LOCAL ENCOUNTERS WITH ROYALTY OVER THE YEARS
DUBBO Photo News staff member, Sophie Uren, has shared a wonderful story of the time her great, great grandmother, Alberta “Bertie” Uren, aged 82 in 1953, wrote to the royals, concerned about the impending baldness of the young Duke of Edinburgh.
According to the Uren family records, Alberta “sent a letter to him at Buckingham Palace with her recipe of salt and brandy to be rubbed into the scalp daily to cure his condition”.
Remarkably on January 15, 1953, a royal secretary typed a reply (pictured) on Buckingham Palace letterhead.
The letter reads, “Dear Mrs Wren, I am to acknowledge your letter of the 1st January in which you kindly express concern about the state of The Duke of Edinburgh’s hair.
“I can assure you that there is no cause for worry, but at the same time His Royal Highness is very touched at your kind thought in writing.”
Queen Elizabeth II in Dubbo, 1954
GWEN Ireland of Wellington has shared photographs taken in 1954 at the Victoria Park cenotaph.
“I went to Sydney to see the Queen but my aunty, Christine Gerrey, went to Dubbo from Wellington in 1954 and it was she who took the photos," Gwen told Dubbo Photo News.
The Queen had given a speech in Victoria Park before moving to Number One oval where another large crowd were waiting to see her.
The Queen visits Dubbo, 1992
IN February 1992, Joyce Hodgess was a member of the Dubbo City Choristers who were positioned inside the barricade at the Cyril Flood Memorial Rotunda on Church Street, when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II walked past an excited crowd accompanied by then mayor Tony Mcgrane.
Joyce recalls they sang “God Save the Queen” and “Advance Australia Fair”, and the Queen thanked them for singing.
“It was very exciting. I had only seen her as a school girl at Bathurst at the showground in 1954. I lived at Orange but we went to Bathurst (to see her). She went past standing in a jeep or something. It was exciting for a 14-year-old at the time.
“It wasn’t the same experience as 1992 though being able to see her up close. I remember thinking ‘what beautiful skin you’ve got’, because she does,” Joyce told Dubbo Photo News.
“There were a lot of people all round and down Macquarie Street near the jewellers there (now Church Street Café). It was very busy and everyone was excited. Climbing up on things to take her photo. It was a lovely day.
“We were all prettied up in our pink and pearls. I sang second soprano and our conductor was Margaret Anderson.”
Queen Elizabeth II in Dubbo, 1992
RAE and John Willing had the honour of receiving an invitation to the state luncheon commemorating Queen Elizabeth II’S visit to Dubbo in 1992.
“It was such a privilege to go. My husband John was president of the Dubbo Golf Club at the time. As they were leaving, John stood to the side, and shook hands with the Duke," Mrs Willing told Dubbo Photo News.
"All the security were around them, but it was okay. It’s one of the things that surprised me, the way the security reacted, because we’re pretty casual. They had a badge on their lapel and would speak through that.
“It also surprised me just how small the Queen is. She’s such a tiny person and very pale with her English complexion," she added.
"At the luncheon we sat about in the middle of what used to be the Civic Centre but our table was right where she walked past."
It wasn’t the first time Mrs Willing had seen the Queen.
"When I was five, both my parents were returned soldiers and we came to Dubbo from Trangie to see the Queen in 1954.
"All the returned soldiers marched I remember waiting in front o the Western Stores (now Myer). I seemed like a full day but it was only four hours. The drive from Trangie took an hour in those days,” Mrs Willing said.
“Coincidentally our son is involved with the Duke and Duchess of Sus sex's visit here,” she said.