Editor’s note: On June 2, 1953, Gladys Jayne had the privilege of being in London for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, who came to the throne Feb. 6, 1952 and celebrates her diamond jubilee this month.
As a member of the Women’s Voluntary Service during the Second World War, Jayne was given a seat along with other members of the organization.
She described the day in a letter to her daughter, Miriam Jayne, a longtime resident of Okanagan Landing, who shares the letter with readers. “When my mother was given her seat, she declined vigorously as she was always happy to do something for others, never for herself,” said Jayne, whose father, Wallace Jayne, was a veteran of both world wars. “But Father insisted she attend.”
Miriam darling, a whole week has gone by since the Coronation and it has simply flown! Today has been glorious, bright and fresh and one can’t help wondering why it could not have been like this last Tuesday for the weather as the only thing that marred an otherwise perfect day; the whole organization was marvellous and it made one proud to be British!
As a parade it was a wonderful spectacle but there was much more to it than that, something deeper and richer and uplifting, too. By now you may have seen pictures, if not films, of the procession and service in the Abbey.
Of course, people who saw the whole programme televised had the most complete pictures of the day, but Father and I feel that it was worth everything to have been in London, seen the actual living thing, and shared in the very atmosphere of the Coronation, on the spot. We were both lucky to have had good views of the proceedings — my seat was one of the very best, I consider, at the curved end of the Mall, right opposite the Victoria Memorial, with practically the entire frontage of Buckingham Palace in sight just on our right!
We could see most of the goings and comings there all day, so there was rarely a dull moment; children’s faces popped up from different windows, at all different times — sometimes it was Princess Anne or Prince Charles, who stood at the salute, most smartly, for quite a long time while troops were gathering to march off to join the procession at the Abbey, for the return journey. We had all the interest of seeing them assembling there as well as the slightly more distant view of the whole cavalcade on the opposite of the curve, just before they turned into the Gate of the Palace.
In our corner, too, just by the gate into Green Park at the crack of dawn, it seemed as if the entire police force gathered, before being assigned to their various posts — very steady and trustworthy they looked, if not quite so glamorous as other branches of the services, though many of the onlookers exclaimed with audible pride when the City of London contingent arrived! They did a fine job of work, all through the day, and the constant change over of personnel after their respective spells of duty made a sort of background chorus — whenever there was any lull in more spectacular proceedings, a posse of policemen could be seen marching, in single file, across the arena, and one always expected them to burst out, at any moment, into the music of The Pirates of Penzance!
Slowly the dawn broke over Buckingham Palace, a few lights showed in upper windows and on one staircase — going out again soon after as the light became stronger; the Guard was changed quietly and unobtrusively; finally the Standard was lowered from the high flag post, the brand new full-sized one was broken at the mast and one felt the stage had been set ready for the ceremonial to come!
A door was opened at the head of a red-carpeted flight of steps, a scarlet and gold liveried footman appeared to receive the guests who began to arrive in large limousines and from other points troops appeared and marched off down the Mall to take up their positions joining the route. Last of all the Guards took up duty around our curves of the Mall, encircling the Victoria Memorial, but not before it was completely occupied (except for the topmost positions, where cameras and commentators were installed) by cadet units of every kind!
So much has been written, read and heard about the actual Coronation processions that there is very little fresh to add, but it really was a wonderful show and we sat there, entranced, to the end of the day, when the RAF fly-past was accomplished, and the Royal family had responded to cheer upon cheer from the seething crowd in front of the Palace, and come out upon the balcony to wave gaily and fix themselves even more firmly into the hearts of their people.
When Father left me, about 5 a.m., he walked towards the Abbey, found several points from which he had excellent views of the procession approaching and actually arriving at the Annexe, (and in between, a convenient resting place on the steps of the Central Hall Westminster; a good coffee stall and wherever he went a friendly company) and in spit of the cold, wet day, had a most satisfactory and worthwhile time.
