King's crowning sparks older memories from West Berkshire and North Hampshire residents
Elizabeth Windsor was crowned Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey almost 70 years ago on June 2, 1953.
And what better way to remember this milestone occasion than through the eyes of those who lived through it.
Every community in West Berkshire and North Hampshire turned out to mark the occasion in spectacular, inspiring and often eccentric fashion.
Villagers in Welford celebrated by roasting an ox over a hawthorn fire. Curridge residents planted trees and Woolton Hill held a fancy dress parade. Leckhampstead children received engraved spoons and more than 550 children enjoyed a tea party in Hungerford.
Two coachloads of Brimpton children aged 12 to 18 toured the coronation route in London and stopped for high tea at Windsor on their return journey. Compton opened a new Coronation Hall to cement the occasion.
Thatcham residents were awoken in the early hours by the loud bangs of the anvil firing, a time-honoured tradition.
Throughout over the district, crowds gathered at any house, church or village hall with a (rare) television to view the big event.
"It is my sincere desire that everyone in Newbury shall have a really happy, memorable time," wrote the then Mayor of Newbury, E.M. Elliott, in the town's souvenir programme of events.
Banners adorned the streets and Clock Tower and every window and storefront was filled with decorations.
The Coronation Celebrations Committee organised a huge carnival procession, led by the Newbury Town Band, followed by a broadcast of the Queen's speech from the Market Place. Dances were then held at the Market Place, the former Plaza Hall and Corn Exchange.
The county's 'old folks' enjoyed a separate celebration on June 10, viewing a colour film of the coronation at the former Forum Cinema.
The souvenir booklet further reads: "It is the younger generation who will have cause to remember this coronation, and it is fitting that the children are well to the fore in the programme."
In this spirit, we contacted past and present West Berkshire and North Hampshire residents with memories and souvenirs of the celebration.
Joanna Rogers, now based abroad, shared her recollections. "I was only three but have a vague memory," she said. "We lived in Remembrance Road in Newbury.
"I have seen photos of us celebrating with a street party for all the neighbouring streets at Enborne Place, behind a small shop that used to be there. There were picnic benches and we wore paper hats. I suppose the mums all brought food."
The Berkshire Education Committee presented each child aged between five and 11 with an inscribed beaker. Children over the age of 11 received funding to purchase other 'suitable' items, including books.
One such pupil to receive a gift was Colin Young, from Thatcham. "I received one of these beakers when I was six years old attending St John's Infant School in Newbury," he said. "I lived in Kingsbridge Road, Newbury.
"All the children in my area went to a party to celebrate the coronation at St Bartholomew's Grammar School cricket pavilion in Fifth Road, and we were all presented with a cup and saucer."
The Celebrations Committee, sub-committees and town and parish councils also raised money to present each child with either souvenir coins, cutlery, mugs or a tin of chocolate – especially those who were not eligible for a beaker.
And some children even had the privilege of experiencing the Coronation first-hand.
"I was taken by my granny to see the Queen's Coronation in 1953," said Newbury resident, Michael Field, originally from Kent. "We were on Pall Mall. I remember the gold stagecoach with the Queen inside, the horses and Horse Guards. I was four-and-a-half. Someone, a stranger, lifted me up for a better view."
Pauline Ayre, now based in Hartley Wintney, Hampshire, vividly recalls the celebrations while living in Curridge as a five-year-old.
"The celebrations were organised by the local Women's Institute. The adjoining fields had lots of hay bails being used as seats for the celebration tea. The ladies of the WI baked hundreds of jam tarts," she said.
"Children were presented with a Coronation blue mug. Not sure how I received the mini State Coach," she added.
"Children were invited to attend in fancy dress, hence me as Queen of Hearts. I can remember colouring many cardboard hearts, drawn and cut out by my dad and sewn on to my dress by mum."
Clive Williams, originally from Cardiff, now lives in Upper Basildon. He shared his recollections as a bell ringer on that special day. "Our family worshipped at St Augustine's Rumney. It had a peal of six bells and aged 13, I learnt how to ring," he said.
"Come Coronation day, I was 14 and five of us ran a peal of Grandsire Doubles for the coronation. Our peal took three hours and 20 minutes to complete. I found it totally exhausting, which is why it became my first and only peal.
"But we made it without any accidents or mishaps and then left St Augustine's very proud of our efforts to join in the village celebrations."
The House of Windsor has long maintained a proud heritage in the royal county, the Queen having been a regular visitor to Newbury and its iconic racecourse.
One of the Queen's most notable visits was in 1996 to mark the 400th anniversary of Newbury receiving its Royal Charter from Her Majesty's namesake, Queen Elizabeth I, in 1596.
Our current reigning monarch also shares a personal connection with this area. King Charles attended Cheam School in Headley from 1957, as did his father, Prince Philip, before him in the 1930s.
