The Northern Rivers Times Edition 114

Her Majesty

The Northern Rivers Remembers

Historical society plans display of Royal memorabilia

Dignitaries, like theThe Clarence River Historical Society has begun to assemble a special display of its royal artefacts for a special display to honour Queen Elizabeth II following her death on Thursday. Society president Steve Tranter said the society’s collection at Schaffer House had a standing exhibit of memorabilia associated with the Queen and her family from events such as her coronation, royal visits, weddings and births. But he said the society’s newspaper and magazine archives contained much more information on the Queen, who visited the region twice in her 70-year reign. The first of those was in 1954, just a year after her coronation, when the Queen and Prince Phillip, completed a Royal World Tour she began as a princess in 1952. In Kenya and en route to Australia when the news of her father, King George VI’s death arrived, she finally arrived in Australian February 3, 1954 with more than 1 million of Sydney’s 1.8 million population on the harbour foreshores to greet her. Her welcome on the North Coast less than a week later was no less enthusiastic, though far less populous. Unfortunately for the them the Queen was not the only visitor to the region as a large cyclone was heading south as

Clarence River Historical Society president Steve Tranter looking over some of royal archives

she was heading north to Lismore and Casino, where the Royal visit was to be staged. These days a trip up the Summerland Way to Casino and Lismore is an hour to 90 minutes in the car. In 1954 it was a daylong adventure involving ferry crossings and traversing roads not yet up to goat track standard. Historical society member Hazel Ford penned a story of what it was like in a society newsletter that came out for the celebrations of the Queen’s 60th year on the throne. She recalled the newspaper headline of the time, Torrential welcome for Queen as 50,000 drenched people from every corner of northern NSW tried to get a glimpse of their new sovereign. The Queen and her prince had their own

troubles.

Originally scheduled to land at Casino, the rain forced a change of destination to the all weather landing strip at Evans Head. After staying overnight at Lismore’s Gollan Hotel and attending a short ceremony in the city, the Queen’s party left for Casino.

Some of the memorabilia of the Royal Family already on display at Schaeffer House, Grafton.

Ms Ford said when

the Queen’s motorcade left Lismore for Casino, hundreds of cars, motor bikes and even bicycles followed. Those people began their journey in pouring rain and by the time they returned conditions had worsened. “Cruel, pelting rain

meant nightmare experiences for most of the hundreds who were compelled to journey by bus and car,” she quoted from contemporary reports. “The vehicles which entered the Grafton- Casino gravel road swept on to a deeply churned mud and slippery surface on which cars skidded from side to side and bound in heart-jerking leaps.” Travelling back along the Pacific Highway, well before the construction of the Harwood Bridge, created one of the biggest hold ups in history at the Harwood Ferry. “At 8.30 on Wednesday night cars banked up for five miles at this crossing, an estimated 1000 vehicles, with the ferry running non-stop and shifting about 70 cars an hour,” Ms Ford wrote.

Bishop of Grafton Rt Rev C E Storrs and Mrs Storrs and the Mayor of Grafton John Moorhead and his wife were just as drenched when they were presented to the Queen as the tens of thousands of onlookers. But it seems from the comments people were overjoyed to catch just a glimpse of the new Queen. “I think the Queen is beautiful. She is charming and dainty and the Duke handsome,” a Mrs W Thompson of South Grafton put down for posterity. Ms Ford said you could tell how popular the Queen’s visit had been from the cars parked outside workplaces the next day. Almost all were covered in mud from their travels and most people had gone straight to work from the Harwood Ferry crossing. Mr Tranter said accounts such as Ms Ford’s revealed the depth of the feeling local people had for the Royals. He expected these feeling would be on display during the 10- day mourning period for the Queen ahead of her funeral at Westminster Abbey on Monday.

Saved her Royal China from the flood

By Samantha Elley

When Linda Barney Dowdall had to evacuate her Coraki home from the February floods, some of her items high on her priority list to save, was her royal memorabilia. Now at the passing of the second longest reigning monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth II, those items have become even more precious to Linda. “It has staggered me how (Queen Elizabeth’s death) has affected me,” she said. “I know she has looked so fragile for the last few days, but it still came as a shock. “I am 70 years old this year, so I am a platinum

baby. I love telling people that. She has always been there.” Linda unashamedly admits to being an ardent monarchist, along with her parents before her. “I come from East London and both the Queen Mother, and the Queen had visited there,” she said. “When Harry and Meghan got married, we threw a high tea and now we live at Kyogle (in evacuation accommodation), we had

Royal Collection Linda Barney Dowdall

“A couple of friends rescued all my China,” she said. “I had them all covered in sewage-flavoured mud, so I rinsed them with warm soapy water, then rinsed them with white vinegar and warm water, dried them and they came up beautiful and all sparkly, so I didn’t have to throw them out.” Her collection includes cups and saucers from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, a mug from the

Silver Jubilee and even a cup and saucer from the Coronation. “Every time I’ve been home to London, I’ve picked up a few pieces or I get friends to bring some in their hand luggage when they come to Australia,” she said. Plans are already in the pipeline for the upcoming funeral. “I might invite my Coraki friends here and talk about the good aspects of the Queen,” she said. “Effectively we will show respect and have a small wake. “The last time we had a high tea for the Queen we wore tiaras, I think this time I will make halos.” *** Local historian Helen Trustum of Bentley is another ardent monarchist whose collection of royal memorabilia extends over five decades. “(This is) a very sad day indeed, losing our beloved Queen,” she said.

“I have been collecting souvenirs for 50 years.” Helen has a number of favourite pieces from her vast collection. “The Royal Dalton pieces are beautiful, of the Queen’s wedding and Coronation,” she said. “The China plate with the Queen Mother with Elizabeth and Margaret is another favourite.” As a young student at Tuckurimba Public School Helen remembers honouring the Queen.

“Memories of school days when we would sing God Save the Queen,” she said. “Our teacher Jim Ormond would hit the tuning fork ready for us to start singing. “I also remember the time of the Coronation when they had a Queen competition in Coraki. “I was only eight (and) we had a Prince Phillip, Charles and Anne. I was Queen Elizabeth.” Helen remembers the Queen and Prince Phillip arriving in Australian in February 1954 and all the Tuckurimba School children were taken to Coraki to see her drive through from Evans Head. “That night we went to see her (in Lismore) as she came out on the Gollan Hotel balcony,” she said. “Our generation are feeling it this morning because the Queen has been so much of our lives. “In fact, practically part of the family.

“RIP Your Majesty.”

Breakout story – Longest serving monarchs 1. Louis XIV of France reigned from 14 May 1643 to 1 September 1715 – 72 years, 110 days. 2. Elizabeth II of British Commonwealth reigned from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022 – 70 years, 214 days. 3. Rama IX of Thailand reigned from 9 June 1946 to 13 October 2016 – 70 years, 126 days 4. Johan II of Lichtenstein reigned from 12 November 1858 to 11 February 1929 – 79 years, 91 days 5. Muhammad Jiwa Zainal Adilin II of Kedah (Malaysia) reigned from 15 February 1710 to 23 September 1778 – 68 years, 220 days Source: Wikipedia