Happy Birthday Prince Philip - hard work, discipline, goldfish bowl ... flooding ...

Thankfully the Duke of Edinburgh came out of hospital yesterday looking fairly ‘chipper’ ... and was as ascerbic as ever ... on being asked if he was better “well I’d still be in there, if I wasn’t” ...

The Duke of Edinburgh having a happy exchange

Congratulations to Prince Philip and it will be lovely for the family to be able to celebrate his 91^st birthday at ‘home’ – Windsor Castle, I imagine.

June: Sweet Williams

They are never out of the spotlight, always on show, always ready for ‘us’ to criticise without fully understanding or appreciating the implications of life in a goldfish bowl.

They are a normal couple, who have given of themselves in exemplary fashion, for all their married life – now 64 years ... how many of us – husbands/wives/sons/daughters would have continued on as the Queen has done, while their next of kin was in hospital.  I know I wouldn’t – I’d have been visiting ...

Jubilee portrait

Right from her Accession the Queen and Prince Philip have set exceptionally high standards – they can have no spontaneity, but just get on with each day as it’s been programmed out ...

... the Queen continued on with engagements on the days after the Jubilee weekend  ... we would expect nothing else of this humble, uncomplaining woman.

The enjoy the party - but feel the cold and wet!

The Jubilee also showed the nation at its best ... so many volunteered for their roles in setting up the various events ... it was a people’s jubilee too – many of us just took advantage and watched, many braved the weather and crowds to visit ...

Irises - much beloved by my mother

... the street flower seller I use to buy my mother’s flowers, said he’d been ‘told’ by his wife to take their daughter to London for the Pageant ...

... and said laughingly 'they’d seen nothing', yet had fun joining in with everyone in their celebrations ... but their daughter will remember the experience for ever.

We haven’t had a River Pageant since King Charles II and Queen Catherine of Braganza were feted in 1662, which Samuel Pepys and John Evelyn both recorded the scene in their diaries.

Putting her feet up?? – on Wednesday she had a formal lunch for the Commonwealth Heads of State, then visited "her DH" in hospital, then back no doubt for the Red Box with its government papers (that she does every day) ... I bet she wished she could put her feet up now ...

Today I wish them a very happy weekend together – I’m sure the Queen and her family will attend a Service of Thanksgiving at St George’s Chapel, Windsor for the Duke’s birthday.

Sandringham House circa 1880

The Show Goes On ... and never stops ... there’s a Garden Party at Sandringham, Norfolk on Tuesday ...

British Roses in June

Now to floods – thankfully the Jubilee wasn’t held this weekend ... as the Pageant wouldn’t have happened ... the wind and rain have been awful ... unfortunately the worst of the weather hit ...... Borth – remember that name?

This time it was five inches of rain in the valleys, which caused a torrent  of water to rush down ... deluging the town of Borth (Uppingham-by-Sea) and surrounding areas ... elderly (80s+) residents said they’d never experienced anything like it.

Borth Lifeboat

Water is a danger ... especially when we’ve been in drought conditions here in the south east, yet surges of it can gather so quickly – even the river-lifeboat got into difficulties – and their crew had to be airlifted to safety.

They didn’t experience a storm surge – but I’m sure the seas must have been exceptionally rough, with the gale force winds added to the challenges for rescue on the land.

Many Congratulations to a wonderful 91 year old, who has been a constant source of support to his spouse, our Queen, throughout their long marriage ...

Martha Washington
+/- 1760

... the Queen’s words wistfully spoken to Prince William “I wish Philip were here” ... as she appeared to blink back tears on the balcony at the flypast on Tuesday.

He is her rock, as the Queen is Prince Philip’s rock ... together they are invincible ... may he get back his full strength and may they continue to enjoy their latter years together – and, lest we forget, in conjunction with all their royal duties and the demands made on them.

Honesuckle - so beloved by my mother

Many thanks for all your wishes for my mother – she is always amazed to hear that blogging friends from around the world remember her!

I showed my mother some of the Jubilee photos and reminded her of Prince William’s wedding last year ... she seemed to remember ... and I’ll read her these posts – she still takes an interest and it’s lovely to see her eyes light up.

