Coronation a chance to relive history as people in region remember Queen’s crowning moment

Douglas Southall, 80, from Kingswinford

Jelly and blancmange was a highlight of the Queen's Coronation for 10-year-old Douglas Southall.

The Great British weather meant the street party planned for the residents of Hall Street, now Halton Street, St Thomas Street, Simms Lane, Brewery Street and Cinder Bank, took place in Netherton Conservative Club.

The roads were criss-crossed with patriotic red, white and blue bunting which had been created inside the Southall home.

He said: "It was all hands to the pump in our house as my mother was a seamstress and made all the bunting for the street, however, the party was held inside of the Conservative Club due to the weather.

"There was a lot of fun and games, and music, I remember the jelly and blancmange which us children were allowed."

He added: "The photos really bring the day back, and it nice seeing so many children who I grew up with, however, sadly a lot of them are not around any more.

"I will certainly be watching the Coronation."

Joan Carter, 78, of Bradmore, Wolverhampton

Joan was an eight-year-old schoolgirl living on Cherry Street when Elizabeth's coronation was taking place.

She said she remembered having a television for the first time in the house and having a big party in a local school.

She said: "I remember sitting there, watching the small screen of the television and seeing it all happen in black and white, with the jewels and the crown and all the pageantry.

"We also had a party, not a street party, but a big party at a local school, and I remember we were all given a free mug at the party, which I kept for a long time, but which I think has either been broken or got lost.

"It all seemed very grand back then and I think it was really worth seeing on television and being with my family."

Joan Tolley, 77, of Penn, Wolverhampton

Joan was a seven-year-old living in Darlaston at the time of the coronation.

She spoke about "a real family event", sitting on the floor cross-legged with her cousins and watching the coronation on television.

She said: "It was the first time we'd ever watched television and there were all of us children sat cross-legged on the floor in what was a terraced house and full of people.

"I can remember seeing the Queen coming down the aisle on television and remember the occasion because of being sat with my cousins and having a real family event.

"I can't remember what food we had at the time, but I always remember having a little teaspoon with a coat of arms on the top.

"There are bits and pieces of the service I remember, but the best bits were sitting with my cousins and family and having a real sense of being together."

Hugh Porter, 83, of Tettenhall

Future world champion cyclist and broadcaster Hugh Porter was a 13-year-old schoolboy living in Parkfields in Wolverhampton during the coronation.

He said he and his cousin had been talking about the coronation recently and both had remembered being in the same place at the time.

He said: "Joan and I remember both her coming down with her mum and dad to our house in Parkfields and watching the coronation on a little black and white television with me, my parents and my sister.

"We both also remember a bit in the service where the narrator said something about how the Queen was going to be anointed with some sort of special oil and how we weren't going to see that on television.

"It was a great occasion though and I always remember being there with my family and wondering what the special oil was and what was happening with that."

Anita Lonsbrough, 82, of Tettenhall

Olympic and Commonwealth swimming gold medallist Anita was 11 years old and living in Harrogate in North Yorkshire at the time, where her father was in the Army.

She spoke of not remembering a lot about the service itself, but remembered more about the events of the day where she lived.

She said: "We lived in Petticoat Lane, which was just outside Harrogate as my father was still in the army and we were living near where he was based, so we would have been either watching or listening to the coronation there.

"I don't remember much of the service and what happened there, but I know there were celebrations at the army camp.

"I can also remember the party at the army camp, which had a fancy dress competition and a full sports day for kids and adults."

Pauline Preedy, 84, of Merridale

Pauline was a teenager at the time of the coronation, living in the Moseley area of Wolverhampton.

She said for her, it was a very quiet day as after being let down by a friend, she didn't feel like doing much on the day.

She said: "My friend was supposed to meet me in town, but she let me down and I didn't really feel like going anywhere after that.

"I'm sure there were street parties going on, but I don't remember anything around my house on Deans Road at the time, plus we hadn't even got a television by that point.

"It was still nice to hear about it and see the photos from the coronation and I do think that it all seemed grander and bigger back then, compared to today.

"People felt the royal family was a lot more important back then and there was a lot more pageantry."

Alan Taylor, 88, of Halesowen

Halesowen South Councillor Alan Taylor remembers watching the Queen's Coronation on television.

The 88-year-old, who is one of the country's oldest councillors, said the event was one the whole family sat round and watched.

He said: "It was such a national event, such a big moment in our country's history, if you were lucky enough to have a television then the whole family would have watched it.

"We had a television and I remember seeing pictures of the Queen on the screen. I don't remember that much about the day, I've had a lot of birthdays since then."

He added: "But as a family we all watched it together, I'm glad we had a television, I'm sure a lot didn't in those times."

The week of Charles's coronation will be one to remember for Councillor Taylor as he is standing again in the local elections for the Conservative Party in Halesowen South.

He said: "I will certainly be watching the Coronation on television with my family on the day."

Sheila Price, 80, of Dudley

Sheila Price was a 10-year-old schoolgirl when Elizabeth II's Coronation was held.

She remembers it "quite well" and celebrated the day with a street party and costume competition.

She said: "We saw it on the television when she was crowned, she was absolutely marvellous, she was such a lovely lady and it was a lovely event.

"A couple who lived in the street dressed up as King and Queen, we were only talking about it the other week.

"I remember it quite well, we had a tea party and a party in the street – we enjoyed it. I was living not far from the street we live on now, just a couple of yards away, it was a really lovely day."

Anthony Price, 84, of Dudley

Anthony Price was 14 years old and living in Rowley Regis when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned at her coronation.

He celebrated the day with a street party on the Brickhouse Farm estate where he lived at the time.

He said: "We had a big street party up there. We watched it on the television as well, I still remember it well.

"She was a lovely lady the queen, Philip was always by her side or just behind her, they both had a good life.

"If I remember rightly we all had a [coronation] coin, but whatever happened to them I do not know. All the kids had one and there was a lot of kids – there were big families then."