rivers2cross

Whilst looking into the Queen’s Silver Jubilee back in 1977, of which I played a tiny part, and to see if there were any photos online of the events in Windsor, I came across this photo of the float I was on. Maidenhead Town Youth FC were part of the celebrations and I was playing the Under 11s that season. I don’t know how it all came about, and at times like this you wish you could ask your parents x 45 years on and my memories are somewhat hazy of the day, but I do remember being on the float and going through the streets of Windsor with the thousands of people. I’m not at the front of the float, but most likely towards the back being a typically mischievous 11 year old. The float also went round Maidenhead, for my home town’s float pageant, as part of the celebrations, but I can’t remember if that was on the same day or not.

The day didn’t end there though. We then moved on to be part of the celebrations on The Long Walk where the Queen lit a beacon at The Copper Horse. We had been chosen to line the procession holding torch flames. I think we spent the remainder of the afternoon parked up half-way down the walk, and as night fell we walked to The Copper Horse and ended up pretty much centre stage with the best views in the house.

My other memory of the 1977 celebrations is of the Queen’s visit to Maidenhead. There was a river pageant and my dad and his Maidenhead Rowing Club veterans were to chosen to row alongside the Queen’s boat and escort her on The Thames. I must try and find the photo of this… Dad had retired from rowing before we children came along, so I guess this would have been the first and only time he got back into a rowing boat in 20 years. It absolutely poured down on the day, but we were in the Rowing Club watching from the bar! Dad loved rowing and we used to go the clubhouse every Sunday lunchtime, they were a very close and special set of life-long friends.

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Jubilee weekend, whether you are celebrating or not x