General Chat

I was 16 and had been working for a year. By careful saving I had just bought my first racing bike, drop handlebars, 9 gears etc.

We were marking out lines for the races that we were going to have on the afternoon of Coronation Day. A local bully, a year older than myself, picked up a paint brush , walked over to where I had parked my brand new bike and daubed white paint all over the rear wheel, tyre and chain.

That is when I found out that bullies are cowards. As he stood smirking I walked towards him and hit him as hard as I could on the nose. The blood spurted and the 17 year old bully boy burst into tears and went running home to mummy.

Despite this bad start Coronation Day on our village green was a wonderful success and a good time was had by all.

Bully boy and his parents were conspicuous by their absence. Nobody missed them.

God Save Queen Elizabeth II. Long may she reign.

What a shame about the Hoppings! I always went when I was a little bairn - it was the highlight of my year. I remember all those dodgy side shows - the bearded lady, the calf with two heads, the fattest man and the tiniest woman.........
Don't suppose it's been the same for quite a few years now - sad! :-(

GinN - I enjoyed our little banter. Thank you very much.

Just to let you know that Newcastle Council has decided that the Hoppings on the Town moor will no longer take place so that is the end of that. I have been visiting the Hoppings for years from when I was a toddler. It will be sadly missed.

GP

Thankyou to all who told us of your Coronation Day memories, well, those of us who are old enough!

GP, you romantic old devil, you! <3 :-D :-D

GinN - Our secrets are locked in my heart forever. I still remember the occasion quite well when your knees were bleeding and I kissed them until the flow had stopped. I bought the hankie from Shepherds of Gateshead so please take care of it

GP

Happy Birthday Brenda

My sister and I (2 and 4) were excited, we were going to see the Queen on a TV at aunty's house. It was the 1st time we saw TV. We had a 2 mile walk with mum, everywhere was still and quiet.

We got to aunty's and she took mum aside, the house was getting full of relatives but all was quiet, the mood was not as it should have been.

Mum told us to be good as she had to go back for dad (he was decorating) and she would be back as soon as she could.

Mum came back, we watched the coronation, ate a lunch at aunty's. Dad turned up after a while, all sombre.

This is what happened in a few days in 1953

Date 30th May - at grandma and granddad's (paternal) 50th wedding anniversary.
31st May Dad's birthday
1st June late evening, granddad taken ill (had cancer)
2nd June Coronation
6th June saw granddad for last time
June 13th or 14th granddad's funeral

Sister and I were too young to understand so we enjoyed the day, I kept a scrapbook for many years about the coronation. It disappeared just after I joined the WRAF, lets just say siblings don't always like what other siblings have. She has apologised many years later.

Still remember Prince Charles leaning over the balcony to look down at his mother. :

Happy Birthday Brenda

I wasn't even thought of :-(

Happy birthday Brenda

My grandfather also had a memorable birhday today, he was 50 so he is 110 now :-D

It was my 18th birthday,so do remember it well.Party in the avenue,dancing as piano brought out.Small 12 inch TV in neighbours house.
Paste sandwiches,buns,jam tarts,jelly,junket...a bar at night for grown ups .
Thought Philip the most handsome man and he has been such a support for the Queen.
Seen them a few times and Philip waved to me once as I stood outside my house in 1964 when the Queen was expecting Edward and she went to another engagement and he went to the airfield at Llanbedr,near Harlech.

Ahhh, Frankie - er, I mean GP - I knew it was you! I won't tell if you dont.
Do ye remember mopping the blood off me knee when I fell doon the pit heap after school? I'm sure I've still got that hankie somewhere.
Want it back? :-D

WE HAD A STREET PARTY ,MUM MADE ME A GRENIDER GUARD
SUIT ,I WON BUT SEEING AS MUM WAS THE LOCAL DRESSMAKER
I HAD THE EDGE ON THE OTHERS,MY COUSIN WAS A LAVENDER LADY,
DONT REMEMBER THE PARTY MUCH I WAS ONLY 3

GinN - I remember the occasion well. We snuggled up to each other and I gave you my brawn sandwich and you offered me your jam tarts. We were so engrossed with each others company we completely forgot about the Coronation and eventually our lips met and it seemed like an eternity until your dad tore us apart and said "Wots gannin on heer like" in his posh Geordie accent. I wiil never forget the occasion as long as I live. It was a pleasure to have met you. :-D ;-)

P.S. As rumoours started to spread through Pelaw, Jarrow and Hebburn we had to shift and change our names.

GP

My father passed away in 1974 and two of his proudest moments were to be presented to the Queen's father King George VI and his wife, also Princess Margaret, and Queen Mary, when they paid a visit in 1948 to Cupar in Fife where the King presented new colours to the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry, the other was, as I posted earlier, being selected to be part of the guard lining The Mall for the Queen's coronation.

He would have loved the celebrations this year and last year - R.I.P. Dad <3

We had a television in our house - mother always thought she was a cut above the neighbours - for once she was kind and the whole of our small cul-de-sac crammed into the sitting room to watch it.

Just realised my youngest sister was born two weeks earlier at home - the birth must have mellowed her.

So, you're not Frankie Swales, then, GP. You were my last hope! :-D :-D

My father took me to the Teams Social Club in Gateshead to watch the Coronation and all the members brought their children as well. We were given a corned beef sandwich, sausage roll, crisps and a glass of lemonade. At the finish we all received a miniature Coronation cup and saucer as a momento of the occasion.

GP

I hadn't long started work for Unilever at Blackfriars London,

Was a filing clerk at the bottom of the ladder. Our supervisor suggested we might like to camp out overnight to see the procession. We went home early and them met up again .My mum insisted I took one of the utility blankets we still had from WW 2 when our house suffered bomb damage .i was the only one who took some coverage and I spent all night trying to get MY share of my own blanket.

Our elder brother was in the RAF and he was "volunteered " to be in one of the RAF sections who were part of the procession . He was stationed for two weeks before in one of the London Army Barracks doing drill and rehearsals

I was hoping to spot him but they all looked the same with their RAF caps down over their eyes, they did look good tho and were selected so they all about the same height

He was 6ft plus
Sadly we lost our Stan in 2001 , God Bless you Stan wherever you are <3 <3 <3

I wasn't born then...My dad was only 9 at the time of the Coronation.. :-S

Jules x

I remember her coronation, our television was put out in the garden so neighbours could watch it. I was more interested in trying to see if I could spot my dad, a Sergeant in the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry in his full dress uniform, he had travelled down from Scotland with other members of his regiment and they formed part of the guard who lined The Mall for the procession.

Dad was manager of a TV shop so we had a small TV and had all the neighbours in. I was 12 and my best friend had just died, she would have been 13 that month so I was sad.