Investigating coronations locally, Part Two: Cardiganshire reflects on coronations: local history sources about a national event
This section provides a case study of how sources for one locality, Cardiganshire in West Wales, can be used to exemplify a national event.
It reveals the importance of making contact with local archives. Helen Palmer, County Archivist for Ceredigion (formerly Cardiganshire) in Wales has been looking to see what sources they have on coronations in their area as she prepares a display for Ceredigion Archives in early May.
The following documents are all held at Ceredigion Archives, the place where records of the old county of Cardiganshire are kept. There are links to the catalogue on the Ceredigion Archives website for each item discussed below. They’re mostly unique and particular to the area, but wherever you live in Britain there may be similar documents to be discovered. The obvious starting point is finding contact details of the local archives and then searching for similar material. Use this archive finder to locate an archive near you. Use their archive catalogue to locate sources relevant to coronations in your place. Some of this material may also be available online. You may be lucky enough to have a community archive, look and see if there is one near you through the Community Archives and Heritage Group website.
Photographs of celebrations of the Coronation of Edward VII
There are two photographs, one of the procession through the village, another of a group of people with a lady dressed as Britannia centre stage! The Coronation of Edward VII in 1902 was a bit confusing – the Coronation was arranged for 26th June but the unfortunate king developed appendicitis, had an operation to save his life, and was consequently forced to delay the Coronation till 9th August. But all over the country pre-planned celebrations went on regardless at the end of June, as shown in the Eglwys Fach School Log Book:
25th June. Gave two days holidays - coronation days 26th & 27th - Bad news of the King, but rejoicings, tea and sports were held. Some beautiful photographs of Procession, Nationalities and Committee were taken by Mr Pearce, Machynlleth.
Schools all over the country may have arranged celebrations – the ‘log books’ (a diary of the school year, kept by the head teacher) are usually kept at County Archives, and may contain details about coronation celebrations. You may be lucky to find evidence in other school records such as managers minutes or even examples of pupils’ work.
Special commemorative local newspapers
As we have already seen, the Coronation of Edward VII didn’t happen as planned. But local newspapers, published weekly, had prepared their copy in advance, and consequently the dates don’t always match those of the actual event. Such as with The Welsh Gazette Coronation Souvenir: His Majesty King Edward VII. 26 June 1902.
Coronation scrapbook
People love collecting commemorative things and in former times compiling scrapbooks relating to major events was quite common. In this example someone has collected press cuttings about the Coronation and the young and rather glamorous royal family. For example this 'In the news' scrapbook containing press cuttings of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953.The book also contains cuttings of the Royal Family, the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne and the Queen's visit to Wales, c.1953.
Coronation items from the collection of George M. Quan, Mayor of Lampeter, 1953-4
George Quan just happened to be Mayor in the year of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and his collection of papers include items relating to the way Lampeter, a small market town in rural Cardiganshire, chose to celebrate and commemorate the Coronation. We can see that there was a special carnival (and the route that it took through town!), that the schoolchildren received special Coronation mugs, and that the Mayor tried to include people who weren’t able to take part in the public celebrations, by sending them commemorative cards. Local officials all over Britain may have left similar collection in local archives and record offices.
Documents concerning the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II from the collection of George M. Quan:
- Letter to the Mayor from H. E. Evans, Mayoress 1905-6 and 1927-8, thanking him for his greetings on the occasion of the Coronation, and wishing him a happy year in office.
- Card to Mr G. G. Quan from C. Bayley, Fairmead, Bryn Road, thanking him for his greetings on the occasion of the Coronation, dated 30 May 1953.
- Letter to the Mayor, Mayoress and Town Council from Mrs Charles Hope, an elderly invalid thanking him for his beautiful card on the occasion of the Coronation.
- Small printed booklet with the Order of Mass for the Evening of 1 June 1953 before the Coronation.
- Printed leaflet in black and blue with the arms of Lampeter with ‘A Coronation Message of Sympathy and Good Wishes from the people of Lampeter’ from the Mayor G. G. Quan for people who for reasons of illness could not take part in the Coronation celebrations. Partly in Welsh and with some rhymes. Three copies.
- Typed list of the events at the Coronation Carnival on Wednesday June 3 1953.
- Typed copy of the Route of the Lampeter Carnival.
- A letter to the Town Clerk of Lampeter, Mr Lloyd, from the Director of Education J. Henry Jones, who will supply a further 240 Coronation Mugs. 20 June 1953.
