All-day party for the one hour visit of Prince of Wales
More on the event that took place 100 years
LAST week, thanks to photographs supplied by Ian Bott, we took a look at the Prince of Wales’s visit to Dudley a hundred years ago.
The future King Edward VIII, who famously went on to abdicate before his coronation, brought huge crowds out right across the town, and this week, we can see more of his visit thanks to these images which have been provided by Keith Hodgkins.
The visit took place on June 13, 1923, and a general outline of what would happen is documented in the programme on the left, including dinners, cricket matches, bands and fireworks; but that just scratches the surface.
Beginning with assembly of guests at 9.30 in the morning, it was a packed programme which concluded with fireworks, provided by the Earl of Dudley, let off from Dudley Castle at 10pm – but the prince would only be in town for less than an hour.
Following an official address at the Town Hall at 11am, the prince and his
party proceeded along Priory Street and Stone Street to the market place, past the assembled Scouts and Guides, and up Hall Street to the Harper, Sons and Bean car works – as seen in the pictures in last week’s edition.
From there, he headed down Firs Street, where the widows and children of those killed in the Great War were assembled.
Then it was down Trindle Road to Birmingham Road, up along Tipton Road to the Guest Hospital, where the prince met staff and patients, assembled outside.
The prince was then driven around the hospital grounds, which were at that time large and very picturesque.
This being long before the NHS had been conceived, the hospital was funded by subscribers and donors; all of whom were now invited to attend, and at least see the prince from a short distance.
Trustees and medical staff were presented to the prince, who stopped to meet them on a terrace opposite the main archway. Patients who were able to were assembled near the entrance.
At exactly 11.23, the prince and his entourage left the hospital and headed towards Wolverhampton, via Tipton and Bilston – leaving Dudley to party on into the late evening.