Friday 17th June 2022

Jubilee celebrations and memories at Emmaus House

Family members Emmaus House in Harrogate invited special guests to enjoy their Jubilee lunch

As Chrissie Medway-Steel, Registered Care Manager explains, those living at the home had a key role in the planning of the event:

“The Jubilee means a great deal to our residents, or ‘family members’ as we call them. Many of them are very patriotic. They have followed the Queen over many years and several of those living with us have served their country in the Armed Forces or as part of their National Service.

“At Emmaus House, we always put the wishes of those living with us first and so at our residents’ meeting, we asked them how they would like to celebrate the Jubilee and they chose to have their party on Monday 6th, rather than on Sunday 5th when many across the country were having a Big Jubilee Lunch. This was because many of those living here wanted to watch the coverage on television or be free to join with relatives over the long weekend.

“It’s been such a pleasure to welcome so many friends and family as guests at our Jubilee lunch. There’s a real buzz about the place and the house is full of laughter again. It’s been lovely for our family members to celebrate with the people most special to them, and also for friends and relatives to meet each other.”

Christine (on the left), 82, a former assistant to a producer for the BBC, has lived at Emmaus House since July 2020

“I remember watching the Coronation on a 9 ½ inch television screen. My aunt and uncle were the first people to have a television in their neighbourhood and we all went round to watch it. It was as much about seeing something on television as it was seeing the Coronation. When I was growing up, I made scrapbooks of the princesses. I was allowed to cut the pictures out of the Picture Post once it had been read.

“I think the Queen is very brave to have done all the things she has done, launching ships and travelling round different countries. It’s amazing, I couldn’t do half the things she has done. I’ve never met the Queen but I did once see her. She came one year to Ripon Cathedral to give out Maundy money and I saw her as she went past in the car with Prince Philip and she waved.”

Molly (on the right), 86, a farmer from Nidderdale, has lived at Emmaus House since June 2020

“I didn’t see the Coronation when it was broadcast on TV. It was too rural where we lived. I watched it later on the big screen in the picture house at Pateley Bridge, our nearest town.”

Jean (on the left), 91, moved to Emmaus House in February 2021. She used to work at Montague Burton.

Jean’s daughter Ann (on the right) was her guest at the Jubilee party. About the party, Ann said, “It has been wonderful - the time and the effort the staff have gone to to make such a wonderful, memorable occasion. It has been nice to meet the relatives of those my mum has made friends with as well.”

Carol, 75, (left) lives at Emmaus House and remembers watching the Coronation with her sister Val (right), 72.

Carol says, “Like a lot of people, we didn’t have a television at home, so we all went round to my Great Aunt Laura’s house in Guiseley. This photo was taken on Coronation Day. On the back row in the photo is Great Aunt Laura, Aunty Phyllis, Grandma Bewick and then two friends of the family, Mrs Darby and Mrs Brown. In the front row is me (Carol), our cousin Lorna and then Val. My mum isn’t in the photo because she was taking it! She was a keen photographer and was always taking snaps on her Brownie camera. Our father isn’t in the photo because he was down the pub with our Uncle Charlie. Our Uncle Charlie owned a factory in Pudsey that made flags and marquees. He made all the Union Jacks for the town of Guiseley and for other surrounding areas. I remember that their attic was filled with Union Jack flags from the Coronation.”