RE-GILDING STATE COACH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 29, 18 February 1937, Page 6

RE-GILDING STATE COACH

(By Air .Maii — Own Correspondent)

Seven Weeks' Work For CoronOtion

LONDON, Jan. 22. The State coach, in whieh the King and Queen will drive to Westminster Abbey for their Coronation, has been taken from the Palace mews for. renovation and ' re-gilding. To attract as little attention as- possible, the coach left the mews before dawn yesterday morning. it was driven by a.; Royal coacbman to . the Chelsea workshops of Hooper and Co., who have had charge of its maintenance tor more than 30 years. . > Although it is 176 years old, the coach is in good running order and repair. Re-gilding, however, is a slow process, and will take at least seven weeks Tbo State coach has never been completelj re-gilded since it was built. The gold leaf has been renewed bit by bit as became worn. The most extensive renovation took place when the coach was prepared fo'r King Edward VII. 's coronation. Some of the Edwardian gilding has now to be renewed. Those parts whicli were regilded for "King George V.'s coronation are still in good condition. Many of tbe stands in The liague from whick the Dutch sUw Pnncess .Juliana's wedding procession last week are to be used in London for tbe Coronation. Workmen started to dismantle some of tbese stands as soon as the occupants had vacated them. An official at the Office of Works said yesterday that none of tbese stands from the Hague would be used on the Crown property, for whieh aione the ! Office of Works was responsible. "Our tenders - for the putting up of the stands were. out some time ago and all arrangements made," he explained. The Dtitch stands will be used by private firms putting up stands and sqats on private sites or" within private buildings.' The district surveyor must approve the construction of the standp.