King’s Hall Coronation concert programme
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II took place on the 2nd June 1953. This was the first televised Coronation, and the people lucky enough to have televisions watched it at home – often with many friends and relations squashed into their living room! As people could watch the actual event on the telly, celebrations for this Coronation might be at other times ‘around the date’ rather than on the day itself. There were celebratory cultural events all over Britain – programmes will survive in local history libraries and archives. Like this Souvenir programme of the Coronation concert held at the King's Hall, Aberystwyth 13th June 1953. The King’s Hall was a much-loved building on the sea-front at Aberystwyth, built in the early 1930s, and host to innumerable cultural events for both locals and tourists. This special concert programme reflects the musical tastes of post-war Britain celebrating a new era and a young Queen.
Coronation and other ephemera
This collection contains all kinds of ephemera. Many popular brands produced special commemorative wrappers for the Coronation(s) – and throwaway (ephemeral) items like match books and paper napkins were carefully kept, commemorating their owner’s tenuous connection to a major national event. Coronation items include:
- Five Chocolate wrappers commemorating the Royal Silver Jubilee 1910-1935 and the Coronation 1937
- Serviette commemorating the Coronation 1953
- Programme for a Thanksgiving Service on The Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at the Abbey Church of St. Peter, Westminster and Bryant & May’s matchbook (empty) commemorating “Their Majesties’ Coronation 1937”
12 May 1937
Personal diary
Personal diaries are always interesting both for what they contain and what they leave out! They may also be very candid as many were never intended to be read by anyone other than the author. Most archives will have the diaries of ‘ordinary people’ (there is no such thing – we’re all individually extraordinary!) in their collections and they’re always worth a look. The diary of J. T. Parry notes the coronation of Edward VII in 1902. This collection also contains commemorate souvenir local newspapers for the Coronations of 1902 and 1953.
Aberystwyth Borough Coronation Celebrations
This sweet little collection shows celebrations of the Coronation of King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth at the seaside and university town of Aberystwyth, organised by the Borough Council. Local government all over Britain organised similar events; we can get insights into the social history of the time from the kind of events felt appropriate to the celebrations.
- Souvenir Programme of Celebrations, 11-12 May 1937
- Civic Service of Thanksgiving invitation, 12 May 1937
- Grand Coronation Ball single ticket, 11 May 1937
- Grand Coronation Ball double ticket, 11 May 1937
Aberystwyth Borough Highways records
Many cities, towns and villages created commemorative buildings, parks or public utilities of some kind in celebration of Coronations. In Aberystwyth a set of special Coronation gates were proposed for the 1937 Coronation. Were they ever put in place? They’re not there now but perhaps they were sent to ‘aid the war effort’ in 1939 as many iron gates and railings were.
Records of Tabernacle Welsh Calvinist Methodist Chapel, Aberystwyth
Churches and chapels featured more strongly in the life of the nation at the time of preceding Coronations than they do now. Look out for items showing how different church and chapel communities celebrated the Coronation. Such as the Tabernacle Welsh Calvinist Methodist Chapel, Aberystwythwhich held a divine service on Sunday, 31sy May 1953, ‘being the Sunday preceding Her Majesty's Coronation’.
Records of the Anglican Church, Aberystwyth
The Anglican Church, which had the monarch at its head, would inevitably have special prayers for the Coronation of a new king or queen. The Parochial Records from Aberystwyth have documents on:
- Forms of Prayer, for use on Thursday, June 22 1911, being the day of the coronation of King George V
- The Order of Service for Trinity Sunday, 31 May 1953, being the Sunday preceding Her Majesty’s Coronation
Photographs of street parties
Lots of photographs of street parties survive for the Coronations of 1937 and 1953. They can show us changing fashions and our ancestors having fun. Such as this Coronation celebration for the South Road area at Tanycae in 1953.
Commemorative book gifted by the County Council
The volume below was a generic book on the life of the new monarch with an inserted foreword from the Education Department of Cardiganshire County Council. All Cardiganshire schoolchildren received this volume. No doubt other copies of the book were printed for other counties with suitably inserted pages appropriate to the area. These books were given to schoolchildren in addition to commemorative mugs.
George VI King and Emperor by Major J.T. Gorman, a book presented to Lilian Evans of Llanfarian Council School at the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth on 12 May 1937.
National magazines
Should a national magazine be included when looking at local history? Well – it affected the lives of the local people who bought it, creating a nationwide community of readers who were all informed in the same way simultaneously, so I’d say yes. Thus, this item has been retained in the collection at Ceredigion Archives. Lavishly illustrated and beautifully coloured, it can remind the modern reader how exciting the pageantry of the Coronation must have been in dreary post-war Britain (where food rationing was still in place till 1954!)
The Illustrated London News, Coronation Number, Queen Elizabeth II, edited by Sir Bruce Ingram. 1953
More in this section
<< Investigating coronations locally: Part One: Local history sources and themes
Hugo Javier Freitas
Laura Yeoman
