Ralph’s Coronation Pageant memories

MHLC-24-06-13 Pageant Jul 08
Ralph Swadling, 82, of Harbury who has memories of Warwickshire Cornation Pageant in 1953. with his photographer of the event. — MHLC-24-06-13 Pageant Jul 08 Ralph Swadling, 82, of Harbury who has memories of Warwickshire Cornation Pageant in 1953. with his photographer of the event.

Ralph, 82, of Harbury, still has the souvenir programme of the pageant in July 1953.

As a young man in his early 20s, he played one of the gentlemen of Leamington in a production entitled “Queen Victoria at Leamington Spa”.

He said: “I took part in the pageant. I was one of the crowd who met the Queen. The people from the Loft Theatre in Leamington did the principal bit.

“ Hundreds of people came to see the separate performances at the pageant. I remember it was spectacular with cavaliers on horses.”

The programme lists dozens of local people who took part, including Joan Butler who played Queen Victoria and children from Cubbington School. The music came from Cubbington and Leamington Silver Band.

People from Warwick took part in “The Lady of the Mercians”, with Margaret Cooke in the title role. This production included soldiers from Budbrooke Barracks.

Members of Kenilworth Townswomen’s Guild made the costumes for the town’s contribution to the event, “The Princely Pleasures at Kenilworth Castle”. Mary Gray played Queen Elizabeth I.

Other performances included: The Field of Edgehill, An Eighteenth-century Home Guard and The Ballet of the Peacocks. In the grand finale the pageant chorus included members of the Royal Leamington Spa Bach Choir (conductor Harold E Dexter) and the Warwick and Kenilworth choral societies. Floral decorations were supplied by Woolmans of Leamington.

The pageant took place in the grounds of Warwick Castle from July 17 to 25 1953. It was organised by Anthony Parker to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Parker was the grandson of Louis N. Parker, organiser of the 1906 Warwick Pageant.