Queen Elizabeth death: Hastings woman plans to frame portrait of monarch she created with typewriter

Cathy Dalton created a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s, using only a typewriter. Photo / Warren Buckland

A Hastings woman who created a portrait of the Queen with her typewriter in the 1950s had completely forgotten she'd done it until news of the monarch's death brought it back into focus.

"I was having a few doubts thinking did I or didn't I," Cathy Dalton said after unearthing her creation over the weekend.

"And then my oldest daughter said, yes, you did it, Mum."

The story of the typewritten portrait is a fascinating one because there were probably dozens made on the machines that most people born in the 21st century would have no clue how to use.

Two years after Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, Dalton's all-female class at St Joseph's College Hastings was taught how to use typewriters to create a portrait of her.

A close up of the portrait. Photo / Warren Buckland

The commercial practice class, as it was known then, was a stepping stone for young school leavers to take up a job using their typing skills in office work.

"I would have been 15 or 16, that I can remember, we did it as a class. Our teacher was very strict, and you had to get it exactly right."

Dalton got in touch with one of her former classmates over the past few days who said they could also vaguely remember doing the exercise as a class.

"The others probably didn't keep theirs, I don't know."

Dalton said in honour of the service of the Queen she was going to place the portrait in a frame and hang it on the wall of her Parkvale flat.

Sure enough, Dalton's typing skills were not wasted - she took up a job as the St Peter Chanel church secretary for 21 years.

Computer typing was a big challenge for her to learn later in life.

When they bought computers in she said "right that's it I'm leaving".

"But now I've got an iPad.

"I stayed on and the priest of the time taught me how to use the computer."

Dalton has always loved the monarchy, so who are her favourites?

"I've got a lot of time for William and Kate, I think they are just wonderful."