The K<strong>in</strong>gs’ Coronations at <strong>Lichfield</strong> By Jono Oates On Saturday 6th <strong>May</strong> we will all witness the coronation of our monarch, K<strong>in</strong>g Charles III, at Westm<strong>in</strong>ster Abbey, most of us view<strong>in</strong>g it on our TV screens. For many of us it will be the first time we have witnessed a coronation tak<strong>in</strong>g place, although a number of <strong>Citylife</strong> readers will have seen the film made of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, probably at the Regal C<strong>in</strong>ema on Tamworth Street, <strong>in</strong> June 1953. In this royal month I’m look<strong>in</strong>g back at the previous coronations of K<strong>in</strong>g’s that were celebrated here <strong>in</strong> <strong>Lichfield</strong>, those of Edward VII <strong>in</strong> 1902, George V <strong>in</strong> 1911 and George VI <strong>in</strong> 1937. On 22nd January 1901 Queen Victoria, then the longest-serv<strong>in</strong>g British monarch, passed away and she was succeeded by her eldest son, who was crowned as K<strong>in</strong>g Edward VII on 9th August 1902. The orig<strong>in</strong>al date of the coronation had been 26 June that same year, but it was delayed after the K<strong>in</strong>g suffered from appendicitis, which developed <strong>in</strong> to peritonitis, and he was too unwell to attend the ceremony. Consternation spread throughout the country, as it was feared that the K<strong>in</strong>g would die before his coronation, and the whole country, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Lichfield</strong>, held its breath. On Friday 4th July 1902, the <strong>Lichfield</strong> Mercury reported that the K<strong>in</strong>g did, f<strong>in</strong>ally, seem to be mak<strong>in</strong>g some positive progress, as the week before they feared that he would not recover, and they also illustrated the different ways that towns and cities <strong>in</strong> the local area had dealt with the arrangements for the delayed coronation. Birm<strong>in</strong>gham and Burtonon-Trent celebrated the orig<strong>in</strong>al coronation date <strong>in</strong> June, with events and enterta<strong>in</strong>ment, not want<strong>in</strong>g to let-down those residents who had been look<strong>in</strong>g forward to the day for some time, whereas <strong>Lichfield</strong> and Rugeley kept their celebrations to a bare m<strong>in</strong>imum. On the day of the actual coronation, 9th August 1902, <strong>Lichfield</strong> celebrated <strong>in</strong> grand fashion, with a civic procession to the cathedral, where they held a service, and then a large gather<strong>in</strong>g met on the Market Square to hear a speech from the Deputy <strong>May</strong>or, Alderman Arthur Lomax, of Lomax Pr<strong>in</strong>ters on Bird Street. A public luncheon was held <strong>in</strong> the Guildhall, where Alderman Lomax provided the toast to the K<strong>in</strong>g, which was greeted by loud cheers and the s<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g of the National Anthem, accompanied by a brass band. After lunch the crowds moved on to the Recreation Grounds <strong>in</strong> Beacon Park, where the Staffordshire Imperial Yeomanry Band played, and there were sports races, and a physical drill exercise by boys from the <strong>Lichfield</strong> Truant School on Beacon Street. All the city streets covered their build<strong>in</strong>gs and shops with bunt<strong>in</strong>g, garlands, patriotic flags and Ch<strong>in</strong>ese lanterns. A huge firework display took place by Stowe Pool <strong>in</strong> the even<strong>in</strong>g, and a ‘fire ship’ was towed out to the middle of the pool, only to keel over and s<strong>in</strong>k rather unfortunately! A firework f<strong>in</strong>ale took place on the Market Square and there was a f<strong>in</strong>al rendition of the National Anthem as fireworks launched <strong>in</strong>to the night sky and the bells of St Mary’s church peeled before f<strong>in</strong>ally, at midnight, the city completed its belated celebrations for K<strong>in</strong>g Edward VII. When Edward passed away <strong>in</strong> 1910, <strong>Lichfield</strong> then celebrated the coronation of K<strong>in</strong>g George V, on 22nd June 1911. At a council meet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>May</strong> 1911 Town Clerk Herbert Russell expla<strong>in</strong>ed that the cost of the 1902 coronation celebrations to the council had totalled £419 3 shill<strong>in</strong>gs and 9d – the equivalent of £70,000 today. Despite the cost, <strong>Lichfield</strong> once aga<strong>in</strong> fully celebrated the royal coronation <strong>in</strong> 1911, with a similar programme of events to the 1902 coronation, with the public luncheon tak<strong>in</strong>g place at the George Hotel this time, and 1,630 schoolchildren were treated to a Grand Coronation Tea <strong>in</strong> their respective schools. In <strong>May</strong> 1937 Coronation Medals were awarded to two local postmen, Joseph Elson from <strong>Lichfield</strong>, and 84-year-old sub-postmaster Thomas Aston from Shenstone for their loyal service, <strong>in</strong> read<strong>in</strong>ess for the coronation of K<strong>in</strong>g George VI. The celebrations <strong>in</strong> 22 V<strong>in</strong>tage postcard, statue of K<strong>in</strong>g Edward VII <strong>in</strong> the Museum Gardens House on Station Road, decorated for Coronation of Edward VII Bates Shop, Lower Bore Street, decorated for Coronation of George V <strong>Lichfield</strong> were more muted than <strong>in</strong> 1902 and 1911, perhaps due to the concerns over the impend<strong>in</strong>g war. The procession to the cathedral <strong>in</strong>cluded civics, but also a noticeably large representation of military organisations, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the Anti-aircraft Brigade. In <strong>May</strong> <strong>2023</strong> the celebrations for the coronation of K<strong>in</strong>g Charles III will not match those of his forebears, Edward VII, George V and George VI, but I’m sure lots of Lichfeldians, like me, will be glued to our televisions and Ipad’s to watch the celebrations tak<strong>in</strong>g place <strong>in</strong> London, and at Westm<strong>in</strong>ster Abbey – and that you will also be jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g me <strong>in</strong> the Royal Toast – God Save the K<strong>in</strong>g! Sources: The British Newspaper Archive; .
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