Moving a school from Uppingham to Borth in 1876 - the posts about Borth

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Jubilee Concert in the Mall

The lucky few had had their picnic in the gardens of Buckingham Palace – more on that in another post – while other diehards came into London for the Concert, or had camped out overnight from the Pageant.

Stufish's Concept

People were there from all around the world – Canada, Australia, the States, Columbia, India, Russia - to see one or more of the events ...

This historic concert, a celebration of The Queen’s 60-year reign through music was attended by the Royals and guests ...

Victoria Memorial

... with the lucky picnic ticket holders having seats in the stands set up around the Victoria Memorial, the throng milled beneath them, The Mall filled up nearly back to Admiralty Arch ...

Screens along The Mall

... there were big screens along The Mall, in St James Park and Green Park – many were picnicking ... just happy to be a part of the scene – listening through the trees.

The radiating roof concept
by Stufish Architecture

Victoria Memorial had been turned into a stage set with a ‘radiating crowned style roof’ by the architect and renowned designer Mark Fisher and his Studio ‘StuFish’ –

This magnificent stage set focussed down The Mall making full use of the historic backdrop of Buckingham Palace with spectacular lighting and projection effects.

Buckingham Palace lit up

Songs echoed out ... Diamonds are Forever, Congratulations, Delilah, Isn’t She Wonderful, It must be Love, Love, Love, All my Loving ...

Grace Jones

... stars appeared on stage and twinkled in the sky ... Annie Lennox had white fluffy wings (not sure why!), Grace Jones used a hula-hoop – she looked stunning - but paled into insignificance by Sasha Kenny from Wrexham, Wales, who hula-hooped her way round the London Marathon in five hours five minutes!

Will-I-Am and Jessie J

Alfie Boe and Renee Fleming sang a duet from a Palace window ... I know now who Jessie J, Will-I-am and Ed Sheeran are ... Lang Lang, the Chinese pianist played ... and many more Kyle, Sir Tom (the Voice), Sir Paul and Sir Elton, Stevie Wonder, Shirley Bassey ... with Madness on the roof of the Palace.

Gurrumul

Then there was the Commonwealth Band consisting of two hundred musicians and singers on stage to present the Diamond Jubilee’s album “Sing” – including the Military Wives Choir, an Aboriginal guitarist, the African Children’s Choir, Ayub Ogada ... and more ... from the Commonwealth countries ...

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, the left-handed guitarist, comes from Elcho Island just off the coast of Australia .... he was born blind yet plays drums, keyboards, guitar and the didgeridoo ...

Arnhem Land

Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory,  and has been occupied by indigenous people for tens of thousands of years ... it remains one of the largest Aboriginal Reserves being known for its isolation, the art of its people, and the strong continuing traditions of its indigenous inhabitants.

.... however it is Gurrumul’s singing voice that has attracted rave reviews.  He is left-handed yet plays the right hand-strung guitar ‘upside down’ – he adapted his playing style to suit the instrument ... he knew no better. 

Lydia - the soloist of the Commonwealth Band

He is intensely shy ... this was apparent too at both the concerts he has played at while here ... the Diamond Jubilee Concert and earlier in May at Windsor.

The African Children’s Choir was found in 1984 in the midst of the Ugandan civil war as a means of supporting homeless and orphaned children. 

Lydia, the soloist chosen to begin and end the track, and the choir travel the world performing.  Their appearance fees and any sponsorship money they attract, pay not only for their own education and upkeep, but also funds schools to bring literacy to the neediest of Africa’s children.

Ayub Ogada with the Nyatiti

Ayub Ogada is an internationally renowned musician and singer from Kenya ... he performs on the traditional east African stringed instrument, the nyatiti.

A final Jubilee sing-a-long rolled forth along The Mall ... the musicians and performers wrapping the Concert up, then ...

... The Queen and Prince Charles came on stage to thank all the performers, the public for being there and the 600 technicians working behind the scenes – noting that without them nothing would have happened.

The Queen meeting the Commonwealth Band

Prince Charles paying tribute to his mother and the work she has done over the years ... then asking the crowd to cheer for Prince Philip stuck in hospital – but seemingly getting better ...

