Popular themes for celebrations included dinners, fairground rides, fireworks, dances, bonfires, historic pageants, picnics, fancy dress parades and competitive sports. People were happy to take part in sporting events and there were high value prizes or cash to be won. Houses, shops and factories were decorated with flags and bunting. Coronations also meant time off work in the days when people didn’t get any official paid holiday, so the build-up made everyone cheerful.
For the coronation of George V on 22nd June 1911, there was a dinner for hundreds of children at Harpenden. The village had been decorated with thousands of fairy lamps and Chinese lanterns.
In Westmill, there was a women’s race for a pig, the animal being ‘well greased for the occasion’. (Hertfordshire Mercury)
For the coronation of George V on 22nd June 1911 At Harpenden, there was a vast dinner for the children with 110 children at Harpenden. Tea was made in two 100-gallon cisterns that were heated by gas. At 9pm the village had been decorated with 11,000 fairy lamps and Chinese lanterns and there was dancing on the common until 11pm. The following day it rained and 70 old people who went home and missed the entertainment.
In Bishops Stortford, festivities included swimming races in the river at Hockerill Bridge and an illuminated bicycle procession as well as church services and a historical royal pageant. A large bonfire was lit and fuelled by barrels of tar and tins of oil, it could be seen from miles around. In Hertford nearly 2,000 children received a special mug. In Hatfield, the inmates of the workhouse were not forgotten and had a special dinner
The abandoned coronation of Edward VIII
The coronation of Edward VIII was due to take place in May 1937. Preparations had already begun when he abdicated in December 1936. His brother was crowned George VI on 12th May 1937. A couple of Edward VIII post-boxes survive in St Albans and Chorleywood.
Celebrations at Hoddesdon for the coronation of George VI included gifts and entertainment for aged and unemployed persons (a parcel of groceries) a sit- down tea for children, 1,600 copies of George VI: King and Emperor and cash prizes for fancy dress. At Broxbourne, there were celebrations in Broxbournebury Park. There were races, pillow fighting and sideshows included ‘digging for treasure’
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