FUNERAL CEREMONY

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11931, 24 January 1936, Page 3

FUNERAL CEREMONY

Day of General Mourning for Late King

VAST CROWD CHEERS KING EDWARD

CORONATION DATE UNCERTAIN

Limcon, Jan. 22 Inquiries made by the Sun-Herald representative in authoritative quarters reveal that the interests of the Dominions. India and tiie colonies are being considered in connection with the coronation, which may he fixed tor a time to suit overseas visitors, also when the weather is likely to he most favourable. Consequently jf it cannot be held by October, it possibly will be deferred until the summer of 1937. It is believed that long delay is not favoured, especially as King Edward has already

varied precedents. The Sun-Herald is informed that there will be no presentations at Court in 1930. Debutantes will have to a wait the summer of 193 7, but many features of London’s summer season will not be disturbed as in 1910, when the Derby, Ascot and the opera were held though less elaborately.

The Sun-Herald understands that it is most improbable that a member uf the Royal Family will visit the South Australia centenary. It ia stated authoritatively that King Edward is considering broadcasting a message to the Empire after the funeral. Like his father, he has the clarity of voice and concise-

ness of expression so essential Before the microphone. It would be natmal for him thus to acknowledge

tlic Empire’s messages. Tin; Broadcasting Corporation announces that a service in memory of King George will be broadcast on all t;nnsmitters, including the Empire, un Junuary 26, at 7.35 p.m. London, Jan. 22 Arrangements for the removal of King George's body to-morrow from Sandringham to Westminster Hall, where it will lie in state, have been completed. The streets along the line of route from Euston station will be lined with police, and only members of the Royal Family will hike part in the procession. The route chosen necessitates the closing of Sl} roads. It will traverse Kingsway, the Strand, Trafalgar Square, and Whitehall, affording the crowds

ample space to pay reverence. The gun-carriage on which the coffin will lie will be preceded and followed from Euston station by mounted police. The weather is expected to be fine, but, whatever the weather, the male members of the noyal Family and the Royal household, all in plain clothes, with silk hats and black overcoats will follow it on foot. The ladies of the Royal Family will follow by car. The Navy, Army and Air Force will furnish guards of honour. Six thousand police will line the route and direct traffic arrangements. The gun-carriage on the earlier stage of the journey from Sandringham to Wolferton station for entrainment, will be drawn by six bay horses and escorted by Grenadiers, each of • whom is over 6ft. Sin. in height. The tenants of the estate will be present.

The funeral train from Wolferton will consist of a saloon full of flowera, a black and purple saloon containing the coffin with its bodyguard, then six coaches. It will be drawn by the same engines and manned by the same crew as during King George's lifetime. The Imperial Crown will be placed on the coffin on its rrival in London. The guncarriage to be used is an army, not a navy one, although it belongs to the Whale Island Naval Gunnery School. it was first used at

Queen Victoria’s funeral, when a restive gun-team was replaced by bluejackets manning dragropes. After this it was decided it was to be used for all future funerals of Sovereigns. It will be drawn by sailors from H.M.S, Excellent. It Is estimated that at least a million mourners will form queues and tile past the catafalque at Westminster Hall. The catafalque will be draped with purple. The stone floor, in order to ensure silence, will be carpeted with grey and purple.

London, Jan. 22

It is expected that Tuesday, the day of King George’s funeral, will be Proclaimed a day of general mourning throughout the country. More than 2,000,000 copies of a special form of church service are the funeral or the following eight days.

The Archbishop of Canterbury opes that special prayers will be ofleied in all churches next Sunday bt commemoration of the late King nnd asking for the guidance of the Almighty to be given to King Edvaid. He says there are suitable Prayers In the order for the burial 0 thp dead, and the form of prayer used on the anniversary of the King’s accession.

e French Council of Ministers, as ‘ts last act before handing in its ret * oiiation to-day, appointed representatives to attend the funeral. ey will be headed by the Prestent of the French Republic, M. Lebrun.