The fireworks displayed, set to a diamond theme, then The Queen was handed a diamond ‘lighter’ to ignite the final 4,250^th beacon of the total  that had been lit across the Commonwealth ...

Fireworks at the end of the evening

... beacons have been used for centuries as a form of communication for war, celebration, in jubilation .. as our Diamond Queen's was in this year - beacons being lit from Tonga to Britain .. 

The Concert gave thanks for The Queen’s life through music and was a fitting tribute celebrating the life and service of a very special person, who had given so much for her sixty years on the throne ...

... and with that the starlit evening came to an end ... to be immortalised on YouTube, digital media and the web ... long may “Sing” raise funds for disadvantaged children, while we too are able to sing “God Save Our Gracious Queen” for a few more years yet.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant day partying a la casa ...

Pageant Day dawned as you would expect of the British weather: damp and misty – it did blow away down here, being on the south coast ... the weather gets sent inland – and yesterday it did - on and up to London.

Pippa dressed for the
part - flowers made
from cupcake holders

I had been invited to a Jubilee Picnic with some friends at their house, and as they live in a Close – it was a street party with a difference ... marquees and gazebos erected to fit the garden spaces, tables and chairs risking the weather ...  everyone bringing a range of food – lots of selections, lots of – too!

I made three of these - someone else made
the delicious jelly one little boy thought so!

I made my favourite – spanakopita (Greek filo, spinach and cheese pastries), cocktail sticks of lightly fried onion leaves followed by a piece of pork fillet and capped with a piece of mango, then ‘spread about’ with carrot, celery and pepper sticks, radishes and baby tomatoes ...

Savoury buffet selection

Savouries, salads, cold meats, crisps and nuts, desserts, cupcakes, home-made coffee cake = delicious: I had two slices!, cheese board, chocolates  and everything in between!  

I had to buy the 'rubber band'! - quite
pretty and for a very good cause:
"Help for Heroes". Ces and Teresa's
son is out in Afghanistan.

There was a Royal Jubilee quiz, bingo tables, a raffle for a myriad of prizes ... then later on a karaoke, dancing, more partying and lots of extra food ...

Last year for the Royal Wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge the Close raised money for St Wilfrid’s Hospice ... this year Help for Heroes was at the forefront ... for fund raising – at one stage over £720 ...

Tv Big Screen, Prizes and booze 'tent'
with lots of chat going on ... notice the
Union Jack coloured paper chains

The booze table was outside in the prize tent, the big screen tv was there too ... though quite often obscured by bods talking, eating and drinking ... eventually I quietly slipped into their den to watch the pageant unfold - where clarity of viewing was easier.

JJ one of our nurses,
and Perla (see post)

I won a couple of prizes – the main one (chocolate) got taken back for the staff ...  they were exhausted, but full of the joys of diamond jubileeing ... 




... Terry had phoned his aunt from his narrow boat on their Pageant Journey ... his narrow boat had flowers on ...

Narrow Boats docked pre Royal Flotilla
and Pageant day ahead

... the staff and I were laughing – all the boats had flowers on or around them ... so we’ll have to wait and see what their boat actually looked like.


Still it was good of him to ring the Nursing Centre, so Shelagh could have a ‘quick’ word ...

Also to hear his news will be so interesting ... being a part of the flotilla itself.

China and Glass stacked in Dresser
for a non-picnic day!

The staff had kindly put my mother’s tv on for her ... how much she had seen I’m not sure – but I’ll take the newspaper photos in for her to see ... and chat to her about it over the coming weeks ... looks like the media print will get some added value/profit from me this summer!

Dessert Section

Did I mention William turned up at ‘my viewing station’ ... well he did – granted he’s a little younger ... being only 3 weeks old!  His parents, Sophie and Chris, brought him in to change him ... not a problem – as someone said all ‘his bits’ glaring forth ...

Cupcake selection

.... well one lot was cleaned up, lots of chat going on, time to nappy wrap again ... noooo another lot to garner in, wipe down, clean up and ready to tidy up .... nooooo here we go again ....

... repeat process (systems do repeat themselves don’t they?!) .... this time ready to wrap – noooo fountain appears, mop up, wipe down, ready to wrap .... noooo back to the beginning again ....

