This is the story of the Coronation celebrations in Marlow in 1902, when Edward VII was crowned king. The celebrations Marlow has put on for Royal related events has ranged from the "lacklustre" and muted to all out extravaganzas depending on the popularity of the Royal concerned. The 1902 events fall more into the second category, despite a few setbacks.
Apart from the official celebrations, other locals celebrated in their own way. They decorated their homes, raised a toast to the King and Queen Alexandra in the pubs, preserved special issues of the national newspapers, and at least one young man was christened Edward in honour of the occasion.
In April, a meeting was held in the Institute (the modern Marlow Library), to decide how to celebrate. One suggestion was to make the abolition of the historic street based Marlow Fair a lasting memorial to the event. This might seem a slightly underwhelming suggestion, and it was certainly viewed as off beat at the time by those out of town, but the fair was unpopular in some quarters because of the disruption it caused. The event had an old Charter and so could not just be banned by the police or council. It required the cooperation of the person entitled to the fair tolls, and the permission of the home secretary. To be fair to the committee, they did not suggest that would be the sole celebratory offering and the idea was eventually abandoned. (For more about the Fair and it's fate, see the post here )
The Coronation committee, chaired by Dr Dunbar Dickson, came up instead with a programme of events that used a tried and tested formula of celebration teas, parades and sports for young and old.
The festivities were due to be held on June 26/27 and it was arranged that the shops would also be shut on those two days. The shop staff would however be required to work full hours on the usual half days closing on Wednesday to make up for the lost trading. As holidays like this tended to be unpaid, the chance to make up lost time may not have been unwelcome to all. But on Tuesday 23rd June at 1.30pm, an ominous telegram was recieved at the Post Office. The King was ill, and required an operation. There was no chance he would be well enough to be crowned as intended. The news was said to be greeted in town with "universal consternation and sorrow, even dismay." Many had begun to deck their homes and businesses with flags and other decorations. A meeting was quickly convened and it was decided to suspend the Coronation in Marlow until happier news reached the town. It was also a telegram that bought news that the King had made it safely through the operation.
Marlow eventually held their events on the 20th and 27th August*. (Neither were the actual Coronation Day as that had come earlier in August, on a date long set for the town Regatta. ) The programme was to be broadly the same with some minor tweaks to timing. These dates both fell on a Wednesday which as mentioned above was the usual half closing day in town (although not adopted by all). So disruption to trade was minimised.
The first events held was a thanksgiving service at the parish church of All Saints. This was described as not well attended. One at the Catholic church of St. Peters did better, with a good number turning up.
On the first day, there would be a dinner for the "old folks" which at the time was regarded as those over 60, although younger people in receipt of parish relief could also apply for a ticket. The tickets were free, and only issued to control the numbers from the caterers point of view. In all 400 adults recieved these tickets, although inexplicably only 250 actually turned up for their free meal. Who could host such a large dinner all at one sitting? It was decided that the girls school room in St Peters Street and the adjacent Music Room (aka the Lecture Hall, now the Masonic Centre) would be used. A camp kitchen capable of catering for 400 hungry souls was erected by the Bucks Volunteers who also manned the stoves. The wall between the school and music room was considered a hindrance to the practicality of serving both venues at once, so it was partially demolished! (Taking down inconvenient walls that get in the way of temporary fun events seems to be a popular Marlow solution. The rear wall of Cromwell House gardens was partially knocked through when it's grounds were used to jointly host a fundraising event with the Institute, in aid of the latter.) The Volunteers produced a hearty meal of beef and mutton with vegetables, the ingredients supplied free by local traders and donors mostly. Ale and tea was also offered, the ale a gift of the Wethered's Brewery. Many unnamed ladies spent the hours before decorating the tables and the rooms as a whole with a huge number of donated flags, flowers and fruit. General Higginson was the inevitable guest of honour. The satisfied diners listened to some patriotic speeches and finished their happy meal with a rendition of the national anthem and a toast to the new King. Each guest departed home bearing a gift, tobacco for the gentlemen and tea for the ladies. Thirty seven elderly residents who were too infirm to attend in person were sent 2 shillings, paid for entirely by Walter Wethered.
