LATE QUEEN MOTHER

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 1, 30 November 1925, Page 8

LATE QUEEN MOTHER

AN IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL. TRIBUTES BY THE PEOPLE. SAD MEMORIES OP THE DAY. LONDON, Nov. 28. Queen Alexandra’s funeral in its way, despite a lack of ordered show and colour, was the tribute of the common people. Perhaps the most abiding of to-day's sad memories is that from daybreak, in chilling winds, through a heavy snowstorm, a bitter evening and far into the night, the pilgrimage to the flower-decked Abbey shrine continued. A queue four abreast stretched for two miles away into the thick mist, advancing step by step. , i

Many women, unable to endure the cold, fainted. Ambulances were in attendance and were kept busy. More than three-quarters - of the patient waiters were women. By midnight ■y 60,000 had passed tho catafalque, of '.whom 40,000 were women, mostly middle-aged or elderly, many of them poorly dressed and ill-equipped to meet the rigours of the bitter weather. MANTLE OF SNOW. London was practically white with sixteen hours of frost, and by nine o’clock in the morning the cloud-flecked sky became an ominous grey, and from the dull canopy came in a thickening fall a white mantle which gave a gorgeous touch to the loved Queen’s funeral. The cold literally gnawed into one’s bones, yet nobody abandoned a vantage point and few even raised umbrellas. Tho wholo line of the procession was wedged between masses of tho mourning public, who derived some warmth from the density of their packing. They at least'were at liberty to move frozen feet, but the less fortunate troops stood like snowshrouded statues. Quite a number of them fainted from sheer cold, and that hundreds of women were similarly affected is not surprising, because crowds of them formed the first line of the human avenue from soon after dawn. An unceasing vigil had been kept all night at St. James’s by the Yeomen of the Guard and Gentlcmen-at-Arms. The atmosphere in the tiny chapel was heavy with the fragrance of the white lilies and roses upon the altar. The coffin was borne to the gun carriage by a party of Grenadiers, and as they moved with slow and reverent step the Bishop of London recited two short prayers. A SON’S GRIEF. Kiug Goorgo, sad-faced and careworn, with head bowed, walked immediately behind tho casket, and as the coffin was placed on the gun carriage all the Royal mourners stood at the salute. Then along tho snowcovored roads Queen Alexandra was borne to the Abbey, the snow serving to muffle the sound of footsteps. Sir John Foster Fraser, describing tho Abbey scene, says he remembered Queen Alexandra smiling with grandmotherly delight at Princess Mary’s wedding, and ho contrasted that scene with the one now, with tho King standing a little way from other men, but very near his mother, never moving or lifting his head, but just standing amid the mighty congregation of a nation in mourning, bidding the longest of farewells as though he was all alone and very lonely, which indeed he was. Tho Prinoe of Wales stood m wistful sadness behind his father. The three Queens meanwhile stood within the altar rails, Queen Mary so heavily shrouded in mourning that few recognised her when she entered. EMOTION MANIFESTED.

The superb service was marked by many manifestations of emotion, but the whole congregation seemed to find voice when the hymn, “On the Resurrection Morn,” chosen by the King himself, was sung. When all was over the King stood a long time beside the coffin before he turned and joined his sons. ’ ' The crowd entered the Abbey two abreast and the time allowed was very short, the policeman’s sharp “hurry on, please,” being necessary in order to allow all to enter. Often women wept as they bowed, and many dropped flowers beneath, and in the shadow of the coffin.

Evensong was held in another part of the Abbey, music adding reverence to the people’s homage. At a late hour it was arranged that the Abbey be open until six o’clock on Saturday. FOREIGN TRIBUTES.

Upon the Queen’s own flag bearing the arms of England and Denmark rested blossoms of pink and white forming a cross, while almost covering the chancel rails were wreaths from Europe’s sovereigns. There were great masses of other Royal blooms, but the tributes of the humble found a place also. THE LONG DAY CLOSES.