Kl »g George’s Dying Words

Is th” 5 George ' a (lyin S' words; “How e Empire?” will go down in hisO. says the livening Standard. Th « y told him: “All is well.” oy 8 P e °Ples of the lands scattered ,/ r tace of the earth re-echo nat reply. Let us do our part as f **' s witllou t stint in working closer Empire unity, e Daily Mail says:—ln the suEmm 6 ° Ur 0f Killg Geol 'ge’s life the Jire was the first .object in his pf, ‘ ma J’ be certain that King Benn? rd ’ Wll ° is tamiliar with the hav °* ** le Domil >ions, will also sta.oi 6 " eltare °f the Empire conkUWy in mind.

t London, Jan. 22. a e I ‘ o,ld Q lv was acclaiming the ing a sad' procession of pith's from ail parts of the country a * Co,lVer ß‘ing on Sandringham. In ordance with the Queen's express er «. the Church of St. Mary MagdiiW)l6 WaS 01 ' ene, l t 0 the general c and not merely to the villag►*o,

The first arrivals waited hours in the cold for the dors to open, then filed slowly past the flag-draped coffin on which the Queen’s wreath of white chrysanthemum sand orchids was laid. ' ->

The first to enter the church were two old women over SO years of age who have lived on the Sandringham estate all their lives and knew King George from his childhood. The mourners exemplified the democracy that was so dear to King George's heart. Wealthy people clad in expensive furs, conventional silk hats and morning suits walked beside humble agricultural labourers. King Edward travelled to Sandringham by rail with the Duke and Duchess of York and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, as tire weather was unfavourable for flying. The doctors consider that both the Duchess of York and the Duke of Gloucester are now well enough to travel.

King Edward closed a day of glorious significance by walking, unaccompanied except by the Duke of Gloucester, along dusky woodland paths to the Sandringham church, where he stood for 10 minutes in silence before his father’s coffin.

The Queen spent the morning attending to the mass of private correspondence. After several hours at her desk she walked in the sunshine with the Princess Royal, both dressed in deepest mourning. About noon another wreath of pink and white carnations was placed on the coffin. No card was attached. Tt is understood to have come from the late King’s children. Proc 1 a mation Cere monies. London, Jan. 22, After the proclamation of King .Edward at St. James’ Palace and Charing Cross, the procession proceeded along the Strand to the City. Not even a new King can challenge the rights of the City of London, which are guarded as jealously as ever.

When the procession reached Temple Bar, therefore, the City’s dignitaries, headed by the Lord Mayor, Sir Stephen Killik, assembled in the shadow of the Law Courts to challenge the right of the King’s officers to enter the City. The crowds, who had waited since daybreak, were rewarded by the rarely-seen spectacle of a single red silken rope stretched across the street, symbolising the City’s rights. A triple fanfare by the King’s trumpeters and an answering fanfare by the City’s trumpeters recalled London’s struggles for freedom in the nation’s early history. The Blue Mantle Pursuivant of Arms rode forward alone.

“Who comes there?” challenged the City Marshal. The Pursuivant replied in historic formula, demanding entrance to proclaim His Majesty King Edward VIII. He was conducted to the Lord Mayor, to whom he delivered the Order-in-Council directing the reading of the proclamation. This the Lord Mayor read aloud. He then ordered the removal of the barrier, and the procession moved to the corner of Chancery Lane, 50 yards within the City boundary, and there the proclamation was read. The crowd outside the Royal Exchange was one of the largest ever seen in the precincts of the City. The air was so still and all were so silent that every word uttered by the Clarenceux King of Arms was distinctly audible.

The demonstrativeness of the City contrasted with the reading of the proclamation elsewhere. Immediately after the singing of the National Anthem someone shouted: “King Edward the Eighth,” and the Lord Mayor, seeing that the crowd desired to express their loyalty, took off his three-cornered hat and waved it above his head, crying; “Three* cheers for the King.” Dignified, scarlet-robed City fathers led in an Immense burst of cheering, which was taken up by denselypacked crowds surrounding the streets. The Lord Mayor and aidermen then proceeded in procession ’back to the Guildhall, thus closing another chapter in the City’s history. Reply to Lord Galway.

Wellington, Jan. 4

The Governor-General, Viscount Galway, has received the following cable from His Majesty King Edward VIII. in reply to the message of sympathy sent by his Excellency:— “I received with deep appreciation the message of sympathy in my overwhelming sorrow which you have addressed to me in the name of the Government and people of New Zealand, as well as Lady Galway and yourself. Please convey to them my heartfelt thanks and assure them how greatly I and my family are touched by the kind words in which they refer to my beloved father.— Edward R. 1.” z