Celebrating the Queen’s 70 years

North Devon celebrating Queen Elizabeth for 70 years

Pages 20 - 23

Street party in Fore Street, Chulmleigh celebrating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953 - photographer unknown

When her father King George VI died on February 6th 1952, 25 year old Elizabeth became queen regnant, and her coronation took place on June 2nd 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London.

Now aged 96, Elizabeth is the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch, the longest-serving female head of state, the oldest living and longest-reigning current monarch, and the oldest and longest-serving incumbent head of state in the world.

Her Majesty visited Barnstaple with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956.

Above and bottom left, The Queen in Devon in 1956. The images are believed to be from Barnstaple Pannier Market - courtesy British Pathé

Photo by Karolina Andreasova The late Connie White took this photo at the Silver Jubilee celebrations in Kings Nympton in 1977

Since the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, significant events have included the celebrations of her Silver Jubilee in 1977, Golden in 2002, Diamond in 2012 and now the Platinum Jubilee in June 2022.

Silver Jubilee June 1977, the Mayoress, Joyce Burgess, crowns Susan Weller (a pupil of the comprehensive school) as Festival Queen - photo by Gordon Bray

Street parties - top left Cooks Cross, South Molton Silver Jubilee 1977, photo by Gordon Bray; top right Chulmleigh Diamond Jubilee in 2012, photo by Elizabeth Wesson. Above left Denny and Lilian Lock driving through Cooks Cross in their 1926 Austin 7 car and above right - party in Aclands, South Molton for the Silver Jubilee in June 1977, photos by Gordon Bray