I’ve attended and photographed fairly a number of coronations, however will likely be having completely nothing to do with occasions this coming weekend. It seems to me an obscene waste of cash, completely pointless spending which may very well be directed in the direction of one thing much more worthwhile on a medieval relic that the nation ought to have deserted or massively reformed years in the past.
I do bear in mind the 1953 occasion, after we spent relatively boring hours crammed into our neighbours entrance room dealing with a 9 inch display on the black and white tv their elder son had constructed from a equipment. And some days later our college’s courses had been trooped alongside to the native cinema – appropriately The Regal – to observe it in color. It had rained for the occasion and I believe we additionally received moist queueing to be let in. I believe few discovered the movie of a lot curiosity.
In fact there was a variety of ballyhoo again in 1953, however nothing just like the extended media assault we at the moment are seeing – our media have modified, and largely for the worst. And whereas some individuals held avenue events I don’t assume there have been any in our London suburb.
There was definitely a variety of speak then a few new “Elizabethan Period” however little got here of it, although we had been nonetheless slowly rising from wartime austerity. For most kids within the UK the extra vital occasion of the Coronation yr had been the tip of candy rationing a number of months earlier, although sugar, meat and another meals remained on ration.
Again in 2004 or 2005 4 photos within the posthumous Tony Ray Jones e-book ‘A Day Off’ of Might Queen festivals had come to my consideration and I made a decision it could be an fascinating space for a photographic venture if these occasions had been nonetheless happening. A little analysis, primarily on-line advised me that there have been nonetheless some in numerous elements of London and that the image exhibiting younger women dancing across the maypole was, regardless of an incorrect caption, really from the London Might Queen occasion happening yearly on Hayes Widespread.
So in Might 2005 I went to Hayes Widespread, very unsure about what I’d discover, and likewise about how I’d be acquired. Outdated males photographing younger women was by then a relatively suspect exercise, however I talked with a number of the organisers and if not instantly gained their confidence. It was the beginning of a venture over a number of years that attracted curiosity from the Museum of London, although ultimately they pulled out from the present at late stage, although I believe they did purchase a number of photos.
It took a number of years of attending numerous crownings and different Might Queen occasions, together with a number of unconnected with the London Might Queen for me to construct up a physique of labor and I prolonged the venture somewhat longer than was vital to incorporate the crowning of the a hundredth London Might Queen in 2012, publishing my e-book London’s Might Queens later that yr. Being publishing on demand that is now ridiculously costly however the PDF model within reason priced. The preview there accommodates my brief article about Might Queens and fairly a number of photos.
By 2013 I had completed the venture, however was nonetheless receiving invites to return to take photos, and was happy I had time to take action, not only for the Beckenham Might Queens on Sataturday 4th Might 2013, from which the photographs right here come, however for the crowning of London’s one hundred and first Might Queen at Hayes the next Saturday. I believe this was the final coronation I attended.
Many extra photos at Beckenham Might Queens.
Tags: 1953, Beckenham, Beckenham Might Queens, Bromley Widespread, Coney Corridor, coronation, coronations, Eden Park, Elmers Finish, Hayes, Hayes Widespread, Kent, London, London Might Queen, London Pictures, London’s Might Queens, Might Queen occasions, peter Marshall, rationing, Shortlands, Tony Ray Jones, West Wickham
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