From Joan Walker (RIP) Life long friend

CORONATION DAY JUNE 2nd. 1953

After spending the night in London, Peta and I lost no time the next morning in making our way to the Mall in the company of hundreds of other sightseers.

In view of the damp atmosphere, we were clad in as much mackintosh as we could wear and carrying waterproof sheets, food etc.

We were more than fortunate in finding a small empty space of gutter in the Mall where we were able to settle ourselves down for the next 28 hours or so, with a real 'front view in the Stalls' position.

But when on occasion Peta and I have recalled the day it was the continuing call of the newsboys’ “Everest conquered - Everest conquered” that has remained in our minds. Peta was chatting to a group of gutter neighbours - medical students - who had brought equipment for heating water and who kindly let us have some, to which we added a 'Little brandy we had brought - just in case! It was so welcome on this chilly evening it was positively nectar.

Early the next morning the Police on duty told us to “clean up your gutters like good people”, and because they were so polite everybody did just that, without a murmur of protest.

Later on there was full-throated cheering for the Queen on her way to her Coronation, quietness during the crowning, and continuous rapturous cheering as the newly crowned Monarch returned to her Palace, towards which all the thousands of watching crowds surged.

Although both tall, Peta and I felt ourselves carried with them, our feet scarcely touching the ground, and the cheering when our Queen appeared on the balcony was almost beyond belief.

Eventually we found to our surprise and delight that there were hot baths at the Underground, which we certainly needed to indulge in, before catching the West of England train.

Nationally and personally it had been quite a day, but what an extremely enjoyable one!