The coronation

I must wedge in the Coronation which took place on May 12th 1937. It was the day when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned. it followed a period of national unrest culminating in the abdication of King Edward VIII (eighth). All I remember of the prelude to the coronation was talk of Mrs Simpson and Mr Baldwin. I hasten to add that I have since sorted it out.

What I do recall is the parade throught the village and one thing in particular. Betty Gibson rode a bike in the shape of a ship. It was either the Queen Mary or the Queen Elizabeth for both were launched about this time. I still remember that ship-shaped bike and I'll bet so does the rider-Bruce Smith's mother! It may well be questioned how I retain a memory of the occasion so vividly. The answer is simple. I was fours years old that day and carried away with the events, I peed myself-a wet sock has more impact than a diary!

When the next coronation takes place I intend to stay in bed, for when the queen was crowned in 1953, June 2nd I think it was, I was knocked off my bike by a car. Luckily I was not mortally wounded.