Queen's coronation a right royal occasion in Gisborne

LOYAL SUBJECTS: School students march along Gladstone Road in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Picture from Ellworth-Doddrell 42686 collection, courtesy of Tairāwhiti Museum

The royalist fervour so abundant in Gisborne 70 years ago when Queen Elizabeth II was crowned cannot be compared with the low key nature of this weekend.

Back in June 1953 people crowded streets and shop balconies to cheer on the coronation celebration parade of returned servicemen and nurses, cadets, scouts, guides and the like.

Small children waved flags, adults wore red, blue and white rosettes, and flags were displayed from motor vehicles.

Many people later attended a religious and civil ceremony the purpose of which, according to The Gisborne Herald of June 2, 1953, was to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and to pledge loyalty.

The occasion was marked by a “strong devotional spirit” and there was “no mere formality in the singing of hymns”.

The public had assembled in Gladstone Road one hour before the parade began and spread all along the main street “particularly between the Post Office (demolished after the 1966 earthquake and located on the site now known as Heipipi-Endeavour Park) and Peel Street where the “parade wheeled to proceed to the Army Hall”.

The Herald said the warmest applause was saved for “veterans of the South African War” who displayed much military precision despite their advanced years.

Opposite the Herald in Gladstone Road, military officers saluted Mayor Harry Barker while other ranks in the parade performed an “eyes right”.

Mr Barker said the country could perhaps “find inspiration from the fact that owing to our geographical situation, we are the first in the Empire to hold these services”.

“May we continue at all times to set the lead in loyalty and devotion to the throne,” he said.

The Herald later said, “the most striking conclusion is that the position of the monarchy in Britain is stronger than ever before in history, and this applies also to Australia and New Zealand.”

The New Zealand public did not need television to lionise the royals, which was just as well as television did not come to New Zealand until the 1960s.

The Herald of June 1, as well as covering Ed Hillary’s conquest of Mount Everest, published an advertisement for the Regent (movie theatre) promoting A Queen is Crowned, a film of the coronation narrated by Sir Laurence Oliver — and screening on June 26.

Gisborne District Council will mark the 2023 coronation of King Charles III by flying the New Zealand and tino rangatiratanga flag to full mast all weekend (usually they are taken down).

The town clock will be lit up in purple, the colour associated with royalty since the first Persian empire. In Roman times it was reserved exclusively for the Emperor.

Residents of Beetham Lifestyle Village will meet tomorrow in the Lodge, the village’s community centre, to honour Charles III with a celebratory morning tea featuring decorative cupcakes and other baking, flags, silverware and bunting.

■ Tairāwhiti Museum’s website features a collection put together by museum archivist Christine Page, looking at Gisborne’s celebrations of the coronations of Edward V11 in 1902, George V in 1911, George V1 in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth. The blog features excellent contemporary photographs.