The Coronation 1953

The Coronation of our new Queen was announced for June 2nd 1953.  For months before there were build-up stories. These ranged from dress makers at work on the Queen’s robes to the arrival of Commonwealth and Empire troops who would be in the parade. Decorations were going up everywhere and souvenirs of everything were available in the shops.

During the weeks before, the streets became decorated, especially those roads that would feature in the processions.

We all attended a meeting in the Movietone theatre to hear what was happening.
Everyone was to turn out in some capacity.  Apart from all staff cameramen, almost every freelance cameraman on Movietone’s books were called in, even those from Scotland and the North of England.

Because of the necessity to be in position on the route at an early hour, a number of the staff, including myself, stayed the night in the office.  I slept on the Theatre floor with my raincoat as a pillow.

At 6am, I ventured out into Soho Square and made my way down Greek Street.  It was quite cold and there was heavy cloud.  Already there were as many people as one would expect to see during the day, but as I got closer to Leicester Square, the streets were filling with people.  I walked on through Trafalgar Square into Whitehall.  Everywhere there were now throngs of people, some already occupying seats in the temporary grandstands that lined the procession route.

The whole scenes seemed to be one of movement, people moving in all directions, some on foot, others in limousines and others driving empty carriages, on their way to pick up their passengers.

I walked into Parliament Square and made my way towards the Abbey.  Just down Victoria Street, on the right was The Colonial Office.  This day, it could not be seen.  In front of the building, a large grandstand had been built.

I was assigned to Alec Tozer, cameraman and Martin Gray, soundman, who were to be operating from a large camera platform opposite the side entrance to Westminster Abbey. The platform was mounted in front of the old Colonial Office building. When I reached our stand, Alec Tozer was unloading the camera car.  By 6.30 am, our appointed time, we were in position with all the camera gear on the platform and car had been driven off back to Soho.

Other newsreels were there as well as a BBC Outside Broadcast unit.  For the first time, I was able to look through a television camera viewfinder when the BBC man invited me to have a lpeek.

Below us, at ground level, there were thousands of people who lined the route.  They had been there since the night before and the early morning.

Unfortunately for them, when proceedings commenced, they found themselves behind a phalanx of Guardsmen complete with bearskins, making them almost seven feet tall.

A lot of people in the crowd had periscopes with them, but even the periscopes did not seem to be able to cope with the height of the Guardsmen.

The enlarged team of Movietone cameramen and soundman had, by this time, got themselves into their positions.

We had cameras inside the Abbey and at the entrance.  Movietonews cameras were all along the route. The camera position were usually purpose-built platforms located in Whitehall, Trafalgar Square and the Mall.  At the Queen Victoria Memorial, the statue steps had been adapted to take a large number of movie and still cameramen, some facing the Mall, others facing the Buckingham Palace.

Looking about us, for the first time, I could see that behind us and rising up quite high were row upon row of seats designed for the rich and famous. This was one of the grandstands that had been built all along the route. The people occupying these seats must have been rich because the seats were very expensive.  We were in front of them.

It was becoming a bloody awful day, overcast and drizzly, and we had no cover.

We were there to film the arrivals at the Abbey, from the earliest dignitaries to the Queen herself.  The entrance to the Abbey had been decoration with an entry awning while above there was a whole array of “The Queen’s Beasts” set out in a row to the right hand side of the entrance. At the entrance stood The Earl Marshal, The Duke of Norfolk, who greeted each of the guests. As the Premier Earl, he was in charge of the whole organisation of the Coronation.

It seemed like ages before the first of them arrived, but then there was a continuous procession of Prime Ministers, Commonwealth leaders, Presidents, Kings and Queens from all over the world.  I can remember the giant Queen of Tonga arriving in an open carriage with an umbrella up.

I could hardly believe that I was witnessing all this from only fifty feet away.

I took photographs as wave after wave of escorts, cavalry, troops from the Dominions and Empire came past.  There was The Company of Pikemen and Musketeers and a detachments of Life Guards making their way, on foot, to take their place for the ceremonial parade.  The pity was that my camera only had one lens, a fairly wide-angle so that I could not get any close-ups.
Of course, every time a coach or car arrived at the door, the occupants got out on the far side, so that our view was restricted.  It did not matter for Movietone, because there was another cameraman working near the door from which he could shoot the arrival and have the occupants walking towards him.

Finally, the Queen arrived in the Coronation Coach with her escort of The Household Cavalry and entourage and there were even bigger cheers than we had heard all morning.  It was a wonderful experience that I shall never forget.  We had a Boy Scout, named Frater, with us who carried the rushes back to Soho Square as soon as the last carriage had pulled away.  Alec Tozer had been asked to shoot up to 200 feet of film as “Rota” this meant that that film was to be shared with Pathe News.

I waited until the ceremony was over and we filmed everyone of importance leaving after the Queen and Prince Philip.

We all went back to Soho Square, where we all resumed our normal duties for the production.  Movietone had decided to make a black and white version for release in London that night. They also produced a full-length version in Colour for release later in the week.

Of course, there were number of stories associated with the Coronation for weeks afterwards.  The short black and white version of the Coronation made it into the West End cinemas during the early evening of Coronation Day.  A remarkable achievement considering that the film had to be processed, edited, scripted, tracks laid, re-recorded and printed.

I had some spare time in the evening, so I venture out to see what festivities were going on.  I had been told that there was something happening in Golden Square.

I went there with my camera in time to see a jazz band and a succession of dancers performing on a raised dais.  There were thousands of people there enjoying the performances and the music.

I then walked down into Piccadilly Circus and filmed the famous lights.  It was quite late and I went back to Soho Square to finish off my work on the Coronation story and then went home.  Even after midnight, there were crowds milling about everywhere I went.

All the above images are available for licensing and purchase at the Mary Evans Picture Library – Terence Gallacher Collection.

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