HASTINGS TRAVELLER HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO THE QUEEN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 28, 27 October 1937, Page 10

HASTINGS TRAVELLER HAS THE PRIVILEGE OF SPEAKING TO THE QUEEN

"To be privileged to have an opportunity to meet and speak to members of the Royal Family gives one a great thrill and makes one feel very proud to be even a humble member of a loval Empire with. sucli a wonderful King and Queen,". said Canon O. Mortimeiv Jones when speakjng about his recent i trip. to England to tlie members of St. ' jMattliews Guild of Fellowship yesterday. Mrs. Barton Hobbs, the guild presir dent, extended a welcome to the vicar and said how pleased the members were to hav hina back ' again. Mrs. Hobbs presented a ' lovely bouquet of pink stock and blue Argentiue pea to Mrs. Mortimer- Jones. Ganon Mortimer- Jones- chatted informally. to the members while they worked at articles for the guild bazaar and greatly interested them with descriptions of his trip. He told first about the Coronation ceremony as he was fortunate in having a seat in the Abbey, visiting Church of England clergymeu having a prior claim to the seats which Mr. Jordan had to distribute. In a photograph taken inside the Abbey during tlie Coronation ceremony Canon Mortimer- Jones was able to show tho guild members exactly where he sat. He said that he had to be in his seat a't 7 o'clock in the morning and was so much afraid of being liindered by the traffic that he set out extra early and wac actually there soon after six o 'clock and didi not leave again until a- quarter to six in the evening when there were still several . hundred who had not yet left. "However, we had plenty to interest us during one long wait before the King and Queen arrived,'' continued the vicar. Peers and peeresses arrived in a constant stream and we were able to recognise many from pprtraits we had seen. ''Tlie first procession arrived at about 8 o'clock, this being the procession of tlie lesser Royalties. Soon al'terwards the Princess Royal arrived with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret llose, later tho Duchesses of Gloucester and Kent and still later Queen Mary's procession. Each moved so slowly that we could follow their names on tlie programme and liave a good look at each. "We then had an interval and were permitted to leave our seats, to wander in the cloisters and visit tlie buffet, returning to our seats by 10 o'clock. The Queen's procession arrived punctually at 11 o'clock. Throughout the processions the women walked wonderfully well though they had tp move so very slowly and all looked most dignified. The service did not seem at all long because we knew and heard exactly what was happening, though we could not see it." The speaker said that every inch of the Abbey was carpeted and that this carpet, the lovely blue and gold hangings and the little stools on which they sat were later sold. "The next intensely interesting function in connection with the Royal Family was the Buckingham Palace garden party/' continued the Canon. "Here 1 was i'ortunate m liaviug a positiou on the patli along which the members of the Royal Family walked. I was also able to see them arrive and saw tlie two JLukes jvalk up to a llowcr bed and each take a butlon hole. Members of tlie Royal Family kissed each otber iji greeting, but iinmediatejy the Natioual Antliem had been pluyed all curtsied very low to the King and Queen." Canon Mortimer- Jones was a friend of Prebendary L. J. Percival, the King's Almoner and Senior Chaplain, wIiq was also present at the garden party and wlio prornised to present him to members of the Royal Family if the opportunity arose. However, an equerry carae up to him and presented him to Queen Elizabeth and he enjoyed a short conversation with her. The Queen recollected her visit to Hastings and Napier and asked how the towns had reoovered after the earthquake. The conversation was easy and natural and the Canon was impressed with the Queen's lovely natural colouriug and her soft English voice. The Canon later stayed with tho Rev. Frank Stone, the King's Chaplain, at Windsor Royal Lodge, and while here •lieard many stories of the little princess from Mr, Stone who said that they were very natural, charming children, being very well brought up by the King and Queen, who liave already won the affection of all their people. He said that it was often wondered how the

princesse8 ever did any lessons when they made so many public appearances and Mr. Stone told him that their lessons .were most carefully looked after, that even on the day of the Coronation they did their lessons until it was timo to get dressed, Canon Mortimer- Jones's talk was thqroughly enjoyed by everyone present and the members expressed a desire to hear more about his trip at another meeting. Mesdames Houston, Sharkey, J. W. Fendall and Miss Kathleen Stubbs were the hostesses for afternoon tea which was then handed round. The guild • secretary, Mrs. H. de Denne, reminded everyone of the annual sale of work which is to he a garden . gathering at the home of Mrs. J. C. Tosswill, Fitzroy Avenue, Hastings, on November 16. Stalls for produce, work, cakes and flowers have been arranged and competitions will also be part of the entertainment progranune.