A piece of coronation history surfaces in Gisborne

PRIZED POSSESSION: Flora Gillies with her embroidered commemoration of Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation. Picture by Paul Rickard

A Gisborne woman has shared her precious piece of coronation history in the week Queen Elizabeth II celebrates being the longest-reigning monarch in the Commonwealth.

Flora Gillies treasures a silk-embroidered commemoration made for her by her Aunt Mabel.

“She did it for my 20th birthday, it took her a year,” she said.

Mrs Gillies was living in York when 25-year old Princess Elizabeth was made queen after father King George VI died at 56. To mark the crowning of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953, her aunt stitched the significant date in silk on Brompton linen.

Mrs Gillies had it framed in historic timber from The Shambles in York — a street of butchers, that dates back to the 14th century, who were having their timber frames renewed.

“There was a shop that did wood-turning that made things in the wood that came down from The Shambles, so it is framed in that wood,” said Mrs Gillies.

“It’s my little bit of York.”

The embroidery is one of Mrs Gillies’ most prized possessions. The 82-year-old has been living in Gisborne for 56 years since moving here with their first son John to join husband Iain. The couple have six children.