During the 20th century we had five monarchs and Coronations for three. In the first of two blogs this week we will take a look at how Dorset celebrated these occasions through the archives we hold.
At the start of the century, Queen Victoria, who had reigned from 1837 until her death on 22nd January 1901 (a reign which lasted almost 64 years, then the longest in British history) was succeeded by her son Edward.
Memorial services for Queen Victoria were held all over the country and we hold an order of service for one held at St Mary’s Church in Melcombe Regis:
King Edward VII (1901-1910)
Edward was 59 when he became King Edward VII on 22nd January 1901, following the death of Queen Victoria. The Coronation was initially set for 26th June 1902, but two days beforehand it was postponed until 9th August, owing to Edward having appendicitis which required an emergency operation. We hold a souvenir programme, for the Coronation and celebrations in Dorchester, for Edward VII:
Edward VII served as King until his death on 6th May 1910, aged 68, His body was laid in state at Westminster Hall until his burial on 20th May in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Again, we hold a copy of a memorial service that was held at St. Mary’s Church, Melcombe Regis:
King George V (1910-1936)
Prince George Frederick Ernest Albert, The Prince of Wales, and heir apparent was proclaimed King George V following the death of his father, Edward VII, on 6th May 1910, with his Coronation taking place at Westminster Abbey on 22nd June 1911.
Amongst our records, celebrating the Coronation of George V, we have an invite received by Lieutenant Francis A. Marten R.N. to the Coronation:
Souvenir Programmes; such as the one for the Coronation and Celebrations in Dorchester for George V:
Amongst the collections are also some photographs, in the Briantspuddle Village Hall Committee Archive, showing a procession held to celebrate George V’s Coronation:
Although a note on the back of the last photo states…
“Coronation Procession 1911. Celebrated a week later because of the non availability of the town band. Rev Brown leads the Procession”.
George V served as King until his death on 20th January 1936 and was succeeded by his eldest son Edward. Again, memorial services were held throughout the country:
King Edward VIII (1936)
Edward, the Prince of Wales, who was known as Edward VIII was never actually crowned. His reign lasted only 325 days one of the shortest reigning British monarchs.
In our collections we have a Royal Proclamations, dated 21st January 1936, re: the accession of King Edward VIII:
Having met and fell in love with a divorced American, Mrs Wallis Simpson, Edward VIII had to choose between the Crown and Mrs Simpson who, as a twice-divorced woman, would not have been seen as acceptable as Queen. On 10th December 1936, Edward VIII executed an Instrument of Abdication which was given legal effect the following day, when Edward gave Royal Assent to His Majesty’s Declaration of Abdication Act, by which Edward VIII and any children he might have were excluded from succession to the throne.
It was reported in both nationally and locally in the newspapers:
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In part two of these blogs looking at the archives ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III we will look at how the coronations of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II were celebrated in Dorset.