CORONATION DISPLAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 136, 10 June 1937, Page 20

CORONATION DISPLAY

STREETS OF LONDON

EARLY MORNING TOUR

HARMONIOUS CITY SCHEME

(By Nellc M. Scanlan..)

LONDON, May 7,

This morning I was up at 4.30 and out as soon as it was daylight, as I had promised to motor a few visitors over the procession route, and down into the city to see how London decorates itself for a great occasion. The milk carts, a few hfurrying charwomen, boys delivering papers, and some delivery vans were the only occupants of the streets still wet after a night of rain. There was nothing to impede the view as we drove slowly down Oxford Street, where men completing Selfridge's elaborate decorative scheme were already at work. Great plaster panels fill each window niche on the upper storeys, depicting events in English history—the signing of Magna Carta, Clive in India, Wolfe at Quebec, and many more. A huge figure stands erect on the roof over the front entrance, a symbolic figure with a palm leaf in each hand. It is probably 30 feet high. Below it, over the front door, is a vast group, the head of some of the figures not yet in place, but it is about 20 feet high, and 50 feet wide. All these sculptured panels are being painted in silver, and when illuminated at night, will be really magnificent. And there is a border of scarlet and gold banners.

Quite frankly, I do not think the decorations are anything like as fine as those for the Jubilee. Many adjoining shops and buildings have decided on independent decorative schemes, with the result that there is a lack of uniformity. Nor was I aware that there were so many dull and ugly shades of red, so many crude blues. Gay it is, but artistic, certainly not. Here and there a firm has done wisely, but as there is always a danger of impeding the view of occupants on balconies or at windows, a free hand was impossible. The Mall, Piccadilly, and Strand—everywhere were flags and devices. New Zealand House added a characteristic note with two huge green tikis in addition to its red, white, and blue, or rather, pale yellow, not white.

The' City of London, however, redeemed our reputation with its decora-tive-scheme. Once I entered the City at Holborn, down at the Bank, at Billingsgate among the fish, along Ludgate Hill, and up Fleet Street to the city's boundary at Temple Bar, there was a magnificent vista of red, white, and blue. These decorations were not confined to the sides of walls; they were strung across the _ streets. The white banners, with their red cross and unsheathed sword, the arms of the city, hung at intervals down the centre of the street, suspended from the walls, with blue cords depending on either side. Positively miles of this scheme transformed the grim, grey old city with the brave splendour of a concerted effort in perfect harmony. , In Bond Street, long white banners hung down on either side over the footpaths, a crown in different colours at the base of each banner adding a varied note. All along the Mall,-Constitution Hill, and in Hyde Park the stands were painted .or covered in red, white, and blue, and hundreds of white bell tents filled the green ' spaces in'the Park, where the soldiers are quartered. nearly three, hours I motored up and 'down the streets. Some of the gayest were in'the; • poor ruarters, where even the slum dwellers have brightened their drab surroundings in honour of the King. : ROBES'AND DRESSES. In the afternoon I went to Norman Hartnell's salon to see the Coronation dress/ and robes to be worn by the Duchess^ of Gloucester, and the dresses of' the six ladies who will bear.the Queen's train. The Duchess of Gloucester's gown is in heavy ivory satin, a sheath-like: garment with a short train cut in one with the skirt, and | the whole is! entirely ,covered with a design in fern leaves embroidered in' pearls and; tiny: brilliants with a tracery of gold thread. It is a most elaborate and beautiful gown. From the shoulders hang the long train of Royal purple velvet, lined with white satin, and with three bands of gold around the edge, and trimmed wit.h miniver,, that white fur with tiny black spots. This train is four yards long, and extremely heavy.

The Coronation gowns to be worn by the Queen's train-bearers are in heavy white satin—a satin that stands alone—embroidered down the front in a design of wheat ears. Each head of wheat is composed- of. pearls, and each pearl is the shape of grain, and the spikes are worked in y silver thread; and diamante is worked into the design. The skirt fits tightly to the hips, where it is gored to flare" stifTly» and just touches the ground. With this is worn a headdress of wheat ears of pearls and silver thread, which exactly resembles wheat. The dress has tiny puffed sleeves. The Duchess of Gloucester's gown also has sleeves, short ones made of net and heavily embroidered to match the dress. Only at such close range could the magnificent workmanship of these gowns be realised: a distant view of the procession will give little or no idea of the richness of the material or the elaborateness of the design.

As I came away, I saw a young peeress in her- Coronation gown of white satin, with her crimson robes and kirtle, and her coronet on her head, step from a large car and enter a Court photographer's. •

Still no. buses are running, but London goes on its busy way to the amazement of our foreign visitors, who cannot understand the temper of the British people. Nothing has changed because of the stoppage. People have learnt to walk again. The shops are full, theatres busy, and the streets packed with sightseers.