Lawrence: Princess Royal in Leicester and events 1950-53

Summary

Amateur film shot by C. Lawrence in Leicester between 1950 and 1953 which also includes events to mark the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Year:

1951

Duration:

0:19:08

Film type:

B&W/Colour / Silent

Genre:

Amateur Film

Master format:

9.5mm

Description

"HRH The Princess Royal in Leicester 14 October 1950". The Princess gets out of a car and is met by local dignitaries. We also see a crowd of people (filmed from the top deck of a bus) who have assembled outside the YMCA on London Road which was visited by the princess. "Sir Harold Nutting leads the Quorn Hunt at Barkby". Shots of a hunt meeting with riders and hounds assembling and riding along a lane. "Proctor leads Lloyd Johnson in the Road Walk". We see competitors taking part in walking race in wet weather. "International rally of boats at Market Harborough". A brief opening shot showing Market Harborough town centre and a marching band is followed by views of a boat rally including canal boats and pleasure craft with a large crowd present.

"It happened in 1951". A leaflet advertising a pageant at Bradgate Park (Lady Jane Returns) is held up to camera followed by shots of crowds watching the outdoor pageant taking place in Bradgate Park. Next is the Festival of Britain site on the South Bank in London (including views of the Skylon and Dome of Discovery), a sculpture exhibition and pleasure attractions in Battersea Park and views of the River Thames.

"Decorations and Procession in Leicester". The city of Leicester decorated for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 beginning with Charles Street police station and also showing the Midland railway station on London Road, briefly the Clock Tower and a bus decorated for the occasion. This is followed by shots of a parade through wet city streets held on 2 June 1953. "Coronation decorations in London seen from a bus". The views include the bus passing through Trafalgar Square and briefly crowds outside Buckingham Palace.

We then see a Coronation air display at Rearsby Aerodrome in Leicestershire organised by the Auster Flying Club (a programme is seen dated 11 July 1953). There is a light aircraft display (probably Austers) and a flypast from a large bomber (a Vickers Valiant?). The film ends with colour views taken at Windsor Castle including marching Guardsmen and exterior shots of the castle with crowds visible in the grounds and a shot of the bridge over the Thames with the castle in the background.


Credits

No credits specified


Notes

The boat rally at Market Harborough is probably the first National Rally of Boats to be organised by the Inland Waterways Association which took place in 1950. Auster aircraft were built at Rearsby until around 1967.