Lucien Davis, R.I.]
THE SPECIAL THANKSGIVING SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY, June 20. PROCESSION OF THE LORD CHANCELLOR AND PEERS.
To make assurance doubly sure several rehearsals of the great Service at St. Paul’s, and the business of taking up and setting down at Buckingham Palace were held; and so complete were these rehearsals, that every item of the procession was fully represented, mounted grooms taking the places of the princes and equerries who were to ride on horseback in the procession. In the final rehearsals many of those who were destined to high places in the procession were present, and there was a large demand for seats to view in St. Paul’s Churchyard.
So that the day might be one of universal rejoicing all over the country, it had been declared, on March 18, a public holiday by Her Majesty in the following proclamation:—“Victoria, R.—We, considering that it is desirable that Tuesday, the twenty-second day of June next, should be observed as a Bank Holiday throughout the United Kingdom, do hereby, by and with the advice of Our Privy Council, and in pursuance of the provisions of ‘The Bank Holidays Act, 1871,’ appoint Tuesday, the twenty-second day of June next, as a special day to be observed as a Bank Holiday throughout the United Kingdom, and every part thereof, and we do by this Our Royal Proclamation command the said day to be so observed, and all Our loving subjects to order themselves accordingly.”
The actual celebrations may be said to have commenced on Sunday, June 20. |Thanksgiving Services.| This, being Accession Day, was marked by a universal service of thanksgiving throughout the Empire, in addition to the four Special Services, which must ever be memorable in British history: the Royal Service at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, the great National Service at St. Paul’s, and the Services at Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret’s, Westminster, at which the Peers and Commons were present.
The Service at Windsor was of the simplest description. The Queen drove from the Victoria Tower at 11 o’clock to the entrance to the Dean’s Cloister. Thence she was taken in a wheel-chair to the north-east door of the Chapel. She entered the north door of the Choir leaning on the arm of an Indian attendant. The Queen’s chair was placed on the broad step at the foot of the beautiful altar, which she faced throughout the impressive Service. Besides members of the Royal family and suites, there were but few privileged visitors. The Service was arranged and conducted by Dean Eliot, and it began with the hymn, “Now thank we all our God.” The Te Deum was sung according to a very striking setting composed by the late Prince Consort, one which is not often used, but which was given on this occasion by special command of Her Majesty. The Service concluded with “God Save the Queen,” sung by the choir and congregation. The very simplicity of the scene was its impressiveness. It required a great effort of the imagination to fully comprehend it all—that the little old lady sitting there in quiet black before the altar was she who, sixty years ago, was awakened from her sleep in Kensington Palace to wear the crown of a world-wide Empire.
On Monday, June 21, the Queen travelled up to London from Windsor. |The Queen arrives.| At half-past twelve the Royal train glided gently into Paddington Station with the Royal Standard proudly waving at the front of the engine, and the Royal coat of arms on either side.
Extraordinary arrangements had been made to secure Her Majesty’s comfort and safety, and had there been an accident it would not have been due to the absence of competent officers, for besides the Royal party the train contained the head and front of the Great Western Railway, from the Chairman, Viscount Emlyn, and the Directors downward.
Photo by] [W. J. Brunell.