IT is 70 years since the people of Britain last saw a new monarch crowned amid great pomp and ceremony, so the coronation of King Charles III in a month’s time is going to be a once, or perhaps twice if you are lucky, event.

In preparation, Darlington libraries are holding a series of events – and The Northern Echo is appealing for your souvenirs, pictures, stories and memories.

The Northern Echo: An Echo photo taken somewhere in Darlington showing a 1953 coronation tea party. Can you tell us where the party was held? Can you identify anyone in the picture?

An Echo photo taken somewhere in Darlington showing a 1953 coronation tea party. Can you tell us where the party was held? Can you identify anyone in the picture?

On Tuesday, April 4, Dr Ben Roberts of Teesside University is giving an illustrated talk looking back at how Darlington has celebrated royal events over the decades.

“Darlington has had many royal visitors over the centuries, though in earlier times they were often just passing through,” says Dr Roberts, “and in the 19th Century, the Pease family seem to have done all they could to actually avoid royal visitors coming to the town!

“This changed in the 20th Century, as royal visits became more frequent and gave local people the opportunity to wave the flag for Darlington.

“Alongside royal visits, coronation and jubilee celebrations have always been popular events in the town, although their organisation has not always gone to plan. For instance in 1953, the council was accused of not being ambitious enough in planning its celebrations and then rainstorms ruining a lot of the fun. Despite this, people still turned out to have fun and make the coronation of Elizabeth II a day to remember.

The Northern Echo: Planting a coronation tree on the Green Tree corner in Blackwellgate, outside Bainbridge Barker's department store, on June 7, 1953

Planting a coronation tree on the Green Tree corner in Blackwellgate, outside Bainbridge Barker's department store, on June 7, 1953

On Tuesday, April 11, Dr Roberts is giving a second talk about the cancelled coronation of 1902. King Edward VII, overweight and over fond of large cigars, suffered a “recrudescence of perityphilitis” on June 23, 1902, just three days before his planned coronation. He required an immediate operation, which was carried out on a table in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, on his abdominal abscess.

The coronation was cancelled: the grandstands on the streets of London were taken down and the visiting heads of state returned to their countries, leaving the British people a little confused about whether their celebrations should go ahead – many in the provinces did go ahead.

The Northern Echo: A truly magnificent picture of High Row from the Darlington Centre for Local Studies’ collection, showing the crowds celebrating the 1911 coronation of King George V. The west side of High Row is where all the ceremonies are taking place –

A truly magnificent picture of High Row from the Darlington Centre for Local Studies’ collection, showing the crowds celebrating the 1911 coronation of King George V. The west side of High Row is where all the ceremonies are taking place – look at that platform on the right which has been built outside what is today Thomas the baker’s shop. Dignitaries must have watched the parade from up there, and speeches must have been made. The trams are still pushing through the crowds on Low Row and you can see on the front of one tram an advert for Bainbridge Barker, the town’s finest department store on the corner of Skinnergate and Blackwellgate which featured in Memories recently

The king recovered from the operation and the coronation took place on August 8, 1902. Many heads of state couldn’t return and because the king was still in a weakened state, the lighter Imperial State Crown was placed on his head instead of the heavier St Edward's Crown.

Both of Dr Roberts’ talks start at 11.30am and are at Cockerton library. Tickets are £3 and it is advisable to book them via Eventbrite – it is dead easy, go to eventbrite.co.uk, put “ben roberts and darlington” in the search box, and the talks will pop up. There may be tickets available on the door.

The Northern Echo: Women in Forster Street, in the Eastbourne area of Darlington, preparing their house for the 1953 coronation. Since the Echo photographer took this picture, all the sash windows in Forster Street seem to have been replaced so we can't locate this

Women in Forster Street, in the Eastbourne area of Darlington, preparing their house for the 1953 coronation. Since the Echo photographer took this picture, all the sash windows in Forster Street seem to have been replaced so we can't locate this

On Friday, April 28, at 10.30am, there will be the monthly Rock of Ages event at Cockerton library, which will feature a musical trip down memory lane looking at royal events, including coronations, of the past. Tickets for this are free but should be booked on 01325-461320.

The Northern Echo: A picture from the Northern Despatch newspaper showing the 1953 street party in Larchfield Street, just off Darlington town centre

A picture from the Northern Despatch newspaper showing the 1953 street party in Larchfield Street, just off Darlington town centre

On Friday, May 5, at 3pm, acclaimed costume historian and dressmaker Meridith Towne will present her illustrated talk entitled A Splash of Royal Colour, looking at the history of colour and its meaning – including superstitions – fashion, and how the royals used it to indicate their superior rank and to show off their sartorial skills. Of course, whatever colour an influential royal was dressed in became the fashion of the season as everyone else followed suit.

This talk is at Cockerton library – Crown Street library remains closed while renovations progress – and tickets are £5 which should be booked through Eventbrite.

For further information, call 01325-349630.

The Northern Echo: Planting a coronation tree in Neasham Road, Darlington, on November 8, 1953. Does this tree still stand? Where was it?

Planting a coronation tree in Neasham Road, Darlington, on November 8, 1953. Does this tree still stand? Where was it?

AND what royal souvenirs or stories do you have? As recent Memories have discovered, people have amazing collections of Edwardian crested china, so do you have anything connected to coronations of the past – surely everyone has at least one royal mug from their childhood days.

Perhaps some of today’s photos, from the Darlington Centre for Local Studies collection, will remind you that somewhere you have an album showing how your family celebrated back in 1953 – or even earlier?

Or do you have any stories or memories with royal links? We’d love to hear them. And what about trees - we knew there were Coronation Oaks in South Park, but the library has discovered pictures of coronation trees being planted in Blackwellgate and Neasham Road. Is there a coronation tree in your community?

Please email chris.lloyd@nne.co.uk

The Northern Echo: Brunswick Street, Darlington. Picture courtesy of the Darlington Centre for Local Studies

This magnificent picture is from the Darlington Centre for Local Studies collection but was taken in 1953 by a photographer working for The Northern Echo. It shows the coronation sports events in Brunswick Street, which is off the inner ring road today - the new Treasury campus is going to be built on the "Brunswick" site of the old garage beside the street. The children are running away from the cooling towers of the Haughton Road power station which once dominated the town's skyline. Pictures of local coronation events are pretty rare, so it is remarkable that this one survives as does another which shows children celebrating VE Day at the end of the Second World War eight years earlier in Brunswick Street - one wonders if the Echo had a photographer living in the street

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