What were you doing when the Princess Elizabeth became Queen.

Oh yes,I had a coronation mug as well. The coronation coach was as has been described, I don't know what happened to it in the end! My mother cooked Coronation Chicken on the day,and it became a regular meal as it was delicious!

Actually I do have a model coronation coach! My mother gave it to me when I bought my first house. I had a small collection of historic vehicles.

I was 11 and in a French lesson at the grammar school when a message came round and the teacher told us the King had died. I think we were sent home early. My grandfather had died a month before.
I remember going to a Guide meeting and being reminded it would be Queen when we sang the National Anthem and said the Promise. I too remember the somber music which was on for a few days at least but felt like an eternity.
My mother had remarked when Elizabeth set off for Africa how ill the King looked - he was photographed outside near the plane waving to her and he wore no hat.
The following year we had a street party and other activities after the actual Coronation which was in fact a dismal dreary day. The schools within striking distance of London were given seats along the route of the procession. In out school there were two tickets per class and there was a draw for the tickets - one girl one boy. A girl called Valerie went from our class.
We went to a neighbour to watch the coronation on a 9 inch TV - my mother and the neighbour had made loads of sandwiches and cakes as we sort of picnicked all day. They wrapped the sandwiches in greaseproof paper and put them in biscuit tins! My friend from the neighbouring family had gone to watch the procession and she came back drenched sitting in the rain for hours - she had left home about 6 am! She said she would rather have stayed home with us - she was one of 4 and we were 2 so had a good day.
We had a number of things for the street party - tables in the road for a tea party, a fancy dress competition, a sports afternoon and we had a couple of double decker London Transport buses hired and had a trip to London to see all the wonderful decorations - flags and flowers everywhere. All the lamp posts were covered with blooms - Oxford Street shop windows wonderful.
We were given the mugs at the street party - my sister had a cup and saucer from her infant school and I had a leather bound copy of The Mill on the Floss from my school - we had a list of books to choose from.

Lovely thread. I remember nothing of either the Accession or the Coronation, being only 10 months and just over 2 respectively. Added to which we had no television and lived on an isolated farm in a remote area, so no memories.
However, I have just today finished reading Lady Anne Glenconner's autobiography, Lady in Waiting, which describes her role in it all in marvellous detail. A good read.

Remember people walking round with black arm banks and asking my mom why, also the coronation as we had the only tv, probably radio rentals, everyone crowded in our small sitting room, standing room only for many, to peer at the tiny screen.
I remember how my mom made everyone welcome. It didn’t mean much to me as I was young, but mom always loved the Queen and she was thrilled at it all. Dad wasn’t in the least bothered and would rather have been out of the way but couldn’t as host. I so wish she could have lived to see the Jubilee etc but died young.

The headmistress came into our classroom and we stood to be told the King was dead. I was nine.

I was doing what a baby does. Born in December 1951 so I was 2 months old.

Remember people walking round with black arm banks
I'd forgotten that until you mentioned it, Allsorts.

However, I have just today finished reading Lady Anne Glenconner's autobiography, Lady in Waiting, which describes her role in it all in marvellous detail. A good read.
Yes, I didn't think I'd enjoy reading that but it was most enjoyable.

I wasn't born until the end of 1954.
I've heard about the Coronation day from my older brothers.
They all gathered round a neighbours in the avenue to watch their small screen television. We didn't have a t.v at that time.
Bunting hanging from the windows to the front fences. There was to be a street party but I'm told it rained so the Co-Op manager arranged a party in the Co-Op hall for everyone living in the Avenue.
Children were given a money box in the shape of a crown and adults were given a mug.
A few years ago I bought an original Coronation day celebration serviette from a well known auction site.

My paternal GM said she clearly remembered Queen Victoria dying - she’d have been about 6. The church bells were tolling and her father said in very deep and sombre tones, ‘The Queen is dead!’
And my poor little GM thought the world must be coming to an end, if the Queen was dead!’

I was only 3 when the King died so have no memory of it. I do remember the Coronation. My mum made me a white dress with red and navy buttons and knitted me a red, white and blue striped cardigan. My family all went to a neighbours house to watch their tv but the room was so crowded I don't remember seeing any of it. I know we had a street party but I don't think that it was on the actual Coronation day because I don't remember any rain!

We also went to see the film made for cinemas about the coronation - it was in colour and had a special schools showing at the local cinema. It was such a revelation seeing it in colour as the TV coverage had of course been black and white.

I was seven years old and in the infants school standing beside the wash basins in the cloakroom and a girl said ''The king is dead''.Se had been home for her dinner and sad her mother told her. I still remember that very moment 70 years ago. It must have been my first realisation that people die as my mother told me I became obsessed with dying the for a bit after seeing photos of his coffin in the papers.

Wasn't born yet. Interesting all the memories others have though.

Apparently I was toddling around then,vino room in front of TV, sitting in the jam sandwiches and generally being the clumsy three year old who is now still a bit of a klutz.

No idea. It was just before my first birthday. I imagine it must have been a shock for my parents and grandparents as apparently it was unexpected, sadly I can’t ask them now.

I was growing in mum’s womb. For the Coronation in 1953 I was given a teaspoon in a box and my older brother was given the Coronation Coach and horses. We still have them. I’m still jealous of the Coach!

I was too young to remember the day Princess Elizabeth became Queen but I do remember the day she was crowned Queen. I was just over 3 and my mother was working in a big house where there was a television. The owners must have invited us in to see the coronation because I remember seeing something on a small tv in a cabinet and encouraging me to step forward but I didn’t understand what I was watching.

My parents were married March 1952, and I arrived 18 months later, so I wasn’t even a twinkle!

It is interesting to hear all your memories though.

I was 5 and remember my mother bursting into tears and dragging me off to ring her mother. This involved finding a phone box and ringing her mother's next door neighbour who would then go and get her mother. Not sure if it was worth the bother.

I remember we all dressed up for a coronation concert at school and my father made models of the Eagle that held the oil for annointing the Queen and the spoon for the oil. We were given a coronation spoon and a little tin of chocolates.

I remember a lot of people sold their pianos to buy a TV to watch the Coronation.. I was very impressed by the coach and a young Prince Charles.

I wasn't born but it was when my sister died suddenly at 15 months. My parents probably didn't think about the royal family they were devistated.

I was 3 and have no memory of this but, I do remember going to watch the coronation the following June. My grannie got the first tv in the family especially so we could watch the coronation. We all crowded into her sitting room - I was often told shhhh, watch this, history is being made but I wanted to go out and play.

I still have my coronation glass tumbler though the spoon is lost.

As I was one probably being pushed around in my pram by an older cousin.
I have photos of the Coronation celebrations and there was a big tea on the village green and we all had cardboard hats on. I got a bible from the Chapel my mum went to good non Conformists that we were but she had to pay for it as I was too young to go to Sunday school.

My mother was 17 and my father 20 and they wouldn't be married for another 6 years. They hadn't even met so I wasn't even a twinkle.