Windsor 12 June 1937
Published in Windlesora 29 (2013)
© WLHG
Exactly one month after the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth there was great excitement in Windsor as its inhabitants awaited the arrival of the King and Queen on Saturday 12th June 1937.
They had started their journey by car in Slough and then got into open Royal landaus at Agar’s Plough, proceeded to Eton College under an escort of the Royal Horse Guards, and continued up Eton High Street. They then passed under a specially erected archway outside the Eton Rural District Council Offices, and under a second archway of oars near to King Stable Street, erected by the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club.
The King and Queen riding in their carriage up Eton High Street. Note the arch of oars in the
King Stable Street, erected by the Eton Excelsior Rowing Club. Photo: RWWS.
The Royal party continued over Windsor Bridge, up Thames Street, and stopped by the Jubilee statue of Queen Victoria, where the Mayor of Windsor, Councillor Lt. Col. Churcher, with the rest of the Corporation of Windsor were gathered. Amongst those present at the statue were the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Mr A Somerville MP for Windsor, and the Vicar of Windsor, the Rev CH Hamilton. The King and Queen were received by the Duke of Gloucester as High Steward of the Borough and presented the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to the Royal couple.
The Royal party arrived at Queen Victoria’s Statue where they were greeted by the Mayor and
Members of the Corporation of New Windsor. Photo: RWWS.
The procession then continued &, wet along the High Street, Park Street and the Long Walk, entering the private castle grounds at Frogmore Gate where local school children and Girl Guides greeted the King and Queen. The route of the procession was lined by a number of military and local organisations including the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Imperial Service College Officer Training Corps, Old Contemptibles, Windsor British Legion , St John Ambulance Association and the Red Cross Nurses Association.
The open Royal Landau carrying the King and Queen through the streets of Windsor.
After the Royal procession had finished there followed a procession of floats with a number of tableaux depicting the history of Windsor which was produced overall by Mr Hugo Bolton. The Lorries were supplied by Wellman’s Garage and platforms by a number of local builders. Floats
included ‘Windsor during the time of the Norman Conquest’ by Windsor County Boys School, ‘The Founding of Eton College’ by the Licensed Victuallers’ School in Slough, ‘The plundering of St George’s Chapel by roundhead solders in 1642’ by the Windsor and Eton Football Club, ‘Windsor at time of James II and Queen Anne’ by the staff of Messrs. Caley Ltd. Prizes for the best decorated Tableaux were donated by local businesses. There then followed a procession of decorated motor cars from surrounding local garages.
The day was rounded off with a Torchlight Procession which started at St Marks Road. There were 600 torchbearers which were made up of firemen under the leadership of Chief Officer JG Tull, and Ex-Service men from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Middlesex, headed by the drums of the 2″ Battalion of the Coldstream Guards, followed by the Maidenhead Military Town Band and the Slough Town Band.
Windsor Local History Group 