Two queens in Wolverhampton
IN the century from 1865 to 1965, the Borough of Wolverhampton hosted visits by the last two queens. In the fullness of time, both would become the longest-reigning British monarchs.
Following the death of Prince Albert in 1861, Queen Victoria entered a long period of mourning and isolation. Invites to visit were received from Liverpool and Manchester, but these were declined. A letter of sympathy was sent to the queen, signed by the ‘Widows of Wolverhampton.’
The town eventually sent a formal invitation to Her Majesty to visit, hoping it would be her first journey away from Windsor. As the Wolverhampton had already commissioned an equestrian statue of the late prince, there was the distant hope of a royal unveiling. The queen, having been touched by the letter from the ‘widows,’ accepted the invitation.
On Friday 30th November 1866, Queen Victoria and her attendants travelled by train from Windsor to Wolverhampton Low Level station. Carriages conveyed the royal party from the station through to High Green, where a pavilion had been erected. The route passed through an archway of coal, symbolic of a major source of wealth for the town.
On arrival at the pavilion, the queen’s first act was entirely unexpected. She borrowed a sword from
Queen Victoria, touched by the letter from the widows, accepted the invitation
an attendant, and knighted the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Mr John Morris, on the spot.
This was followed by the unveiling of the statue. Depicting the queen’s beloved Prince Albert on horseback, it was the creation of London-based sculptor Thomas Thorneycroft. He had already done equine studies for the Great Exhibition and other locations.
The final version was cast in bronze at the Birmingham foundry of Messrs Elkington. The total cost came to £1,150, and after mounting on a plinth of dark-grey Dartmoor granite, the statue became a permanent feature in the centre of the town – it remains so, despite a few moves around the centre of what is now, of course, a city.
The royal visit was marked locally as the town grew in size, with roads and institutions named in honour of the queen and late prince. High Green became Queen Square, and there was Queen Street plus a Victoria Street. Older readers may remember the Queen’s Cinema (later a ballroom), and the Queen Victoria Nursing Institution which opened in 1895 at Bath Road. The way to West Park off the A41 is still called Albert Road.
The new century has seen the statue move a few yards down towards Darlington Street, and on 23rd November 2016, it was rededicated by the Duke of Gloucester to mark its 150th anniversary. A brass plaque is mounted on the front of the plinth.
Queen Elizabeth II made an important visit to Wolverhampton ten years into her reign. The date was 24th May 1962, and at 10 am, the royal train arrived at Low Level Station, just as it had done for Queen Victoria almost a century earlier.
Stepping on to the red carpet, the young queen was welcomed by the Mayor, Alderman Henry Birch, and the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire
Harold Wallace-copeland.
The first stop was at Wolverhampton Wanderers football ground, with Molineux holding a crowd of 30,000 for her visit. Here, the queen presented new colours to the North and South Staffordshire Regiments, and a guidon was presented to the Staffordshire Yeomanry (Queens Own Royal Regiment).
Also on parade was the Regimental mascot, a tan and white Staffordshire
bull terrier, bearing the name ‘Watchman 11.’ A special stand had been built, so that the queen could watch the rest of the military ceremony.
Lunch was taken at the Civic Hall, where the queen met other dignitaries, including Mrs Pamela Powell and John Baird. She was also presented with a ‘powder bowl’ by the mayor. This had been designed by Stanley Wright, head of the College of Art.
Outside, the queen was introduced to local representatives of Commonwealth countries. The third destination of this visit was to Wolverhampton Grammar School, which was celebrating its 450th Anniversary. As the rain set in, the queen planted a tree in the grounds, watched by the Headmaster, Mr E.R. Taylor. Inside, she was introduced to Mr W Derry, and Mr W.R. Booth, who had been previous Headmasters of WGS.
Many pupils gathered in the chapel, as the queen was presented with a copy of Gerald Mander’s History of the Grammar School. She thanked the staff and pupils for their warm welcome.
The queen also managed to fit in a visit to Wednesfield, where she was presented with a bouquet by 7-yearold Carol Ann Burns.
Queen Elizabeth returned to Molineux on 24th June 1994. At the invitation of club owner Sir Jack Hayward, she officially opened the completed stadium. This was then followed by a visit to Dunstall Park to see horse-racing – her great love – on the new all-weather course.