SIX weeks after the postponed coronation of 1902, they did it all over again – and this time, Edward VII made it to the abbey. “The king had just returned from the very brink of the grave, and the sojourn in the valley of the shadow of death gave a solemnity to the scene which none of the gaudy and grotesque accessories – not even the peers’ coronets – were able to disturb,” intoned WT Stead, the Echo’s former editor who, 25 years after he had left Darlington to become internationally famous, provided a special report for the paper.
WT Stead, the Echo's famous editor, who was at the 1902 coronation
Because of the cancellation, most of the foreign dignitaries were unable to return, and so this was more of a domestic celebration. The ceremony was led by the 80-year-old Archbishop of Canterbury, Frederick Temple, who was physically ailing so that several bishops had to help him up from his knees after prayers. His eyesight was going so the text had to be printed out on huge scrolls.
“When the archbishop put the crown on the king’s head, he fumbled somewhat and some said he placed it on with the back in front,” said WT Stead, spotting another mistake. “The king, however, with his own hand put the crown right.”
The Northern Echo's front page reporting the 1902 coronation
As the king was still recovering from his brush with death, Edward was crowned with the lightweight Imperial State Crown instead of the heavier St Edward’s Crown. Queen Alexandra was crowned immediately afterwards by the Archbishop of York with a new crown containing the Koh-i-Noor diamond which is now too controversial for Camilla to use.
It was, by all accounts, an impressive ceremony. “The gas was lighted and the queen’s diamonds glimmered and glowed on her bosom, and when she turned towards the altar, they shone on her neck with brilliant lustre,” wrote Stead.
Most of the country’s mayors were among the 8,000 guests in the abbey – Stockton’s mayor missed out due to illness – and Darlington’s chainwearer, Cllr ED Walker, wrote an article for the Echo which said: “It was the greatest ceremonial that possibly has ever been witnessed since civilisation was at all worthy of the name… as the king walked up the aisle it was all too evident that he was suffering from considerable lameness and he likewise gave evidence of a generally tired condition of body.”
In the rest of the country, confusion reigned once more: should they have a second party after the events of June?
Darlington's ox roast was eventually held on August 11, 1902, two days after the coronation, although nearly two months after it was supposed to happen
READ MORE WITH GREAT PICTURES: THE LOST ART OF ROASTING AN OX TO CELEBRATE A CORONATION
“There was nothing of an official character in the way of celebration in Darlington,” said the Echo. “There was a certain amount of holidaymaking and decorations, but generally matters were very quiet.”
The Green Dragon in Darlington's Post House Wynd dressed up for the 1902 coronation. Picture courtesy of the Darlington Centre for Local Studies
Most of those decorations focused on the Town Hall, beside the covered market, where Messrs Jefferson had rigged up new-fangled electric lights which shone upon a large portrait of the new king. “The illumination of this was admirable,” said the Echo.
In the Trimdons, after the previous explosive celebrations, “the day was very quietly observed, business proceeding as on other days, the collieries, quarries and lime kilns worked as usual except at Trimdon Grange, which was idle. The decorations, in the way of flags, banners etc, were very similar to those of June 26, but apart from this there was no display whatever”.
In contrast, in Barnard Castle, “the inhabitants rose to the importance of the occasion to an extent which was quite unexpected, and the whole town was a complete blaze of colour”.
Two aspects of the celebrations shine through the Echo’s reports: everywhere, bicycles were the stars of the show and everywhere, there were some really odd events.
Children process from Durham centre to Hollow Drift to celebrate the coronation of Edward VII
In Crook, there was a torchlight procession headed by the Wooley Silver Band. It included horses and bicycles, “and the riders of these were adorned in the most original attires”. The best elaborately dressed cyclist was Miss Burn of Shildon who had come as an Italian, and the best comical cyclist was Mr T Eady, of Seaham Harbour, who was a Zulu King.
Similarly in Stanhope, H Wallace won the best comic costume in the cycle parade with his representation of a pitman, with Joe Bainbridge, dressed as a fishwife, second. Miss Edie Walton won the lady cyclists’ prettiest costume prize.
Great Ayton hosted the biggest event in North Yorkshire where, as well as the comically attired cyclists, “the scramble for the pig by the ladies…provided a good fund of amusement to the large gathering of spectators”.
Sedgefield “has never in the recollection of the oldest inhabitant looked so gay and festive as it did on the day of the crowning of our king and queen”, said the Echo’s correspondent. “From the church tower fluttered bravely the Union Jack and the houses surrounding it were ornamented with flags, flowers and evergreens in a manner quite artistic.” At the sports day, J Ward won the prize for bun and treacle snatching, while J Iceton won the prize for grinning through a braffin.
A braffin is horse collar, so this must be a gurning competition, but how do you win a prize for treacle snatching?
Elizabeth II meets the World Gurning Champion Tommy Mattinson in Whitehaven in 2008. He is grinning through a braffin
Stockton brought all the ideas together for a long programme of sports and “old English pastimes” enjoyed by more than 25,000 people in the High Street.
“Some of the items were laughter provoking, particularly the treacle and feather contest where the efforts of the local professor of painting, Alfred Atkinson (not RA) as a sweet face painter, met with much acceptance,” said the Echo, without really explaining what had been going on. “The votaries of greasy pole climbing – and there were many – had their tastes well catered for in the attempts to capture legs of mutton on tops of three poles. Sack racing, street sweepers race (with decorated brooms), smoking contest, foot racing, skipping contest for girls, grinning through a horse collar, human wheelbarrow race, thread the needle race, eating rolls of treacle were some amongst the numerous diversions which occupied the vast concourse of people.”
An enamel beaker from the 1902 coronation belonging to Geoff Gregg o1f Tursdale, County Durham
Several places ended coronation day with fireworks. At Stanhope, a display was put on in Castle Park, but unfortunately railwayman Thomas Gowland “was standing some distance off during the firing of a heavy cannon from which shot a fragment”, said the Echo.
“It flew with great force into his face, damaging one of his eyes and badly lacerating his face. Medical aid was called, when it was found necessary to take out the injured eye.
“The sad event cast a gloom over the proceedings.”
In 1902, despite all the planning, very little went to plan for either the king or his countrymen but at least, in the end, they had all got through the first coronation for 64 years – just like 2023, for a majority of the population, 1902 was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The 1902 coronation festivities in South Park, Darlington. This picture was probably taken in the June when the coronation was first scheduled
READ MORE: CAN YOU FIND THE CORONATION OAKS HIDDEN IN DARLINGTON'S SOUTH PARK?
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