Royal Memories

As we mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022),  

I look back at my own royal memories. 

 

 

 

6th February 1952 - I was in primary school,   when all the classes were called into the Assembly Hall.     Some teachers were crying and the head teacher announced the death of King George VI.  We all sang the national anthem and trooped silently back to our classrooms. 

2nd June 1953 - The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II - I was nine years old and had been busy making red, white and blue decorations at school, creating a Coronation Scrapbook, collecting my Coronation Mug  (presented to all children)  and playing with the doll my talented mother had made for me -  dressed as the Queen with a white satin dress and long velvet purple train, embroidered in gold thread.

 

Sadly  I kept neither  the doll nor the scrapbook - how I regretted that many years later, but I still have the mug - above. 

On the day itself we woke up to the news on the radio that Mount Everest had been conquered and watched the coronation procession and ceremony on our new 10-inch screen black and white television - one of the first in the  street, with a full household of my grandad, aunt, uncle and neighbours crowding round the small screen.  I wore  my yellow taffeta party dress,  with its puff sleeves and long sash,  in honour of the occasion.

 

The official souvenir programme which i still  have.

A few weeks later we all trooped in a long crocodile from school to a local cinema to see a film of the conquering of Everest (some of the scenes of men crossing deep ravines frightened me), followed by a film  of the coronation, this time  in glorious technicolour.

But there was a personal dimension to Coronation Day, as my mother was in hospital for three weeks around that time following a major operation. For my younger brother and myself it was a strange uncertain time, especially as children were not allowed to visit the hospital.  Dad talked about the red  white and blue decorations that the nurses put up on the wards and Mum won a sweep stake on the Coronation Grand National, in picking successful  jockey Gordon Richards.

The day Mum  came home was emotional,  as we all burst into tears - and I wore again my party dress to welcome her back to the family.  

 **************

I saw the queen a number of times over the years. 

In 1955 we were living in Blackpool, Lancashire when the Queen visited the  Opera House for a Royal Variety Performance.  My father was a Special Constable (voluntary) and was on duty that evening.   I was proud of him in his uniform.  I was with my brownie troop, as we stood to see the Queen in a grand evening dress and wearing a tiara.

We later moved to Edinburgh and in 1962 King Olav of Noway made a state visit to the city which had strong links with Norway, with many students attending the university.  I was not going to miss such an experience of colourful pageantry and was happy on this occasion to skip my university lectures.  So I waited on  the flag bedecked Princes Street, below the castle,  to watch pass by  the horse drawn  open topped carriages  and the mounted Household Cavalry.  

 

1978 - The Queen on her post Silver Jubilee tour was visiting  the Scottish Borders, including Hawick,  where we then lived.  This  time it was my daughter in Brownie Uniform who was there to greet her. 

2002   Many years later we were in Edinburgh for the day, when we saw crowds gathering on the Royal Mile  and learned the Queen was returning to Holyrood Palace after speaking at the annual gathering of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in the Assembly Hall.   We were happy to join the throngs and saw the Queen and Prince Philip riding  in the Scottish State Coach.

 

Holyrood Palace, Edinburgh, courtesy of Pixabay

  A journey which poignantly the Queen was to take twenty years later,  as the hearse carrying  her coffin drove down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Palace, prior to the lying in state at St. Giles' Cathedral -  this time the sombre crowds standing silently in sorrow. 

St. Giles, Edinburgh,  courtesy of Pixabay 

 

**************************
 

Posted on Sepia Saturday which provides bloggers with the opportunity to share  through the medium of photographs their history and memories. 

Click HERE to see  contributions from other  Sepia Saturday bloggers.

****************