen - the town during WWI and the Roll of Honour, listing not only the men who died but also those who returned.

Centenary of Peace Day at Market Rasen. Annabelle Salmon 4 doing art work in the library, pictured with library manager Georgina Carr EMN-190721-220736001

Schoolchildren from Middle Rasen created a display on the Middle Rasen men who died, which complemented the RHS display on the village during WWI, which was decorated with doves made by Middle Rasen Nursery children.

The hall was decorated with flags, doves and wreaths made by the local craft, art groups and children craft sessions in the library.

The U3A Market Rasen Ukulele Band played two sessions, with the ladies from the WI joining in with some spontaneous dancing in between serving delicious cake.

In the OPS, a local drama group, with the help of Rasen Hub volunteers, re-enaced court cases held during WW1. The exhibition on Women The Churches of Rasen’s services were on Peace.

Centenary of Peace Day at Market Rasen. Jill Appleyard and Michael Newton in the Church Rooms. EMN-190721-220500001

Rase Heritage Society organiser Caroline Foster said: “I would like to thank the visitors for attending and all the volunteers for their hard work.

“A big thank you to the Market Rasen Mail for the source material, without which the event would not have occurred.

“Rase Heritage Society members have spent six years researching and holding exhibition on WW1 and booklets to accompanying the exhibitions can be read in the Library.

“The Peace Day event in 1919 was sponsored by public donations and in 2019 it was funded by Co-Op Community Champions.”

Pictures by David Dawson