Coronation Day, 1953

Great photo, Mick. Can you imagine putting a small boy in smart white shoes these days? I remember a friend from Canley, Barbara Bromberg. Most of my friends were from Tile Hill, Jeanette McKenna and Pauline Ruttledge were two of them.

I can see my nan and two aunties in this photo but no male relatives. Are there any more photos from that day, please?

Hi Dreamer58, welcome to the forum.

Sorry Dreamer58, there is just this picture which I think must have been taken by a photographer. I am the girl at the front in the light dress and my brother David is the one in the costume and holding what looks like a trumpet. My mum is standing on the right hand side behind a lady in a light top. I still have my mug from that day. Which is your Nan and aunties, what were there names and where did they live? My dad is not in the picture either so he would perhaps be at work or at Highfield Road which I would think went for the other men as well. The men that are in the picture look like older retired men. The people in the picture would have been from the bottom bit of Poole Road, between Lawrence Saunders and Moseley Avenue. I take it going by the 58 that you are not in the picture. Are any of the children your relatives?

Coloured in.

Hi Anne. Thanks for your reply. It looks like my nan, the fifth person from the right and possibly my aunt on the far left but I'm not 100% sure. I think the lady 3rd from the left was called June Sanders and a family friend. My nan was Hilda Garner and she lived by the green at the top of Poole Road. My brother can touch up photos and enhance them. Do you have a clearer copy of this photo?

Anne, I don't recognise any of the kids in the photo but I'm younger than any of them so they were bigger when I was born. Your mum must be standing next to my nan.

No sorry, that is the only picture, it is a scan from the photo. I don't think I knew your relatives. We did not know many people from the other side of Moseley Avenue.

My relatives all lived at the top of the road. I've got loads of old photos that I've inherited from that period so it wouldn't surprise me if I find several from the same day.

Dreamer58, My ears have pricked up at the name of Hilda May Garner!! Having spent hours researching my family tree, you may be interested to learn that Hilda is a distant relation to my wife. Rather than post further details here, please contact me through direct messaging if you'd like to learn more about Hilda and her origins. OddSock

My brother went to a school in Centaur Road. I don't remember him having that book. However he did come home with 2 blue glasses, each with the royal coat of arms on the side - one for me and one for himself. I still have mine, even though it has a few chips around the top. I think his was broken many years ago!

I bet a lot of people on the Forum have memories about Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Day in 1953. Why not send them in so that we can laugh, sigh and even snuffle a bit at your stories? The personal histories of Forum members make it truly our historical forum, a shared history of our Coventry.

Yes, indeed. My elder brother, who died very recently in Australia, bought a Viewmaster TV kit and spent hours building it. Our mother was dying at home with cancer (only I was not allowed to know - her wish) and he worked hard to get it working (a 9 inch b& w tv screen), only she did not live to see it as she was too ill by then. The set worked well and when the Coronation Day arrived 3 years later my dad, grandma, brothers and I all watched it on the tiny screen which had clear reception.

I do recall that we got very nice china cups and saucers. Think that the youngest may have got a mug. Believe that they are still in the family to this day.

I do recall that in our part of Sewall Highway, we had a street party. Can only assume that the street was closed off, as it was down the middle of the road. That was in the middle part, of which we were halfway between the Devon and Dennis Road. My memory recalls a very large gathering, with very long tables. Sadly, I suspect none of the grown ups involved will still be around.