The arrival of the motor hearse with Queen Alexandra’s coffin at Henry Vlll. gate, Windsor, at 8.30 this morning, was witnessed by only few passers-by, thus showing the regard for the King’s wish for privacy and a minimum interruption of business, '[’heir Majesties motored from London and entered unobserved on the Old Windsor side of the castle, upon . which the Union Jack flew at the top of the staff, till in accordance with custom, the Royal Standard was substituted to denote that the King had arrived. The coffin, still bearing the King’s wreath, was taken into the Memorial Chapel, where, in the presence only of the Royal Family and members of the household, the Dean of Windsor read the committal prayers and the choir sang the anthem, “How Blest are They” and the hymn “Now the Labourer’s Task is O’er.” Then the casket was lowered into the tomb, where it will remain till the sarcophagus in St. George’s Chapel is ready to receive Alexandra’s and Edward’s coffins. WORLD-WIDE MOURNING. The newspapers print messages of scenes of mourning throughout the world. Cities as far apart as Paris and Pekin joined with the Empire, constituting a girdle of grief around the whole earth.' . The theatres, cinemas and principal resorts closed for the day, while thousands of people stood shivering in the cold to catoh a glimpse of the procession. , Thousands listened to a special commemoration service held at Canterbury Cathedral, the service being broadcast throughout England. IMMENSE FLORAL TRIBUTES. An. idea of the quantity of floral tributes is gained from a Paris message.reporting an unprecedented shortage of roses, violets and carnations, whole trainloads having been sent to England to meet the enormous demand. Those remaining in Paris were retailed at 50 per cent, above the usual Crown Prince and Princess of Sweden, the Crown Prince of Roumunia. the Prince of Wales, the Duke and liuohees of York, Princess Mary

and Viscount Laseelles dined with their Majesties at Buckingham Palace last evening. SERVICES ON CONTINENT.

Reports from the Continent state that memorial services were held wherever there was a British community. One of the most touching remembrances on the Continent was a gathering in St. Albans’ Church, Copenhagen; where the Queen, Crown Prince, Royal family, Cabinet Ministers and diplomats were present, after which a salute of sixty guns was fired. Almost every hamlet in Britain had its specjal service simultaneously with the Abbey’s striking ceremony. Villagers at East Paris Church, Perth, were moved by a beautiful rendering of “Ave Maria.” They discovered that the singer was Madame Tetrazzini, who was a warm friend of the Queen Mother. It was noticed that the Admiralty flag in Whitehall alone was not halfmasted and it is . explained that the flag is governed by the same regulations as the admiral’s flag at sea and is never lowered day or night except on the deatli of the reigning monarch. MESSAGE FROM THE KING. The King in a message “To my People,” says: “In my great sorrow I am helped by the flood of sincere and generous sympathy reaching me from every quarter of tho British Empire and indeed from all parts of the world. While I am deeply grateful for these expressions of goodwill I also rejoice that my beloved mother enjoyed the constant and warm affection of my people. It is such a proof of allegiance to my throne and family that has given me confidence and strength in the many anxious days I have had to face in the past fifteen years.” Canon Westlake, who arranged the allotting of tho 2600 seats in the Abbey and participated in tho service in the morning as well as at Evensong, died from a heart attack at his house in tho cloisters.—A. and N.Z. cable.

SERVICE HELD IN TOKIO. Received November 30, 9.20 a.m. TOKIO, Nov. 29. A memorial service for the late Queen Alexandra held in the English Church was largely attended, the Prince and Princess Kuni representing the Regent. ..The Premier and members of the Cabinet and high naval and military officer were also present.—Reuter.

“A LIFE OF SWEETNESS.”

MEMORIAL SERVICE AT ALL SAINTS’.

A fitting tribute to the nobility of character of the late Queen Alexandra was paid by Canon Fancourt at the special commemorative service-conducted at All Saints’ Church yesterday afternoon. The seating accommodation of the spacious building was taxed to its utmost capacity; the attendance including a large number of cadets, boy scouts and girl guides, the parades of each being in charge of their respective officers. Those ’ present also included the Mayor (Mr F. J. Nathan), officers of the local Defence Office including Colonel-Commandant C. G. Powles, and representatives of other churches, the Rev. J. C. Abbott (vicar of St. Peter’s) and the Rev.' J. M. Stewart (minister in charge of Emmanuel Congregational Church) assisting at the service.

The simple but beautiful service was as nearly as possible on the lines of that conducted at Westminster Abbey.

The service commenced with the singing of the 23rd Psalm, the hymns. “Now the Labourer’s Task is O’er,” and “On the Resurrection Morn,” also being sung. The Ntinc Dimittus and Chopin’s “Funeral March,” played by Mr J. H. Runpicles, concluded the service.

QUEEN IN SOUL. “This afternoon we are met on a solemn and sad occasion as loyal subjects of our King to mourn and sympathise witli him in the loss of a dear mother,” said Canon Faneourt. “We are met to honour and pay our last respects to one who was not only a queen in person but also a queen in soul. Queen Alexandra was one of the sweetest of women who, throughout her long lire, endeared 1 herself in the hearts of the British nation.”

The late Queen Mother, the Canon went on to state, had typified all that was best and noblest in womanhood, retaining up to the time of her separation from us those most high personal attributes. It was her sweetness of character more than anything eke, which had endeared her to the hearts of her subjects throughout the Empire. The late Queen the speaker continued, was the eldest daughter of the King of Denmark and had been carefully trained by a wise and clever mother. At the age of 19 she landed in England to become the bride of King Edward VII. then Prince ; of Wales, the ceremony taking place in Windsor Chapel on March 10, 1863. From the outset the people came under the spell of the real and abiding charm of tho late Queen Mother —a charm the strength of which lay in a heart of love —she gave, as only love could give, herself in living service. Never was there a king so blessed with such a sweet and faithful consort as Edward VII., who had the support of a faithful, true wife to whom he was more deeply indebted than posterity would ever be able to realise, for, as a true wife she wielded her influence quietly and ’ unobtrusively, yet none the less powerfully. FILLING SECONDARY POSITION. “The greater part of the late Queen Alexandra’s lifts was lived in a secondary position,” stated the Canon, who reminded his hearers that for 37 years this great woman was Princess of Wales For nine years only did she reign as queen, and after 46 vears of married life she was bereft of her husband and again took a secondary position as the Queen Mother living as such a quiet, unobtrusive life foi tho past 15 years. 1 The speaker went on to refer to what the late Queen did m advancing works of mercy, attending to the wants of tho sick and afflicted, and willingly, lovingly, performing that task which most of us rind so difficult—occupying a secondary position. AS A MOTHER. “First as a wife, then as a mothor, she presents herself to us, Canon Faneourt continued. “Tho late Queen was a real mother to her and was deeply beloved by them.” After briefly alluding to God’s great gift of motherhood, the speaker directed attention to the ruling King of the Empire as a witness to his mother s gieatness. King George, lie said, bv his life and character had won the respect of the British nation, lie was a kin,; who, when othor kings had lost their thrones in the course of changing events and in tho great upheaval in Europe, ruled moro securely than any other British monarch for a gieat number of years past. The nation, indeed, had been even more firmly Bound in true love and affection to its kuig, whose character was inculcated, cul-

tivated and. graduated at his mother’s knee under the shadow of the Almighty. Alexandra lived to see tho fruits of her work, to see her son triumphant in turmoil, , while one nephew , 'fell a victim to tragedy and another was exiled from his kingdom. Feelingly the speaker alluded to some of the great sorrows in the life of the late Queen Mother. Twice did sho watch by the bedside of her husband in the expectancy of death —to see him twice saved and yet later to lose him • with a suddenness which hardly allowed her to realise her tragic loss at the time. Sho was called upon to see her eldest son, the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, who was delicate from childhood, to bo suddenly taken away by the hand of death in the prime of manhood, on January 14, 1892. Thereby tho Queen Mother suffered tho keenest anguish of a mother’s heart —the loss of her first born. “How bravely and nobly she boro it; how quietly and unobtrusively those who "rived at that time know right well,” declared the Canon. SOLACE OF SWEET LIFE. “Queen Alexandra was noted in history as one'who, throughout her life, displayed deep interest in jihilanthropic in the London hospitals, and actively participated in the efforts made to succour the wounded soldiers and to support the widows and orphans of those who fell in the South African and the last great war. Her memory will be perpetuated in that great work which she initiated.” The speaker proceeded to tell of how this, gracious woman did not rest content with directing her philanthropic work from the palace, but went amongst tho people herself, visiting and cheering the sick and afflicted in tho hospitals. Canon Fancourt proceeded to narrate what he personally had observed of tho late Queon’s practical interest in tho poor and needy when 19 years ago he was a curate in one of tho worst slums of Liverpool. He told of cases where personnl letters to Her Gracious Majesty had been most sympathetically responded to by this sweet woman. “SWEET ALEXANDRA.” Perhaps, said Canon Fancourt, the congregation was struck by the fact that the keynote of his tribute to the late Queen Alexandra was that of sweetness. Ho explained ono of the reasons why thi9 was so. Harking back to the coronation procession on the occasion of the coronation of the late Queen and her King, he stated that, as he passed through a street, he had glanced up at a large canvas sign on which was painted: “Oh, sweet Alexandra, thou art entwined like ivy round our hearts.” “A sweet, dear soul which has reigned in the highest sphere of our Empire has passed from this life to a greater, higher life. She carries with her all that is in that soul, and I ask you to reflect on what greater glories and service await such a soul in that life. Is not that sweetness something of the sweetness of our Saviour, Jesus? Is there a greater witness and legacy which our. late Queen Mother could have left us to inculcate in our own, lives ? “God bless and help our nation to follow that example and make tho world a sweeter place to live in,” concluded the speaker.