Thornycroft float for the Armistice Procession, 1918

Thornycroft float for the Grand Armistice Carnival Procession November 1918

A black and white contact print, showing a Thornycroft lorry decorated with flags precessing through Basingstoke. Ladies in fancy dress sailors uniforms and one draped in an American flag stand on the back of the lorry. The vehicle is part of a victory parade celebrating the end to the First World War. Taken outside the Thornycroft factory, Worting Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire. Taken on Saturday 16th November 1918.

The float is for the 'Gun Shop' and in the middle of the float is a Depth charge (bomb) thrower.

Following armistice a Grand Armistice Carnival Procession took place through the streets of Basingstoke on Saturday the 16th November.  This was organised by Thornycroft staff with other local firms.

The procession stretched for almost a mile and included around 60 floats, many of them prepared by the Thornycroft staff. It travelled from the Thornycroft works along Worting Road, Queen’s Road, Lower Brook Street, Essex Road, Sarum Hill, Winchester Street, Wote Street, Brook Street, Church Street, Cross Street, New Street, Victoria Street, Council Road, Fairfields Road, Hackwood Road and London Street.

This photograph is from an album of 37 photographs all taken from outside the Thornycroft Worting Road factory.

P2018.3.14