King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Royal Visit Burnley 1938

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iBase ID

277638

Reference identifier

EBU20190108006

Title

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Royal Visit Burnley 1938

Place

Burnley

Personal names

King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Mr. T. Burrows, Harold Bell, Councillor A Green, Miss Mary Metcalfe, Lord Derby, Mr. H. Plowman, Mr. W.A. Burke, M.P.

General notes

The Burnley Express of 18th May 1938 pages 7 and 5 gives a wonderfully detailed description of the visit and the excitement caused and several photos. Merry crowds lined the route from Accrington Rd. joking with non-local police brought in for the occasion, who were "non-nonplussed by the rich local dialect. One woman entertained the crowd with a long string of tackler stories". They got the merest glimpse of the Royal couple in an open topped limousine on its way to the modern factory of Platers and Stampers, later Prestige, now demolished except for the frontage in this picture.

The Territorial Army lined the route and also provided the guard of honour seen in front of the dais where the East Lancs. Regt. Association band played to the waiting crowd. The Parks Department had provided the floral decorations. including "Palms from the Corporation Conservatories".

The Queen was"dainty and petite wearing a soft dove grey ensemble trimmed with fur."
The King and Queen first met local dignitaries, but then also met some ex-servicemen, including Mr. T. Burrows who had lost both legs at Gallipoli but who told the Queen he got about "champion", and a boy scout 16 year old Harold Bell who had won the "Scout's VC" for courage during suffering through 12 years of illness. He must be the scout who is sitting down.

Behind the Mayor Councillor A Green, and the Mayoress 18 years old Miss Mary Metcalfe, "a demure figure in a two piece blue suit", is the large figure of Lord Derby, and the Town Clerk, Mr. H. Plowman, in the wig. The local MP Mr. W.A. Burke is the small bespectacled figure 3rd from right.

The photo shows three cheers being given as the King and Queen leave and is companion to image 267285 taken slightly earlier. The whole ceremony took 10 minutes, then they went on to Nelson.

Medium

Photographic print

Colour

Monochrome

Original image size

29 x 22

Year of image

1938

Enter year in yyyy format

Locator

Y54 (12)

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MARIO Map

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