Royal visits remembered down decades
KING GEORGE V was crowned on May 6, 1910 but at one time this could not have been anticipated. When he was born on June 3 1865, he was third in line to the throne. Ahead of him was father, Albert Edward, and elder brother Albert Victor. The untimely death of the latter, aged 28 from pneumonia, in 1892, moved George into second place. Edward was crowned King on August 9 1902 and George became Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester on November 9, 1901, ultimately becoming King.
As Prince of Wales, George visited Yorkshire on a number occasions and these events are recorded by postcard photographers, who enjoyed their heyday in the first half of the 20th century. The Prince of Wales arrived in Ripon on Saturday August 12, 1905 at 3.52 pm. Lord Ripon’s motor car was waiting outside the area’s railway station for the Prince who wore a brown bowler hat and grey check suit. He was driven through the city and heartily cheered by crowds assembled en route and raised his hat in acknowledgment.
The Prince was on a short private visit ( Saturday until Wednesday) to Studley Royal where he would enjoy a few days shooting on the Dallowgill Moors. On Monday August 14, the press reported the Prince had an enjoyable day’s sport among the grouse. The Leeds & Yorkshire Mercury added: ‘ The drive was from the Tom Corner end of the moors and there being little wind there was good sport, the birds rising freely to the guns. Up to luncheon time there had been 335 braces brought down, and when shooting ceased the total bag for the day was 640 brace of grouse’.
On April 26, 1909, the Prince of Wales visited Sheffield along with wife Mary, who he had married on July 6, 1893.
The couple were in the city for the opening of the library which Edgar Allen, a member of a wellknown firm of local steelmakers, was presenting at a cost of £ 10,000.
The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived from London in a special saloon just before 2pm. Although the Prince requested there should be no elaborate decorations, there was no lack of colour in the poorer districts, through which the Royal procession passed, as well as in the central thoroughfares. The couple spent around three hours in the city before returning the capital.
The Coronation of King George V and his wife Mary as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Empire took place at Westminster Abbey, London on June 22 1911, and was celebrated throughout Yorkshire.
Leeds Town Hall was decorated for the occasion and at Roundhay, the event was reported to have been celebrated ‘ in a thoroughly whole- hearted manner’. A committee was formed and some 600 invitations were sent out to the old people, children and their parents and to residents in lodges and cottages in the district who were in private service. The majority of them were accepted. Following a substantial tea in the Pavilion at Roundhay Park, an attractive programme of entertainments was provided in St George’s Field, Park Avenue. Several private residents decorated the exterior of their dwellings. In Yeadon a large group of children gathered on the steps of the local town hall to celebrate the proclamation and were photographed. One of the many events in Morley was roasting a sheep at Bruntcliffe
On June 23, 1911 a Yorkshire Post advertisement placed by the Grand Assembly Rooms in New Briggate, Leeds, announced the venue would be screening twice daily at, 2.30 and 7.30 the ‘ Complete and Entire Reproduction of the Coronation of their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary the procession to and from Westminster
Abbey, [ and] The Drive Through London...’
George V came to the throne at a time of social unease within the country. Thus, he decided to take a tour of industrial South and West Yorkshire to observe people under their working conditions and to gain a first- hand knowledge of how the vast body of workers earned a living. Decorations, except simple bunting, were discouraged, the object being that no expense should be placed on any community. A large crowd witnessed the departure of the King and Queen from London and they arrived in Doncaster at 3.55 on Monday, July 8 1912. They took tea at Conisbrough Castle and moved on to Wentworth Woodhouse where they were staying for the duration of the Yorkshire visit. The following day, Clifton Park Rotherham was visited before arrival at Silverwood colliery to inspect the surface arrangements and a byproduct plant. Afterwards they journeyed to the Model village at Brodsworth until taking lunch with Lord and Lady Halifax at Hickleton Hall. Moving on to Earl Fitzwilliam’s Elsecar Main, the King descended the mine.
Tuesday night was spent at Wentworth Woodhouse and during the following day they stopped at Rylands Glass and Engineering Works, Barnsley, as well as locations in Wakefield, Dewsbury, Batley and Brighouse. In Wakefield, they visited George Cradocks wire rope factory; E. Green & Sons, the Seamless boat works; and the Belle Isle Malt Kilns. On Thursday, the Royal
entourage visited Huddersfield and district, and this included pauses at Dean Clough Mills; Manor Heath House for lunch; and Lindley ( Martin’s Mill), returning in the evening to Wentworth by way of Penistone.
Unfortunately, there was a major disaster during their visit. An explosion at Cadeby colliery on
July 9 claimed the lives of 87 men. The King and Queen went to the pit to gather information about the tragedy and give support to grieving families.
King George V and Queen Mary will always be remembered in Leeds for opening the Civic Hall on August 23, 1933. Hours before the King and Queen were due to begin their journey from Harewood to Leeds, many thousands had gathered at various vantage points in the city, and, midway through the morning, it became apparent that the crowd was one of the largest in Leeds’ history. The Royal party arrived at the Civic Hall at 12.45 and the area was a mass of waving hats and flags, the King and Queen acknowledging the loyal reception on all sides. As the King arrived at the steps, many of the crowd numbering an estimated 40,000, could contain their excitement no longer, and tried to burst through the cordon of police.
A handful succeeded, but the officers, with the assistance of s constables, held back the rest.
The couple ascended the steps between avenues of aldermen and city councillors.
They were greeted by the Lord Mayor, who presented to them the Bishop of Ripon and the architect of the Civic Hall, Vincent Harris. The architect then presented F. Armitage, the principal contractor; W. Nicholson sub contractor; G. H. Chapman, principal foreman; and two representative workmen.
Harris handed to the King a golden key in a casket, to open the lock that held the iron gates. The King put the key in the keyhole and before long the door of the Civic Hall was opened. He formally declared the Leeds Civic Hall open. King George V died on January 20, 1936; his wife Mary on March 24, 1953.
■ Thanks to Susan Stepan and Leeds Library service for help with this piece.
He handed to the King a golden key in a casket, to open the lock that held the iron gates.