HER MAJESTY Queen Elizabeth commemorates 60 years reign over the UK
and as Head of the Commonwealth in June 2012 and we are getting an extended bank holiday to celebrate (2nd to 5th June).
Hedon Town Council in its last newsletter (distributed with the Holderness Heartbeat in July) asked residents for ideas on what should happen in the town to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee?
One thing that might happen is Hedon could join with thousands of other areas – across the UK and the Commonwealth – in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Beacons and light the town beacon on Monday 4th June.
The ‘lighting of the beacon’ on Market Hill could be the central point of focus for any outdoor celebration.
The history books tell us that Hedon is good at celebrating Royal events! In 1897, when Queen Victoria became the first monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee, then apparently free teas were given away at the King’s Head and the National Anthem was sung from the top of St Augustine’s Church.
In 1977, for Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee, an open-air service on Market Hill was followed by two days of celebrations including a ladies versus men football match and a bonfire on Far Bank. Older residents please tell us more about what happened!
Another thing to note from Queen Victoria’s celebrations, was that the town felt that a permanent memorial was needed and funds were raised to install a new clock at St Augustine’s Church with a dial on each face of the tower – it’s the one we see today. For Queen Elizabeth’s Golden Jubilee in 2002 then a small garden was built as a lasting tribute.
So have you any ideas for the town’s celebrations in June 2012?
Let Hedon Town Council know at townclerk@hedon.gov.uk or visit the Contact Us page on the Hedon Town Council website. And don’t forget to let the Hedon Blog know your ideas as well!
For your information Hedon Town Council have already booked a band to play,fair rides for children (market hill)and older children/ adult(market place), stalls for charities will be provided, food stalls,a hog roast,a dance team, fireworks and the beacon will be lit at the same time as many others, suggestions for other events would be very welcome, please contact the Town Clerk,
You get a real sense of history when you see the pictures of the Victorian children photographed on market hill. It would be great to get the local schools involved and bring the children together to sing the national anthem and be photographed on market hill in view of the church. local mum
My recollection of the Silver Jubilee is that , yes, Hedon Town Council did celebrate by having a sort of country fair, with stalls, fun and games including football and tug of war on the little field at the far end of Far Bank, where the childrens’ play area is now.
They also built a big bonfire however it was lit more or less beneath the overhead electricity cable which used to cross that field The crowd watched in fascination as the cable started to sag lower and lower, until crash bang wallop, all the lights in Hedon went out !!!
Apart from that I recall we all had a great time.