Looking down the room from buffet area
across the crisps, nuts and chocolate
table!

.... clear up, nappy wipes coming to an end – bad ‘family planning’ me-thinks?! – ready to wrap once again .... nooooo big fire engine spray this time ... now everyone’s in hysterics ... I said – I think this is going in the blog – good ending to a happy Diamond Jubilee lunch ...

... this time they did get him wrapped up and ready to roll for the rest of his merry life ... dear William I hope you appreciate these tender remembrances ... welcome to this world!  By the way William ... your parents did authorise this retelling ....?!

The woodburner between the sofas

Linda, family and friends had done such an excellent job with all the decorations and Royal/ Queen memorabilia - many were in red, white and blue ... me I was in green!


My mother on Saturday had had a happy time watching Richard Gere, Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon - in "Shall We Dance" ... it had plenty of glitz and fun.

Union Jack cake stand

There is still so much going on – so much to tell you ... I’m going into Past, Present and Future 2012 tales ...

Til then – any thoughts you have on the parts of the Pageant your broadcasters might have scheduled for you ...  my thoughts and remembrances to follow ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

The River Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant being held on Sunday 3rd June 2012

Up to one thousand boats, a reflection of our maritime heritage, will make up one of the largest flotillas assembled on the River since Charles II ( l660 – 1685), when the procession is estimated to be seven miles long.

The pictorial on the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant site

Moving downstream from their mustering point at Hammersmith Bridge, the Pageant itself starts from the Chelsea Bridge area and once it reaches Tower Bridge the flotilla will, with regimental precision, disperse.

George Frideric Handel (left) with King George I on the
River Thames on 17 July 1717.
(Painted by Edouard Jean Conrad Hamman !819 - 1888)

The flotilla will pass 14 bridges and take 75 minutes to pass any given point ... the Royal Barge will stop at Tower Bridge for The Queen to review the flotilla as each section passes.

A floating belfry, with eight new bells commissioned by the 17^th century St James Garlickhythe Church, will lead off the Royal Barge and jubilee pageant, with its peals echoed by other river bank churches. 

St James Garlickhythe Spire

The bells, cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, will then be permanently installed in the Church’s tower.

St James Garlickhythe is dedicated to the disciple St James and is a stop on a pilgrim’s route ending at the cathedral of Santiago da Compostela, Spain;

.... while Garlickhythe refers to a nearby landing place, or “hythe”, from which garlic was sold in medieval times.  The ships coming from France loaded with wine also carried garlic – a common association for medieval wine merchants.

The Church is off Garlick Hill, near Vintners’ Hall, Southwark Bridge and the Millennium Bridge, opposite Shakespeare’s The Globe theatre ....

The Gloriana - to be escorted by Royal Watermen

The Worshipful Company of Vinters (wine merchants) is one of the livery companies (trade associations) associated with the Church  - their trade will be well tested on Sunday!

Another Worshipful Company to participate in the ceremony is that of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen – the Queen’s Bargemaster and Royal Watermen will accompany the Queen as part of the Royal Household’s escort.

We need to remember that until the middle of the 19^th century (150 years ago) our rivers were the main arteries for trade, commerce and travel and were ‘policed’ by these watermen – who now operate or regulate the tugs, lighters and launches on the river.

The Spirit of Chartwell being inspected by the Queen

The tradition of Bargemaster dates back to 1215, with the signing of the Magna Carta at Runnymede – a water-meadow alongside the River Thames, a few miles east of Windsor Castle.

Back to the Pageant ... a privately owned charter vessel, the Spirit of Chartwell has been transformed into the Royal barge.

The hotel barge was designed to evoke the timeless grandeur of the 1929 Cote d’Azur Pullman Express de luxe train – so was already luxuriously kitted out ... with rich hardwood finishes and large panoramic windows ...

... it was also chosen for its size, opulence, safety and manoeuvrability, while has been made to echo the richly decorated royal barges of the 17^th and 18^th centuries.

Crimsons, Golds, Purples and highlights of Creamy Gold will feature in the floral arrangements – a reference to the Commonwealth, the Coronation and the Queen’s Gold Stage Coach. 

