Published in Windlesora 19 (2002)
© WLHG
Windsor and Maidenhead Council of Churches arranged a Jubilee Thanksgiving Service in Windsor Great Park on Monday 6th June and Cliff Richard performed at the end of the service. This was part of the Youth Spectacular, which began at 3 pm with seven national youth bands and 40 floats in Barry Avenue travelling via Castle Hill to Windsor Great Park.
Following the service there was a two-hour Arena Spectacular, with young people from organisations in the Borough performing displays of gymnastics, athletics, music and other activities. The young people then formed the torch light procession that guided the Queen to the bonfire site.
Tony Moore looked after Cliff Richard and his Christian Activities Manager Bill Latham, ensuring that they arrived at the service on time and attended the lighting of the bonfire in anonymity.
There was a detailed schedule, which included collecting the pair from Weybridge and taking them to Tony’s house in Trinity Place. Here they drank tea and met the young people who would conduct the service. Tony then delivered them to the site in Windsor Great Park and took them back for some food afterwards. Tony’s son Julian was a keen guitar player and Cliff gave him a lesson. This lesson had far reaching effects for Julian is now a professional bass guitar player.
Cliff was then taken to make a surprise visit to a birthday barbeque in West Windsor. He had made a casual promise to attend, but nobody really expected him. From the barbeque, with his car sporting a special VIP parking permit, Tony drove them to Bishop’s Gate. They watched the lighting of the bonfire and Cliff revelled in the atmosphere and was able to mingle with the crowd unrecognised. They then drove him back to Weybridge and Tony could at last, tell his story.
Tony Moore
Windsor Local History Group 