Figure 1.--Here we see everyone all dressed up for an English home birthday party. The snap shot is undated, but looks like the 1960s to us. After the 60s it gradually became less common to dress up.

Younger children might have small tea parties at home with siblings and perhaps neighbors. We suspect this was a carry over from the 19th century. We also see birthday parties, surely the most important type of children's parties. We do not know how birthdays were celebrted in the 19th century. We do begin to see celebrtions in the 20th century. Many of the tradotions are the same as in America which we do not fully understand as the break with Britain occurred in the 18th century. And from the very first 20th century birthday snapshots we see party hats and birthday cakes with candels. The events were baically small parties with family and some friends in the hoime and back garden. We do not see the modern extravaganzas until the late-20th century. There were also holiday celebrations, but we are not sure just how they were celebrated. These may have been more school or church parties than family parties. Hopefully our English readers can offer some insights here. Catholic families would have had First Communion parties. Jewish children has Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties. A distunctively English party is the street party and the children are generally the center of attention at these parties. They seem to have first appeared to celebrate the end of World War I and have since become an important tradition in England and Wales. Less so in Scotland for some reason.

Tea Parties

Younger children,n especially the girls, might have small tea parties at home with siblings and perhaps neighbors. We suspect this was a carry over from the 19th century.

Birthday Parties

We also see birthday parties, surely the most important type of children's parties. We do not know how birthdays were celebrted in the 19th century. We do begin to see celebrtions in the 20th century. Many of the tradotions are the same as in America which we do not fully understand as the break with Britain occurred in the 18th century. And from the very first 20th century birthday snapshots we see party hats and birthday cakes with candels. The events were baically small parties with family and some friends in the hoime and back garden. The children commonly dressed up through the 1960s. You can see everyone in their party clothes here (figure 1). We do not see the modern extravaganzas until the late-20th century.

Holiday Celebrations

The English also organize parties around holiday celebrations. We are not yet entirely sure hiw they are celebrated. These may have been more school, church, and community parties than family parties. Hopefully our English readers can offer some insights here. Our initial assessment is that Guy Fawkes Day and Christmas are the major holiday party clebrations, at least for children. Rather a strange combination. Guyfawkes celebrations always involved a bonfire and burning the Guy. This was kind of an outdoor celebration. We are ,not entirely sure about associated indoor parties. We think that in recent years Haloweeen which falls round Guy Fawkes Day, has also begun to be celebrated with associated indoor parties. This appears to be an Americn influence. Christmas was a family celbration, but many churches, schools, and communities organized parties for the children. The parties generally focus on the more secular features of Christmas with Santa, presents, and goodies to eat. Church parties of course give more attention to the religious aspects. There probably are other holiday parties, but this is what we are aware of at this time.

Religious Celebrations

Catholic families would have had First Communion parties. Jewish children has Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties. The parties were not part of the religious rituals, but a family celebration with friends after the religiuous rituals.

Street Parties

A distunctively English party is the street party and the children are generally the center of attention at these parties. They seem to have first appeared to celebrate the end of World War I and have since become an important tradition in England and Wales. Less so in Scotland for some reason. The first street parties we see in the photograohic record were at the time called 'Peace Teas'. For our American readers, teas in Britain do noy just mean sipping tea, but also a soread with cakes and other treats. We do not notice these Peace Teas celebrations for some reason with the armistice (November 1918), perhaos because the weather was chilly, but with the signing of the Versailles Peace Treaty (June 1919). They were seen as a treat for children after 4 years of deprivation. Britain was not heavily bombed in World War I as it was in World War II, but the Germans did try to strangle Britaians sea life lines. An non-essentialy imports were reduced and rationed. Most notably this included sugar, but also treats like oranges and bananas. Londerners and residents in other big cities organised these Peace Teas on a mass basis. The Teas were part of the Peace Treaty celebrations, and were formal sit down affairs foirthe children. This tradition continued for a long time. The photographic record show children sitting down for a formal tea with table clothes and all kinds of goodies. After the first Peace Teas, British parents continued to organise them on all major national days of celebration. And the term stree partoies entened into the lexicon. There were earlier traditions that laid the foundation for the peace teas, including street dressing, parades, tea parties, banquets and fancy dress parties with children for national occasions. As a result, bunting is almost a prerequise to a full blown street party. Some of the major events brining out street parties were have been: Silver Jubilee of King George V (1935), Coronation of King George VI (1937), VE and VJ Days after World War II (1945) and theur have been anniversary celebrations of VE Day, Festival of Britain (1951), Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II (1953), Queen Eizabeth's Silver Jubilee (1977), Wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer (1981), Millennium Summer Parties (2000/01), Golden Jubilee of the Queen (2002), Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (2011), Diamond Jubilee of the Queen (2012), and the Queen's 90th Birthday (2016). The stree party traditin has chnged over time. They are no longer just for national celebrations. Street oparties are now organized just for local celevrations. They can be held at any time and are no longer just for the kids. Potigraophs no longer show the kids sitting down at a long table piled high with goodies. City residents all ver the country organiz parties to build community spirit at the street level. They are no longer so formal, but more relaxed BBQ with adults brining food to share for eceryone. Rather than sitting stiffly at a table, the children are allowed to play freely, often at specual events organmized--kind of a street fete.

Created: 12:50 AM 10/1/2018
Last updated: 12:50 AM 10/1/2018