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After nearly six years of war Timsbury greeted the cessation of hostilities in 1945 with celebrations which went on for months. V.E. Day saw a brilliant display of flags, bunting and streamers and shop windows were all lit up. Open-air teas were arranged for the children in various parts of the village and the older members of the community were also well feted.
A united thanksgiving service was held at Tabor Church for the three non-conformist churches and a church parade at St. Mary’s Church included representatives from the St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, Red Cross, Girls’ Training Corps, National Fire Service and Women’s Voluntary Service. The party met at the Temperance Hall and paraded through the village to the church where they were met by Rev. Rose.
On Whit Tuesday 1945 the residents of Timsbury Bottom held a victory tea for the children followed by one for the adults in the field of Mr. Len Norris. There were sports for the children in which the boys from the Remand Home were invited to participate. The Remand Home was at Renny’s which is now known as Rosewood Manor. Stan Pitts’ radio equipment provided music for dancing and a large bonfire was lit by “Granny Edgell”. Later in the same year Timsbury Bottom celebrated again with a final victory party at the YMCA Hall with a fancy dress parade. The residents then gathered again at Norris’ field where a victory arch had been prepared by Mr. J. Bowditch. This time the bonfire was lit by three-year-old Roland Edgell.
Peace celebrations also took place on the school playing fields on September 24 organised by the Head of the Secondary School, Mr. Bob Pullen and the Head of the Junior School, Mr. C. Dunford. Tea and a cinema show followed for the children while there was a concert by Timsbury Male Voice Choir for the adults. A bonfire was then lit and a dance held in the Church Room to the music of the W. Sperring Orchestra.
There was still a stark reminder of the grief which the years of war had brought, however, when Mr. and Mrs. Charles Benson Smith of The Square learnt that their only son Gunner Clifford Smith had been killed on August 18 1945 while serving in Western Europe. He was laid to rest in the British War Cemetery at Issum with military honours but was later moved and is now buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Kleve in Germany. A memorial service was held at South Road Methodist Church where Clifford had been a regular worshipper. A keen sportsman he also played cricket for Timsbury.
Timsbury W.E.A. Players continued to thrive and had more success with two three-act plays performed during the year. In February village postmistress May Cox produced “Yes and No”, a comedy by Kenneth Horne. The cast included Edith Nicholson, Margaret Pickford and Arthur Moon and music was provided during the intervals through radiogram by Ted Short. Later in the year the group performed the comedy, “Charity Begins” by Ireland Wood. Edith Nicholson’s daughter, Joyce (Berry) took the lead role and others in the cast included Nancy Abbott, Margaret Pickford, Iris Russell and Gladys Smith.
There was less good news for Timsbury Choral Society which was forced to close because of lack of numbers. The group had been formed some three years earlier by Madame Hilda Lewis and had proved to be a very popular wartime organisation. It created and brought to the village music and artists of a high standard and often of national repute. A social brought the curtain down on the group.
In the General Election of July 1945 Mrs. Mavis Tate who had represented the Frome Division(then Timsbury’s constituency) as a Conservative since 1935 lost her seat to the Labour candidate Alderman W.J. Farthing by a majority of over 5000. Alderman Farthing, an experienced Trade Unionist had been Mayor of Bridgwater and was a Somerset J.P. Meanwhile Arthur Horner, the miners’ leader, was the lecturer at a successful one-day school sponsored by the West of England District Communist Party which was held at the Bungalow, Kingwell, the home of Captain Scobell.
Finally there was success for Timsbury Senior School in a “Teams of Four” rose hip competition arranged by Somerset Wild Herbs Committee. The team of Esther Simpson, Rita Shire (later Sage), Rose Humphries and Trevor Minall collected 179 pounds of rose hips to win the first prize of £4. By October 1945 it was reported that Somerset had sent nearly 14 tons of rose hips which were to be used for making a syrup rich in Vitamin C.