The volunteers did not not have long to catch their breath as they had to make preparations to serve a tea to the children of Marlow later in the afternoon. Any child attending school in town could come to this "bounteous tea" and they also recieved a commemorative medal and/or mug. As the number of children engaged in this feast was expected to outnumber the adults dining earlier, the boys school room in the Causeway was also bought into service. After this the tea volunteers and the Band finally got a chance to sit down to eat themselves, some 90 people joining in at this sitting.
While the older residents were dining, the youngsters were engaged in sports in a field adjacent to the Cricket Field off Pound Lane. They had assembled in Crown Meadow (Riley Recreation Ground) in order to make an impressive flag waving march to the sports ground. They were competing for cash prizes donated by the better off residents which must have given an added spur to their efforts. After this, they were organised into a parade to proceed to the tea venue, walking through the substantial grounds of General Higginson's Gyldernscroft then along West Street and the High Street. The adults who were not old enough to take part in the old folks dinner were not forgotten. A fun sports day were also organised for them in the early evening with more cash rewards on offer. A brass band attended to entertain those who did not feel like competing themselves.
The second Wednesday was devoted to an "aquatic sports" afternoon, watched by a good crowd. There was no fee to enter a race, and the various vessels were supplied by the Rowing Club, Shaws boathouse and Meakes and Redknapp boatbuilders. Prizes included silver and bronze coronation medals. In the evening, there was a twinkling procession of illuminated boats along the Thames, long a feature of the Regatta too. The flags and bunting remained up for the entire week giving plenty of opportunity for photos to be taken.
Many if not most of the adult helpers at the various events were given one of the Coronation mugs to take home, and others went to the children who had not been able to attend the tea for various reasons. The flags used in the parade were divided between the local Sunday schools.
Other places nearby enjoyed similar celebrations such as a tea and sports at Little Marlow and Medmenham, the latter paid for by Mr Hudson of Danesfield. At Medmenham all the men were invited to a dinner (no women) but everyone could go to the tea. They also had a cricket match.
The King did not have a long reign. When he died in 1910, the memorial service at All Saints church was packed, in contrast to the one celebrating his coronation. About 50 Marlow residents are said to have taken the train to Windsor on the occasion of the Royal Funeral, others had travelled to London for commemorative events there. Empire Day, which fell shortly after the Kings death was only minimally marked as a gesture of respect. The Wesleyan chapel in Spittal Street hosted a memorial service for all children attending Sunday school, using a special service devised by the Sunday School Union. It ended of course with the National Anthem sung, standing, by all.
ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
Tea Commitee (very important role!) Chair Rev. J H Light. Hon sec. - R Wellicome.
Chair of Sports Committee - Alfred Davis. Hon Sec - George Kendall
Dinner Commitee - Hon Sec W J Morgan
Overall Hon. Sec Mr J H Deacon. Overall chair : Dr F Culhane.
Treasurer : G. Loosley
Note : the composition of the committees did fluctuate. The General Committee started out with something like 50 members, and then there was an Executive Commitee of 20 in addition to the sub committees above.
The left over funds raised for the Coronation celebration were put towards the cost of providing the memorial plaque to those who had served in the South African Wars. You can read more about that here
*Danesfield held their celebration on the day in June originally planned for the Coronation, as they said the King had expressed a wish from his sick bed that those organising celebrations should be spared the expense and inconvenience of cancellation without fear of royal disfavour. It was held in Danesfield park in an area Mr Hudson had levelled to allow for the playing of polo and cricket. There were athletic contests, cricket matches, children's games, a dinner for 300 and a grand tea for all of Medmenham, held in relays in a marquee. Bisham also held their celebration on the 26th June, where the youngsters and some adults of the parish recieved a Coronation mug and medal donated by Mrs Taylor of Stoney Ware.
©Marlow Ancestors.
Related posts:
To find other posts about big events in Marlow history see the post index here
All mentions of an individual can be found under the Person Index.
A short history of the 1887 Jubilee celebrations in Marlow can be found here
And a post about 1837 Coronation celebrations and how the news of Queen Victoria's death was heard and marked in the town is herr
Sources:
Wrong (qv), George MacKinnon, The British Nation: A History (D. Appleton, 1903)
Methodist Magazine, Volume 55, 1902, digitised by Google.
South Bucks Standard 11 April, 9 May, 20 June, 22 July, August 1st 1902. 27 May 1910. Copies from the British Library, accessed via the BNA.
Family memory from Peter and Kathleen.
