THE TALE OF TWO CORONATIONS

BY KATE STEWART

Memories of the King’s Coronation 2023 by Felpham resident, Stella Freeman Smith

We were on the train in Barnham by 5am and when we got to Victoria we were herded along a very circuitous route to the Mall.

I was a child for Elizabeth II’s Coronation and remember the excitement of the street party and clustering round a very small black and white television. This time I decided to see the real thing in ‘colour’ and my two daughters were up for it as well! They are likely to see another one – I’m not.

We found a spot towards Horse Guards and we made the best of it. A lot of people were already seated in front of the barrier, but we could see everything and hear the commentary over the loudspeakers.

As the King was crowned a gun salute went off and the ground shook. The return from the Abbey was very exciting. The gold coach so impressive, the soldiers immaculate and we saw the Drum Horse, Atlas, not behaving right in front of us! We had great admiration for his rider who only had his feet for control!

After the procession passed, we were allowed on to the Mall as we had hoped. We ended up about 20 metres from the Buckingham Palace gates. We could have got closer, but we wanted to get the best view of all the Royal family out on the balcony.

The flypast was a bit disappointing but hey-ho, English weather, what does one expect?

We finally made our way back to Victoria via Hyde Park just in time for the train home. All in all, it was a very successful and memorable day.

Memories of the Queen’s Coronation 1953 by Felpham resident Irene Boud

I lived in Scotland but my brother was working in London so I went down to stay with him. We got up at 2 o’clock in the morning and took the tube to the West End. People had been camping out for days in the best places but we found a space on the pavement in the Haymarket just off Picadilly, not at the front but still a good view.

Just after daybreak. The news vendors came round shouting that Sir Edmund Hillary had conquered Everest.

It was the afternoon before the coronation procession reached us and we had a good view of the Queen, but for me it was the Queen of Tonga who made the most impression. Despite the rain she rode in an open carriage and was loudly cheered.

In the evening my brother and I went to the Hammersmith Palais to dance the night away. One of my dance partners was a young soldier who had been part of the procession. A memorable day.

Editor: Thank you Stella and Irene.

Local History By Sylvia Endacott

Around many seaside resorts it was possible to holiday or live in a discarded railway carriage. In a 1917 Homeland Guide, reference was made to railway carriages based in Felpham. The report commented that it was also possible for owners to keep a dinghy beneath their carriage as the area was liable to flood.

Many of the railway carriages were erected from 1919 by a Mr A. Jenkins, and also a local building company called Seymour’s who towed the carriages into position. Some were purchased at this time for £500. Mr Archibald Spencer purchased one such carriage in 1920 and named it Merry Moments, to reflect the mood of his visits to the area. To the right of this picture, we can see Sea Road. This corner of Felpham has always been popular with visitors to the area.

The modern visitor can hire a beach hut in Felpham, as opposed to a railway carriage. One of the railway carriages in Felpham was for sale for £165,000, in the recent past, which featured three bedrooms, two receptions and one bathroom. Yes it had been extended with numerous rooms added to the original railway carriage. A pair of carriages in Middleton that had been built in 1901 for King Edward VII were used as a picnic saloon. It was then used as a mobile hospital in WW1, and another used by Field Marshall Haig during the war. We have so many historical memories in our area.

ARUN & CHICHESTER (AIR) ENTHUSIASTS SOCIETY

AirACES www.airaces.org.uk

Patrons – Sqn Ldr Richard (Dick) Kharegat RAF (Retd) – ex Vulcan, Victor, B52 Pilot Wg Cdr Robert (Bob) Prothero MRAeS, MIMgt, RAF (Retd) – ex Victor Pilot

Monday 26 JUNE 2023 - 1900 for 1930 hrs

‘Chaos and Comedy: A Summer on the Somme, with No.11 Squadron, Royal Flying Corp’ presented by Ms Jill Bush

“If it goes on like now,” wrote Major Hugh Trenchard, in the summer of 1916 on the Somme, “God help us when we get the Huns on the run”.

May to September 1916, the first phase of the infamous battle of the Somme, was a key period for the development of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).

The admiralty of the skies was in their hands for a few short but significant months, and this talk by Jill Bush, will focus on the desperate attempts of No 11 Squadron to battle not just the enemy, but machines which often fell apart, and a supply chain that was woefully inadequate.

AirACES is an aviation talk society, providing its members with regular talks, given by experts in many different fields related to the world of aviation. The talks are held at the Chichester Park Hotel, Westhampnett Road, Chichester 7pm for 7.30 start. Members £5, visitors £7 and under 16s FREE. Doors open at 6.45pm no pre-booking, no reserved seating For further information about AirACES, please see www.airaces.org.uk, or call David Batcock on 01243 823007.

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