OUTFITS of the 1940s and a street party helped youngsters gain an understanding of the war years in Furness.

The Mail, on Tuesday, June 18 in 2001, noted: “Pupils at a Dalton infant school decked their dinner hall with Union flags to recreate a Second World War street party.

“Chapel Street Infant School children dressed up in clothing from the 1940s, including old helmets and flat caps, in the finale to a week-long project on the war.

“Each year the school has a special theme that pupils learn about, including the Second World War, medieval and Victorian times.

“The children spend a week learning more about the particular era and on the last day of school they celebrate with their teachers by having a party.

“Visitors came to school to talk to the youngsters about the war and evacuees.

“The youngsters also visited museums to delve into the history of the Second World War.

“Children were surprised by their meatless meal that included a bread and jam sandwich, a plain cake and a glass of orange.”

Headteacher Avis Edmondson said: “It was like real life and the children loved it.

“The Dock Museum lent us a lot of things from their resources box including helmets and gas mask boxes. It was great.”

Dalton escaped the regular night bombing which saw hundreds of homes damaged or destroyed in Barrow – particularly during  April and May in 1941 – but shared the food shortages, the rationing of most things available from shops and the need to carry identity cards and gas masks.

The town was a temporary home to soldiers, including Americans, training for their part in the Normandy Landings in 1944 and the subsequent Allied advance into Germany.

It also hosted some essential services which moved out of Barrow for relative safety from bombing – including the wages clerks from the shipyard.

Dalton, like Barrow and Millom, had its own British Restaurant where you could dine in a communal hall without the need for ration coupons.

Bakelite tokens were used for pre-payment –a typical hot drink was a penny, soup or a sweet was twopence and a main course was sixpence.