Coronation memories.. just thinking back

[Jeannine]

As it is the Jubilee year it got me thinking back to the Queens coronation, does anyone else have any memories to share.

June 2nd 1953, coronation day , was my others 50 th birthday. Dad bought her a TV, the first in our street. It was delivered and set up the day before the coronation. An ugly thing in dark brown and cream about 12 inches wide. Just one channel of course.

The next day word had got around there was a telly in the street and neighbours wanted in to watch the ceremony. My Mum being the neighbour she was of course said yes..then they started arriving.

They had to move the TV to a different spot so the folks looking through the windows and the folks sitting on the stairs could see it, the place was packed  shoulder to shoulder, and my poor Mum was valiantly trying to give her many guests teas and biscuits.

I remember they annointed the queen at one point and put a screen around her..my mind boggled.. I still laugh when I think about that as I asked what annointing was and was told she had oil put on her body!! Goodness only knows what I though they were doing behind that screen..

It was a good day, just about everyone that came had red , white and blue on. I had a new dress I remember that Mum had made that was white with red and blue ribbons on and I had red, white and blue ribbons round my bunches of ringlets...aah.

The special dinner Mum was planning to make for her 50th  birthday was eaten very much later than planned.

it was a good day.

XX Jeannine

[Jeannine]

[saddad]

Well before my time sadly...  :-X

[manicscousers]

year I was born  ;D

[betula]

Not born till 54 so no memories.

She has been a good Queen to my mind but the last of her kind .

[lottie lou]

My granddad bought a telly for the occasion - just like the one Jeannine described.  I had a new dress and a ribbon for my hair.  There were loads of parades with marching bands.  It was a nice sunny day if I remember but I was made to stay inside with the curtains shut to watch the coronation on the telly.

[tricia]

I was living in Sheffield and worked with a lass who had a car. She wanted to go down to London to see the Coronation decorations. It was arranged that, together with her husband and six year old daughter, my husband and I, we would drive to my mother's near Uxbridge the weekend after the coronation. (where we all slept I can't remember!)

I don't remember the actual coronation day. What sticks in my mind was feeling sick all the way down in the car and my delight the following day when I realised I was 6 weeks pregnant!

Tricia

[GrannieAnnie]

I can remember watching on our television with rabbit ears (the tellie, not us) with my mother in Pennsylvania. It was very special probably because Mom was so interested to see it which was contagious. That's all I remember. Was it on a weekend? Otherwise I should have been in school and doubt she'd have let me play hookie.

[artichoke]

I was living in Fife, Scotland, aged 10, and our neighbours had a television, so I do remember going next door and watching it as two familes. At the time it did not seem to matter at all that the screen was tiny with no colour - it still seemed like magic with all the glittering coaches, the gleaming horses, and the Queen looking so tiny amongst all the robed clerics and officials.

[ACE]

We had a big party in a naval shore base. My father was a royal marine bandsman and all the parents were dancing to the band and we had a great big jelly and ice cream tea and was entertained by a conjurer who I am sure was a young Tommy Cooper.

We never got a telly until radio rentals installed one in time to see my father playing at Wembley (in the band)

[Mr Smith]

We had a street party and I was only five, my Dad led a parade down the street with a mop in his hand, I think it was the first time I ever had salmon paste butties, :)

[Trevor_D]

I was 10 a few days later.

We had a street party - I think all the streets did - but that wasn't on The Day itself. We all - dozens of us - assembled at my aunt's house in Fulham, because she was the only one who had a television. The screen was minute, black & white, of course and rather grainy.

At the street party, we all sat at tables down the middle of the road. (No-one in the street had a car, so there were no problems there!) And we were entertained by a chap called Freddie Frinton, who lived nearby. He did a drunk act. I gather that a sketch of his is shown on Christmas Day in Poland, and has been for years and years. (I think you can probably find it on U-Tube.)

[artichoke]

Did anyone have street parties in Scotland? I also remember a lot of indignation that she was to be called Elizabeth II throughout the UK, in spite of the fact that Scotland had never been reigned over by Elizabeth Ist of England.

As time went by and new post boxes and other street furniture started carrying Elizabeth II signs, many of them were chipped away and obliterated until they said Elizabeth I

[jimtheworzel]

any one still got the box of coronation  chocs given to all schoolkids ?

[Jeannine]

We got a silver plated spoon and I still have it.

XX Jeannine

[green lily]

Well it was my 13th birthday and my great uncle's and cousin's as well! We had an enormous birthday party and my father had bought a telly which everyone crammed into the living room to watch. Certainly it was exciting to be able to actually watch something rather than just hear it on the radio but I think it went on for hours and in the end we kids were glad to escape out into the garden... ::)
I think we got a mug and a certificate but its all gone now although somewhere i have a news paper supplement of the day with all its 1950's adverts etc. That does bring back some memories.... :)