Coronation: Weather even worse 70 years ago, says Ron, 94

THE island’s finest collection of Coronation cakes was to be found at the Professor Shaw Community Centre in St Martin’s on Saturday.

Union flags were waved at the Professor Shaw Community Centre in St Martin’s when the national anthem was played after the Coronation ceremony.(Pictures by Luke Le Prevost, 32088166)

This was the location for the parish church’s tea party, where people gathered together to witness the events of the day on the big screen whilst enjoying a smorgasbord of baked goodies.

‘We have been so lucky with all the donations we have received,’ said St Martin’s rector, the Rev. Daniel Foot.

‘This has been a great community event, especially for some of the more vulnerable in our community to come together and watch the festivities as a group.’

As the national anthem played after the ceremony, the gathered guests broke into spontaneous waving of the many union flags decorating the hall.

Mr Foot was certain that Charles was going to be a good King.

‘He is very passionate about the environment, which I feel is very important,’ he said, ‘After all this is what the very first commandment is all about. Making sure we steward the earth responsibly.’

Ron Gould, 94, with the Rev. Daniel Foot, the rector of St Martin’s. Mr Gould recalled the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 and said the weather was worse than that of Saturday. (32088178)

Among the guests at the event, for which all 95 free tickets had been booked, was Ron Gould, who had been 24 when the last Coronation took place.

‘Hardly anyone had televisions back then, and we had watched it at the home of the family who owned the Lakers electrical shop. The weather was even worse than it has been today. I remember Queen Salote of Tonga had insisted on an open top carriage and she got absolutely soaked.’