Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Day 2.6.1953 In Blackfen

A Memory of Blackfen.

My Mum, Dad and I watched the coronation on our 9“ TV. Mum had made crisps. In the afternoon a children‘s coronation party was held in the George‘s garage (Raeburn Road) because of the rainy weather. My sister Patricia 1929-2017 was already married and living in Glasgow, my brother Michael 1932-2019 wasn‘t home that day and my brother Kevin 1935-2001 was doing his National Service (RAF) in Wildenrath, Germany.

I was 11 years old and went to Days Lane School. We had a pageant at school and my friend Ingrid Dring (nee West) was chosen to be Queen Elizabeth I delivering her speech to the troops at Tilbury.

I went to Germany to work in 1960 and stayed. I am a member of the British Women‘s Club and we were asked to submit our memories of the coronation for our newsletter. I told Ingrid this and she had a photo sent to me dressed as Queen Elizabeth I which was also printed in our newsletter. Many members said they still had their souvenirs. I don‘t remember ever being given a souvenir!

I hope my memory is of interest. I would quite like to do my lifestory about my family and Blackfen, Sidcup, Kent, from 1942-1960.

Janet Völcker (nee Moroney)

PS Recently a new member of the BWC asked me where I came from (Blackfen) and she couldn‘t believe it, as she said her Mum lived there for years. However, the new member is black and the family originates from Jamaica. When I left in 1960 to my knowledge there weren‘t any black families in Blackfen and there weren‘t any black children in the schools I went to. Please accept that this isn‘t a racial remark but a fact.