This special event, held on the afternoon of 15th May 1935,
was briefly summed up by Mr Sutton as,
‘Beautiful display. Tea and presentation of boxes of chocolate. A special
note is necessary re. the Pageant in the school playground witnessed by many
parents. The work of the teachers and the enthusiasm of the children was
most marked in the costumes, singing and dancing.’
while Miss Hood simply recorded
"The children are being entertained to tea today in celebration of the
Jubilee."
This event, especially the chocolate, was recalled by Syd Parsons, while
among their
‘treasured possessions’ Dorreen Hodges (nee Pendle) and Hilda Penson
still have the Silver Jubilee ‘medals’ they were given to mark the occasion.
They also remember ‘we had a maypole dance in the playground as part of
the children’s contribution.’
In November of the same year there was another day’s holiday, this time
in celebration of H.R.H. The Duke of Gloucester’s marriage, while just two
months later the school was closed again. On this occasion, however, it was
not one of celebration but to mark the funeral of King George Vth.
Due to well-documented circumstances surrounding the royal family it was
fifteen months before the Coronation of H.R.H. King George VIth was held. As
Coronation Day, the 7th May 1937, fell within the school’s
Whitsun holiday its celebrations were held over until it reopened on the 20th
May. The children were given their customary day’s holiday but this time
they had to wait until late August, when it was added onto their annual
summer holiday.
The actual Coronation celebrations were held over two days. On the first
day an ‘Empire Programme’ was held in the Hall, with each class presenting
‘items’, while on the following day parents were invited to join the
children in the playground to listen to songs performed in costume and watch
a ‘Pageant of Empire’. This very special event was also marked with a party
for which
‘5d per head was spent on celebrations’.
In addition to the party tea, the children of both schools received ……
‘a Coronation Mug, tin of Chocolate and entertainment.’
A visit, to inspect the new Hospital Centre at Edgbaston and to tour
Birmingham’s Great Centenary Pageant was arranged for the King and Queen in
July 1938. As usual, this royal event was also marked with a day’s holiday
for the children. At short notice, however, the Duke and Duchess of
Gloucester had to deputise for the King, who was unwell and advised by his
doctors not to travel.
By 1939 there were serious concerns about the possibility of a conflict
in Europe but the Royal family continued its agenda of engagements and the
Birmingham visit, cancelled because of the King’s ill-health, was
re-scheduled for March 1st 1939. For the children this meant yet
another day’s holiday!!!
On that occasion the King and Queen toured the Austin Aero Works at
Cofton Hackett, and the Hospital Centre and Medical School at Edgbaston
before going on to tour the Cadbury Factory at Bournville. In the afternoon,
the King spent some time at the British Industries Fair, Castle Bromwich,
while the Queen toured the Lucas Factory in Hockley and opened a new block
of municipal flats. The surprise of the day came when the Queen accepted an
invitation, previously known only by a few dignitaries, to name the
Edgbaston Hospital after herself. This was the very first Queen Elizabeth
Hospital in the country.
During the war years there were no recorded royal visits to Birmingham
warranting a holiday for the children. However, when all hostilities had
ceased, the King and Queen returned to the city to thank the people of
Birmingham for their contribution toward ‘the victory’ and to visit
The Accident Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre and The Municipal Hospital
at Dudley Road, both of which were treating people with wartime injuries.
On Monday 17th June 1946, more than a year after the conflict
in Europe had ended, a message of thanks was circulated to schools from His
Majesty King George VI
Celebration of Victory.
Today we celebrate Victory. I send this personal message to you and all
other boys and girls at school. For you have shared in the hardships and
dangers of a total war and you have shared no less in the triumph of the
Allied Nations.
I know you will always feel proud to belong to a country which was
capable of such supreme effort; proud, too, of parents and elder brothers
and sisters who by their courage, endurance and enterprise, brought victory.
May these qualities be yours as you grow up and join in the common effort to
establish among the nations of the world unity and Peace.
George R.
Yet more holidays were to follow. On the 20th November 1947
the school was closed for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth to the Duke of
Edinburgh and in April 1948 –
‘The King has expressed his desire that the occasion of their Majesties
Silver Wedding on 26th April be marked a half day holiday
for all school children on that day.’
Just two weeks later, on the 11th May, the school was closed
for another ‘ Royal Visit to Birmingham’. On that occasion the King
and Queen toured the streets of the city centre before receiving silverware,
made by Birmingham craftsmen, as a special Silver Wedding gift. The main
item on their agenda, however, was to return to the British Industries Fair
site at Castle Bromwich, a visit they had so much enjoyed nearly ten years
earlier.
Almost a year later to the day, the school closed for a half-day holiday
while Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh made their first official
visit to the city. Like the Princess’s parents, their itinerary included a
visit to the British Industries Fair. Selly Oak Hospital was also visited.
The next noteworthy royal event to affect the school was on the 6th
February 1952 - ‘the death of His Majesty King George VIth of
blessed memory.’
Nine days later a ‘Funeral Service, after the two minutes silence, was
held in the hall for the Junior children’. There was no record if there
was a holiday to mark this sad occasion.
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was arranged for the 2nd
June 1953 and the three days holiday granted to all school children for this
very special occasion were added on to the Whitsun holiday. The school’s
decided to hold its own celebrations on 21st May, the day before
it closed for the holiday-
‘A Pageant of History was performed by the whole school to celebrate the
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Every child ... received a Coronation mug
and a gramophone, a Wendy House, a bookcase and a swing were bought to
commemorate the occasion.
The Pageant took place in warm sunshine in the yard. The parents were
invited and the performance lasted from 10am, with a break for lunch, until
3.30pm. It was a
very memorable occasion ending with the Infants dancing round the
maypole.’
No further records of royal occasions or visits to the city that might
warrant a day away from the classroom were recorded.
Today royal visits to the city are much more commonplace and are rarely
drawn to the attention of schools as in earlier years. In the same way only
those royal events of the very highest profile are recognised as worthy of a
day away from the classroom.
