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Queen’s jubilee
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is year marks a milestone in our nation’s history when Her Majesty the Queen becomes the rst British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. Although she acceded to the throne on 6th February, the Queen’s Coronation took place on 2nd June 1953, so the celebrations will begin on ursday 2nd June and will continue, throughout the UK and beyond, until Sunday 5th June.
David Mackenzie was event manager for the Queen’s visit to the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton
Throughout her reign, HM Queen Elizabeth II has visited the Shire region many times, on Jubilee tours, opening businesses, presenting awards and attending official occasions.
And whether by luck or design, amongst the Shire readership there are many of you who’ve had the opportunity to meet the Queen – through work, at agricultural shows or the opening of a new venue. To mark the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, a selection shared their memories.
Huge crowd
David Mackenzie of Hoylake is venue manager at the Floral Pavilion theatre in New Brighton, and ahead of the Queen’s visit on 1st December 2011 was chosen to be the event manager, ensuring the day went without a hitch.
“She had done a tour of Liverpool, and came to us at the Floral Pavilion on the Wirral for a rest break and lunch,” David told us. “A local
DID YOU KNOW? The Queen wasn’t born in a palace but in a townhouse in Mayfair
dance school put on a performance for her and the Choral Pavilion choir sang, then she went for lunch in our conference centre with specially invited guests.”
David had volunteers waiting to usher the Queen towards the stairs, but instead she chose to use the lift
and David found himself swept along with the royal party.
“So there I was in the lift, in between the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, with her lady-inwaiting and two security officers. The Duke was asking me about the technicalities of the lift, its weight limit, its capacity - I had no idea. The Queen actually gave me a wry smile as though she knew. It was a long 30 seconds to the ground floor!”
At the end of the visit the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque, then went outside to be greeted by a huge crowd. David has never forgotten:
“Just for a second, as we walked out of the doors, I had a glimpse of what it was to be her. A significant number of people had lined the streets of New Brighton eager to catch sight of her. It was surreal.” visited Wrexham, Rhyl and Caernarfon, were especially set so that she could attend the Eisteddfod in Llangollen.
Nêst’s father, John ‘Jack’ Rhys Roberts, was the chairman of the local Eisteddfod at the time, and her mother Olwen, a teacher, helped as an interpreter and hostess to some of the visiting international musicians, so Nêst was a natural choice for the presentation.
Crowds gather to see the Queen
DID YOU KNOW?
The Queen has owned over 30 Corgis in her lifetime NATURAL CHOICE
“It was very soon after the Coronation, so I was half-expecting her to turn up in her crown and cape, I was a bit disappointed as she was in an ordinary hat and coat!” Nêst told us.
“I had been well drilled in how to curtsey, and walked on to the stage to the Queen, who leant forward to take the bouquet - it was huge - and I then curtsied and had to walk backwards six paces before turning around to leave the stage.
“After that training, if any bouquets were to be presented at events, I was often chosen!”
Luckily, her mother kept the dress, and Nêst still has it.
Flowers from local schoolchildren at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton
FESTIVAL LINKS
Nêst’s huband, Chris Adams, is an expert on Eisteddfod history and has access to its archives. He is writing a book about the festival, which is sure to be of great interest to many people.
Royal patrons
Retired schoolteacher Nêst Adams from Llangollen was just seven years old when she was selected to present a bouquet of flowers to the Queen during her visit to the town in July 1953.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip become patrons of the Eisteddfod in 1948, shortly after their wedding. By 1953 the Eisteddfod’s message of promoting peace by bringing ordinary people together had raised Llangollen’s festival in prominence so that it was expected to supplant the National Eisteddfod.
In fact, the dates for the Queen’s post-Coronation tour of North Wales, where she also
Bob Hickman was one of the West Midlands Police officers chosen as outriders for the Royal car
Shire’s motoring correspondent, Bob Hickman, has his own tale about when he met the Queen:
“When it was announced that the Queen would be visiting the Black Country in July 1977 as part of her UK Silver Jubilee tour, anticipation was very high amongst members of the West Midlands Police traffic department as to who would be selected to act as outriders for the Royal car. I was chosen as one of the two motorcyclists who would position immediately in front – there would be many others but they would be well in advance to ensure clear traffic situations.”
Her Majesty was collected from rather inauspicious surroundings at Goodyear tyre factory railway sidings, which was where Bob’s memorable journey started.
