Royal recollections

To mark the occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee those living with us have been sharing memories and special moments

Family members at Shottermill House, Haslemere, sent a bundle of homemade cards, letters and watercolours to the Queen to congratulate her on 70 years on the throne. They then received a special card and letter in response from Buckingham Palace. Deborah, our Activities & Community Engagement (ACE) Facilitator at Shottermill House, says, “When I said we had received mail from Buckingham Palace and read out the letter, you could have heard a pin drop! It was watching the pleasure in their faces that spoke volumes.”

There are lots of Queenly Memories from those living at Finborough Court, Great Finborough...

“My daughter is a keen follower of the Queen so I have been with her to Sandringham to see her go in and out of church. On one occasion, I was able to go into the service with the permission of the vicar. I remember the Duke wore a gingery colour coat and the Queen wasn’t singing very loudly! Children often gave the Queen bouquets of flowers but my granddaughter wouldn’t co-operate with that idea. On one occasion when the Queen was at the church I saw her with a broken arm in a sling after a fall.” – Joyce

“When I was a Chaplain in Madras, I was tasked with showing the Queen round the church at Fort St. George when she spent several days in the area. I was instructed to stand under a lamp post and the Queen came over and asked me questions about my job. At the time I was working with a colleague on a housing project as many local people had come to Madras to work with industrialisation of the city and had previously been living in palm leaf huts on farmland. My work was marked by a road being named after me.” – Ralph

“When I was a a primary school teacher I took a group of school children to Portman Road Football Club (Ipswich Town’s ground) to see the Queen. She had come to Ipswich to open a new college, Ipswich Civic College. This was on the 21st July 1961 and 16,000 children had the day off school to attend the event. The Queen drove round the football ground in an open-top car to deafening cheers from the children. I will never forget that day.” – Jean

Vera at Finborough Court turned 100. The photo below shows her with her special card from the Queen to mark the occasion. Plus, Lloyd and Margaret at Royd Court, Mirfield, recently celebrated their 60th anniversary and received a letter of congratulation from the Queen.