Oct 14, 1952: As part of a county-wide tour, the Duke of Edinburgh visited Aylesbury, saw plans for a new playing field that is now named after him and acknowldged crowds in Market square.
Filmmakers: Aylesbury Cine Club; Source: 16mm black and white silent film; Length 8m 29s; Digitised March 2023.
From: The Bucks Herald Oct 17, 1952
LESS than an hour before the Duke was due to arrive at Southcourt, the streets were quiet with anticipation and the only people seen were policemen making towards their points of duty. There were flags fluttered from churches, schools and houses, but the general impression was one of orderly tidiness. The scene livened into one of intense activity when schoolchildren, officials and members of the public began to congregate at the site of the new playing field which the Duke, would inspect. Schoolchildren possibly had a better view of the proceedings than anyone for they were placed along Churchill Avenue and were able to see His Royal Highness several limes during his inspection of the site. Oak Green School children, numbering well over 400, were on one side of the road with toddlers from the Southcourt Infants' School confronting them. A headmaster smilingly commented that if they lost one hour's lessons they would be gaining at least 15 minutes' real history. A dais, erected especially for the visit, stood out impressively against the vast open space, its banners and draped Union Jack making bright splash of colour. Then came the Royal car, with it an ovation from the crowd. The Mayor of Aylesbury, Councilor Mrs, K. M. White was presented to the Duke by Colonel T. R. P. Warren. Chief Constable of Bucks, acting behalf of the Lord Lieutenant The Mayor then presented the deputy Mayor. Alderman J. S. Holland; Councillor C. H. Latimer, chairman of the Borough. Recreation Grounds and Open Spaces Committee; Alderman Mrs. O. H. Paterson, chairman of the Housing and Town Planning Committee; Mr. H. Crookes. Town Clerk and Mr. J D. Dugdale. Borough Engineer and Surveyor.
Welcomed by thousands in Aylesbury and it seems quite probable that others were even earlier. Children wore tri-coloured hair ribbons, even national costume, and a local butcher was enterprising enough to trim his meat with red white and blue rosettes. As the Duke's car slopped outside the "Bull’s Head" hotel, members of Hazell’s Printing Works Band struck up the National Anthem amid cheering. His Royal Highness made his way to the forecourt, of the hotel where he was received by Lord Cotesloe, Lord Lieutenant of the County, who presented Alderman N. W. Gurney, the High Sheriff, and Colonel Guv K Crouch, acting A.D.C. to the Lord Lieutenant. The Southcourt project is praised. The Duke referred to his visits playing fields and added, "It is interesting to see that people are taking steps to lay out playing fields for the future. "It is only too easy to build houses and forget about playing fields until there is no ground left, but you have put this piece of land aside.’’
The Duke was especially pleased to hear there would a running track as there were very few in the country He Hoped the development of the site would go through as quickly. The Duke showed great interest in a scale model of the proposed layout for the playing field which was explained to him by Councillor Latimer. As the Duke turned to re-enter his car, Alderman Holland called for three cheers for the Duke. The crowd was not slow in answering the call and adults and children alike gave the Duke a rousing send-off. While the Duke’s car drove through thr estate to the Mandeville Road, the Mayor’s car and others took a quicker route to the centre of the town, headed bv motor-cycle patrolman P.C. John Melia, Band of the Life Guards playing the National Anthem.
Bucks Herald text from the British Newspaper Archive
www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
