25th April 2012

BEAMINSTER: Coronation memories

By Rachel Bowditch

Memories of the Queen’s coronation are vivid in my mind.

A few days prior to the Coronation my late husband, Donald, and I cycled on our tandem from Beaminster to Acton in West London. The journey took from 7.30am until 7.30pm in the evening.

After a restful night we spend the following day sightseeing in the West End of London. I recall The Mall being adorned with large coronets.

The next day was spent cycling to Harlow in Essex, which was the home of my late brother Kenneth.

The actual day of the Coronation, I recall, as being the most boring day ever. We sat all day in a darkened room watching the long service on a 12-inch television screen, only moving for refreshments and toiletries.

However, this did inspire us to purchase a television set of our own, and on our return we contacted the up and coming firm of K.W. Hurford in White Hart Street, Beaminster, who supplied us with a black and white 14 inch Pye television, which we thought was marvellous. I think we were amongst the very first few of his television customers.

Happy days!

PICTURE: Rachel Bowditch and her husband Donald on their tandem in 1953