A LONDON LETTER

Evening Star, Issue 22619, 10 April 1937, Page 30

A LONDON LETTER

[By M. S. Primmer.] “GO TO THE ANT.” Well, I don’t think even the ant could do much more than Coronation folk are doing. London, or at least the centre of it, is slowly being transformed. Westminster Abbey has been closed to the public for a long time now, and it is hardly recognisable already. Tier on tier of seats in the lovely little garden are hiding most of the green. Then from one of the main entrances you see a large new Gothic erection that I must say really does harmonise with the rest of the church, in spite of what carpers say. This almost fills the former empty space leading to the dean’s yard, and it is here that the King and Queen will robe, etc. So carefully has it been planned that even the windows look as though they have, or ought to have, stained glass. Up along Whitehall no one has put seats in front of buildings, but window sills are evidently going to be useful. The sight up this spacious road from the Abbey should be truly wonderful. But I for one will try something a litle less crowded. I see underground trains are to run all night, and, in fact, no one can predict the enormous number of people that will come from all over the world. I am glad that' pillars are not to be erected that may in any way interfere with anyone’s view. Flags and other decorations, both official and private, are expected to be flat along the walls or stretched across the tops of the roads. DOMESTIC PROBLEMS. If you keep your eyes open in buses and undergrounds you will see quite a number of posters asking people to lend beds for the Coronation. The Government has the matter in hand, and is trying to find accommodation at something like a price that people

can afford. This Accommodation Department is divided into two sections, one for lenders, another for borrowers (at a price). Tens of thousands on both_ sides are already listed, and you can imagine that some are asking fantastic prices. When you offer a room or rooms two men are sent along to see what you have and what you will charge. They make notes, mark , you << a,” << an( j so ollj an( j sen( j this information to the “ borrowing ” section, Possible clients are advised of what is offering, and suit themselves accordingly. All rents are to be paid in advance, and the cheques are passed on to the owners minus 5 per cent, agency fee; very reasonable, I think. I have heard, among others, of one who has let one room with breakfast for £8 the week, and another lady has let her flat for £SO for the fortnight. It’s the chance of a lifetime, and naturally London is going to make hay for the only time in most of our histories. I wonder what restaurants will be _ like. They are packed enough as it is.

_ Then, too, comes the problem of getting a seat. What annoys one is this sort of thing: Articles appear in the papers saying that there are still plenty to be had at £2 or thereabouts. It must be very much “ thereabouts,” as a girl I know has been trying for at least a month to get one for £5. She was first told that there was nothing at all, but to come back in a few weeks. When she tried again they said that the cheapest (and hardly any of those) were £2O. Let us pray for fine weather, and not the travesty of May Day that we had last year, cold and wet. Otherwise, what will poor robin do then, poor thing?. ROYAL ROBES. It has now definitely been decided that the little Princess Elizabeth is to take an important part in the Coronation, though where she will exactly be in the procession is still to be discussed. As heiress to the Crown she may precede the Princes of the Blood —that is, her. uncles—or, since the Duke of Gloucester replaces the nonexistent Prince of Wales, he may head this part of the programme. In any case she is to wear a wonderful robe of purple velvet with an ermine border, and triple bars of gold. It will be short, so that no train will have to be carried, though actually she will be followed by a lady-of-waiting. The velvet used is being specially hand-woven from English silkworms. The Queen i.s terribly busy with her dressmakers: fortunately, though, mannequins replace her for actual fittings. The Coronation robe is in ivory and gold, and, of course, there are lots of other gowns for the many, many official functions of the brilliant season. Ice blue and petal pink shades are