Millennium novelty hat purchased for Museum. It was however worn by a staff member from 1.00 a.m. to c. 2.30 a.m. on a journey that involved walking up Berkeley Street, through Berkeley Square, up Davies Street, Jubilee line to Baker Street and Chiltern Railways train to Buckinghamshire. They had watched the fireworks from Victoria Tower Gardens, which meant that he could (just about) see the Big Ben clocktower too. The hat was useful, as it rained quite heavily c. 1.00 a.m. Fortunately it had been fairly dry at midnight, for the fireworks along the Thames. Hat bears Union Jack design, date and wording and series of shooting stars. Central London celebrations were very pleasant and good-natured, despite a crowd of about 2.5 million. There was a funfair in The Mall, where this hat was purchased for 7.50. There were no serious public order problems in London or elsewhere.