Preparing the Gilding for the Gloriana

Among all the majestic colours there will also be lots of greenery with blues to make it festively ‘pageanty’ and bright.

There will be roses and the scented beauty of masses of sweetpeas – giving the barge a lovely British garden feel.  There will be scented herbs too ... lavender and rosemary.

There will be 90 garlands festooning the Royal Barge, while Shamrocks, Thistles and Daffodils will, along with the roses, represent each of the countries of the United Kingdom.

Royal Sweetpeas

There are eight small remotely controlled cameras placed discreetly around the Royal Barge ... so we will see a great deal and feel we’re part of the whole setting – perfume doesn’t come down the internet does it – pity!!??

Everything has been tried and tested ... with one thousand boats there is going to be a lot of wave and wash.

Ø the Royal Jubilee Floating Belfry will lead off

Ø followed by the majestic gilded royal row boat “Gloriana”, being crewed by, among others, two Rowing Olympians – Steve Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent.

Ø A section of 250 Rowing Boats, followed by Sea Kayaks;

Ø  the Academy for Ancient Music will lead off the Royal Section: royal barges representing Commonwealth countries

Ø Trumpet Heralds on their barge announce Her Majesty The Queen aboard the Spirit of Chartwell

Narrowboats

There will be ten sections ... including Little Ships from the Dunkirk rescue in 1940; Dutch Barges – larger than ours; ...

.... 40 Narrowboats – 8 rows of 5 abreast (one of our resident’s nephews is captaining one of these – pictures coming ... I’m promised!) Cornish Pilot Gigs;

Cornish Pilot Gigs

Cruisers – ‘floating Gin Palaces’, ‘Tupperware’ boats, ‘Trip Trip’ boats, Clippers, Hydrofoils and at the end after Tower Bridge the Tall Ships and Avenue of Sail stretch their wings ...

Interspersed and leading each section will be other music barges and two fountain barges ... playing New Water Music, the Mayor’s Jubilee Band, a Jubilant Commonwealth Choir, a Pipe and Dhol band from the Indian sub-continent ...

Westminster Bridge - Lord Mayor's Day
by Canaletto 1746 (detail from)

The London Philharmonic Orchestra brings up the rear – their repertoire has been chosen to chime in with London landmarks – the James Bond theme as they pass the MI6 building, music from The Dam Busters at the RAF memorial, and finally at about 5.30 pm, as the boat approaches the finishing point of Tower Bridge, the National Anthem.

Along the way plenty of boats will be moored as a backdrop to the Pageant – Working Fireboats, Historic and Service vessels, Dunkirk Little Ships (1940), Royal Squadron, et al ....

Royal Banner for HM Queen

Terry’s narrowboat will be moored on Friday 1^st June at Lime House, West India Docks until Sunday comes around ... there have obviously been security checks and will continue to be so ... no-one is allowed on the roof of their boats; there is no uniform – just be boat-trip pageant tidy, and adverts are not allowed.

The Thames Barrier will be closed – so there will be no river flow, which will make life considerably easier to maintain a discipline within the procession – apparently there’s an allowance of one boat length between each row ....

St Michael's Mount State Barge
c/o Classic Boat Company

Coincidences happen don’t they ... to round off this post ... the oldest boat on display is the St Michael’s Mount State Barge, which was reputedly built in Cornwall in 1740 ...

I was reading about Cornwall to my mother – she corrected me about  some pronunciation! – but what interested me when reading about St Michael’s Mount, which has belonged to the St Aubyn family since 1660, is that The Lord St Levan has liveried boatmen to row him to and fro ... to his home on the Mount. 

A Skerry  = the speed of a Skiff and the comfort of
a Wherry - racing on the Thames
 c/o Classic Boat Company

Penzance Bay at high tide makes this sanctuary, now marooned away from the mainland, an island – while it is almost certain, that like that at Borth (Uppingham-by-Sea), the whole surrounding bay and Mount were part of a forest.

I have to say this has really helped me appreciate the Nautical Celebration and Royal Jubilee Pageant that will occur on Sunday – I feel like I have done my homework!!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories