THE CORONATION PROCLAIMED

Southland Times, Issue 22904, 1 June 1936, Page 7

THE CORONATION PROCLAIMED

Brilliant Pageantry

CROWDS WATCH RARE CEREMONY (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, May 29. The Proclamation of the Coronation of King Edward VIII. was held at four places in London this morning—St. James’s Palace, Charing Cross, Temple Bar and the Royal Exchange. Bright sunshine added to the colourful nature of the old pageantry. At each place heralds, dressed in tabards and attended by sergeants-at-arms, proclaimed the date, May 12, next year, as Coronation Day. Trumpets were sounded before and after the announcement and a procession was formed which passed through the streets, which were crowded with people interested in the rare ceremonial.

Crowds early gathered at St. James’s Palace, where the Grenadier and Coldstream Guards were drawn up. The Kings at Arms, heralds and other officers made a colourful group on the Palace balcony. Great gold maces sparkled in the sunshine as the Kings at Arms, preceded by a fanfare of trumpets, unrolled and read the Proclamation, which was nearly a yard wide. The crowd below clearly saw the Royal Arms and the King’s name printed on the back of the scroll. No cheers followed the Proclamation. An impressive procession was quickly formed, consisting of a detachment of the Horse Guards, State trumpeters, the sergeants-at-arms, heralds, pursuivants, and the Kings at Arms, and drove along Pall Mall, which was lined with guardsmen. Thousands assembled at Trafalgar Square and at Charing Cross, where the Proclamation was read a second time. The City Marshal challenged the heralds at Temple Bar, where the Proclamation was again read, after which the crowd warmly responded to the requests for three cheers for his Majesty. The procession, now accompanied by the Lord Mayor (Sir Percy Vincent) and city dignitaries, went to the Mansion House through streets lined with silent crowds. His Majesty was finally proclaimed at the Royal Exchange, the ceremony ending with the National Anthem. It was noted that the Royal Colours bore no mourning bow of crepe. It is thought that the choice of an early date may have been influenced, among other considerations, by a desire to prevent any clashing with the major social events of the London season. In the early part of the month, also, the foliage on the trees along the route of the Coronation procession will not be sufficiently advanced to impede the sight of the spectators.