By Nick Pollard
The Queen’s Coronation in June 1953 was marked with celebrations through-out the country, and the people of the Sunbury Urban District Council area certainly marked the event in style.
A couple of weeks before the Coronation, on 15th May, there was a dance held at the restaurant at Kempton Park, with music provided by Reg Harmer and his band. Attending were the four ‘Coronation Princesses’, one from each of the wards, i.e. Sunbury Common, Ashford and Halliford, Sunbury Central and Shepperton.
On the 30th May, a sports fete was held at the Cedars recreation ground in Green Street, with tennis, tug-of-war, darts and children’s sports taking place.
On the day of the Coronation itself, 2nd June, a large screen television was provided at St. Mary’s Parish Hall ‘for old folks only’ by invitation, to watch the first-ever televised coronation. Two days later, the Parish Hall was again the venue for an ‘Old People’s Party’ where tea was provided and a ‘grand old man’ and ‘grand old lady’ were selected! A play, ‘Portrait of an Author’ was also performed by Manor Players.
The highlight of the festivities though was the Coronation Festival held on Saturday 6th June at Kempton Park. A grand parade kicked off the event, preceding the opening ceremony performed by Harold Greenwood, Managing Director of the racecourse. A dedication service followed, led by the Bishop of Kensington. The afternoon events got underway with the band of Kingston Sea Cadets, followed by a horse jumping competition, fancy dress parade, decorated vehicle competition and athletic sports. At the same time children’s entertainment including Punch and Judy, puppets shows, clowns etc was provided. The afternoon concluded with a dancing display by the pupils of Miss Ellen Denny. For the evening session, the music was provided by the Metropolitan Police Central Band, and a Donkey Derby was held, contested by 8 donkeys ridden by leading jockeys over two fur-longs. After this came a display of parachute jumping by the 10th Battalion Parachute Regiment, and a motorcycle gymkhana staged by 873 (Independent) Light Movement Battery of the Royal Artillery. The action continued with a comic football match (presumably in fancy dress?) and a darts completion. The evening was rounded off with a fireworks display, and the grand finale featuring the band of 1st Shepperton Boy Scouts, the Middlesex Fire Service, and 873 Battery RA.
It sounds like quite a day. If anyone attended the event and would like to share their memories of it, I would be delighted to hear from them.
While we are unable to hold our regular meetings, the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society is beginning to add recorded talks on the local area to our website. See www.sslhs.org.uk/recorded-talks