Memories of Her Majesty

Memories of Her Majesty

Discover memories from the Queen's visits to Stratford-upon-Avon over the last 70 years.

Over the past month we have been reaching out to the people that live and work in Stratford-upon-Avon to discover their memories of the Queen and celebrating past jubilees in their streets and communities. Here is a selection of those stories, spanning right back to the coronation in 1953 to the last time the Queen visited, in 2011 to reopen the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Sheila Clarke (nee Ingram) In 1957 I was lucky enough to be involved in the line up at Holy Trinity Church when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited. I was 13 and a bell ringer at the church with my father George Ingram. As the Royal couple were walking up the aisle Prince Philip stopped and asked me if I was in fact a bell ringer and how old I was. He seemed very interested and asked which bell I rang. When they had passed, I went back up to the bell tower with the other ringers and we rang a peal as they left the church.
I think I was more excited when all the reporters came to ask me what had been said. My Dad went to the newsagents in the morning to buy all the papers.

Photo by Sheila Clarke © Sheila Clarke Browse and license our images

Shirley Pitcher remembers the stories her Grandma and parents told her about the coronation.
These family pictures were taken at Burnside manor in Shottery. Mrs Evans who owned the stately home at the time, opened the gardens for the whole village to celebrate. My Grandmother was the cook at the time. There was always a community feel to these events, the jubilee celebrations bring people together.

Shirley Pitcher © Shirley Pitcher Browse and license our images

Silver Jubilee carnival in Stratford-upon-Avon, 1977
Dave Carter who drove lorries for 47 years remembers the carnival through the town centre. 'My truck was just behind the yellow one is this picture, we all started at the bottom of Bridge Street. I had a group of Brownies on the back, I had to have the sides up for health and safety, so they decorated them all. The girls all sat on hay bales as we drove through the town.

The Queen came to open the Swan Fountain on the Bancroft Gardens in November 1996, marking the 800th Anniversary of Stratford being granted its Market Rights by King Richard I. Emma Hemming remembers playing in a small group from Stratford-on-Avon Wind Band Association for the opening, “The Queen and Prince Philip stopped and spoke to the conductor at the time, who then completely stopped conducting leaving us all to just carry on regardless!”

Emma Hemming © Emma Hemming Browse and license our images

Her Majesty the Queen opened the transformed Royal Shakespeare Theatre in 2011. She met many members of staff as well as members of the public that had come to line the streets to give flowers and wave as she left.

Photo by Stewart Hemley © RSC Browse and license our images

Minnie Gale played Juliet in the 2010/11 production of Romeo and Juliet and met the queen after performing a scene from the production.
'You can’t tell in the picture but I actually have no shoes on. My two young cousins were regularly getting told off for running around with their shoes off and used this picture of me meeting Her Majesty barefoot as Juliet as an excuse for doing so forever after….so she made a couple of children very happy that day.'

Photo by Stewart Hemley © RSC Browse and license our images

Nic Shaw remembers taking her children to see the Queen in 2011, 'The kids in green jumpers in the photo are my daughter and her school friends. We got permission from school for me to take them to see the queen. They were so excited to be allowed out of school. We got there early so got a good spot at the front.'

Photo by Stewart Hemley © RSC Browse and license our images

Nic Shaw continues, 'Everyone there was in such good spirits (including the policemen who were in the photo). One of the kids was excited because they touched her, though I’m not sure they actually did and one of them said the Queen smiled at her. I was holding the baby when the queen came out, so I asked my daughter to take photos and they were all of the Queen's coat!
Walking round town afterwards everyone had a smile on their face. It’s a very special memory for all of us.'

Helen Anderson is a teacher at Thomas Jolyffe Primary School, and remembers the Queen’s visit well.
'All of the other local primary school’s had been down to the RSC to see the Queen arrive in the morning, although we went down in the afternoon to see her leave. The children (and adults) were really excited! Children took flowers down for her. When we got there, we were the first school there, and had a prime front row view, right outside the entrance to the RSC. We could see the snipers on the roof of the RSC, and eventually her black car drove up. As the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh left the building, they came up to our school, and asked Mr Cocker, our headteacher (who was holding our school sign with name on it) who Thomas Jolyffe was. Another child asked the Queen, 'How many televisions do you have?' She seemed rather shocked by this question, and to which she replied, 'One! How many do you have?!'

Nikki Kennedy took the opportunity to take her daughter Katie and Grandmother to meet the Queen. 'Grandma was 2 years older than the Queen and she sadly passed away in 2019, but she really enjoyed her royal day out in Stratford. It was a lovely family day out for all generations.'

Launch Gallery

Town Hall Display

Friday 3 June, 10am - 4pm
Stratford-upon-Avon Town Hall, Sheep Street

A colourful display remembering how the Queen's reign has brought together families, friends and the people of Stratford-upon-Avon. On display for the very first time, photographs and specially selected items from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Royal Shakespeare Company collections celebrate royal visits from the Queen, alongside memory boxes created by local community groups.

Memories of Her Majesty

Town Hall Display

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