“I was in my best motorcycle uniform, with boots polished so much a Guardsman would have been proud!” he said.
Golden opportunity
The tour would visit Wolverhampton, stopping for a civic welcome, then onwards via Sedgley to Dudley for another civic meeting, before ending in Walsall.
Bob’s two daughters, aged two and four, had been strategically placed by a junction on the main road near to the Wolverhampton Institute for the Blind.
Bob chose the location as he knew it was where the cavalcade would slow considerably to allow the residents an opportunity to see the Queen up close.
Bob recalled:
“To my amazement the Royal car slowed right down and stopped, a window rolled down and my elder daughter was able to hand over some roses that had been cut from our garden that morning. We then continued the journey.
“All these years later people still will not accept that I hadn’t deliberately caused the car to stop so my daughter could make the presentation, but it’s true - it was a complete fluke!”
DID YOU KNOW? The Queen trained as a mechanic when she joined the ATS in 1945!
Eye contact
When the Queen opened Waterworld leisure centre in Wrexham, Georgie Howell was one of the head lifeguards. Georgie still works at the centre, now on reception.
The visit on 6th March 1998 marked the completion of a major refurbishment, and the Queen was shown around by the then manager, Alan Watkin, who was chief leisure, libraries and culture officer at the time.
It is very rare to get the opportunity to actually converse with the Queen. Georgie told us: “Unfortunately we never spoke, but we did make eye contact and smiled at each other!”
Beautiful velvet dress
Vicki Ball presenting Her Majesty with a posy of flowers at Templar Barracks in 1981
Back on 25th March 1981, Vicki Ball, who is now head of engagement at the Bolesworth Estate in Tattenhall, was just two years old when she presented Her Majesty with a posy of flowers.
Vicki’s father was commanding officer of the Army Intelligence Corps at their headquarters at the Intelligence Centre, Templar Barracks, in Ashford. When the Queen’s visit was arranged, Vicki was therefore first choice to offer the floral tribute.
Although too young at the time to remember what was said, Vicki told us:
“I gave her some flowers, so I’m sure she was very polite and said thank you.”
mother had made specially for the occasion. But the local press focused instead on another element of her outfit. Vicki laughed as she told us:
“My mum was most put out when the newspaper reported that ‘Victoria Claire in her thick white tights’ had given flowers to Her Majesty!”
Shame on you, reporters. We think she looked very pretty!
Campaign medals
Nick Randall with his wife Dianne and daughter Victoria, met and spoke with the Queen when his son Philip was decorated
Nicholas Randall was chairman of Shrewsbury School when, in 2011, he met the Queen at Lichfield Cathedral. Now a director of Alington Ruthin stockbrokers, he recalled it well:
“Our older son Philip was with the Cheshire Yeomanry and had served in Afghanistan. The squadron was part of the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry, of which the Queen was Colonel-in-Chief, and she personally presented campaign medals to some of those who had served in Afghanistan during the previous year, including Philip.”
In Afghanistan, Philip was attached to the Parachute Regiment and was stationed at a remote forward operating post in the Nad-e Ali district, Helmand Province, a notorious hotspot. His father added:
“Philip was conversant in the language, which was particularly useful when meeting with senior members of the population.”
Along with his wife Dianne and daughter Victoria, Nick afterwards met and spoke with the Queen. Both father and son are past pupils of Shrewsbury School.
Above: Her Majesty in 1977, at the Great Yorkshire Show. Photo: Yorkshire Agricultural Society
DID YOU KNOW? The Queen has received elephants, crocs and even a jaguar as a gift!
Animal lover
The Queen’s fondness for animals and agriculture is well known. Eryl Jones of Graigfechan, near Ruthin was holding on to the halter of a Holstein when she met the Queen in July 1977, at the Great Yorkshire Show. She said:
“I used to help a friend of mine with showing cattle, and I was leading the Holstein that won Supreme Champion when the Queen was handing out the rosettes. We didn’t exactly speak – she said something along the lines of, ‘Well done, nice animal,’ and we shook hands.
“I remember thinking how petite she was!”
Sadly it looks as though this region may not see a further visit from Her Majesty. The Queen was due to visit the Bentley Motors factory in Crewe and the Jodrell Bank Observatory and Square Kilometre Array global headquarters in Macclesfield in March 2020, but these visits were postponed due to the pandemic, and it is now unlikely they will be rescheduled.
