Long to rain over us – a soaking as you waited to see the Queen
Picture the scene. There were three hours to go before the Queen arrived in Sunderland.
The rain was non-stop but every spectator seat outside Sunderland station was packed with waiting pensioners, schoolchildren, mums and dads.
To keep the crowds entertained, a town centre singsong was quickly arranged with classics such as Old Black Joe and My Bonnie belting out.
How do we know? Philip Curtis, from Sunderland Antiquarian Society, was there and shares his story.
It was the evening of Friday, October 29, 1954, when Queen Elizabeth, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, made her very first visit as Queen to Sunderland.
No-one told the weather gods and the heavens opened.
Floral decorations were erected inside and outside the Town Hall entrance and an impressive red carpet laid on the steps, pavement and road.
Cliff Park, Roker Terrace and Harbour View were packed and 10,000 schoolchildren were there.
Some of the more ambitious spectators chose dangerous perches, scrambling along ledges towards vantage points high over the pavements of Fawcett Street.
By 2pm, 1,000 seats on Monkwearmouth Station forecourt were full with old folk but there was two and a half hours to go and guess what? The rain was still lashing down.
Coun W Wilson gave out song sheets to everyone. Loudspeakers were set up and very soon John Peel, My Bonnie and Old Black Joe were practically raising the station roof. The rain continued to lash down.
By 3pm, Roker sea front was packed with wet, but excited, schoolchildren ready with their flags.
The entourage was half an hour late – the route had been packed with children and the Queen insisted the cars slowed down so that they could get a good view of her. It was not until just after 5pm that they crossed into the Borough and made their way down Cairns Road towards the sea front.
The cars then made their way up Roker Avenue passing the Ropery. I was standing across the road with my mother, both soaked to the skin.
As the Queen passed I frantically waved my flag but, as luck had it, she actually looked the other way. Within seconds she had passed and the moment was over.
When Monkwearmouth Station was reached, the
drenched pensioners broke into a spirited rendition of Land of Hope and Glory.
There were almost 100,000 people in Fawcett Street that evening when The Mayor of Sunderland, Mrs
Jane Huggins, together with Dr.Ramsey, the Bishop of Durham, greeted the Queen. After a few waves to the crowd, they all went up the rain-sodden red carpet to the Town Hall where tea was served.
It had been quite a day and the crowds quickly dispersed, wet through, but happy. Me? I returned home with Mam and took off my coat, the sleeves of which had shrunk almost six inches with the rain.
Over her 70-year reign our Queen would go on to visit Sunderland many times but that rainy evening in October 1954 was the best – because I was there!
Our thanks go to Philip.