The day that endeared royals to the city

It's a century since the official opening of Bristol University's Wills Building and a very memorable royal visit, says Eugene Byrne.

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EVERYONE who turned out to see King George V and Queen Mary when they visited Bristol on Tuesday June 9 1925 would remember it for the rest of their lives. It was a day on which everything seemed to go right, and one on which the royals endeared themselves to the city with just a few little touches.

The weather was perfect, though it was so unseasonably hot and sunny that many in the crowds that day fainted.

The whole city had been decked out in flags and bunting, and tens of thousands lined the route the royals and their attendants took in a cavalcade of horse-drawn carriages and motor cars. They got off the royal train at Temple Meads and proceeded along Victoria Street to the Council House on Corn Street. Its entrance was decorated with a huge floral trellis, while the hall and council chamber were similarly decorated with flowers.

All of the civic leaders were present, along with the Lord Lieutenant and other dignitaries. Added to the uniforms and dresses of the royal party, the local worthies in their civic robes made for a glittering spectacle. There were speeches and addresses and ordinary folk could then hope to catch another glimpse of the King and Queen as they were driven in an open coach up to the Victoria Rooms for what the upper crust in those days still described as “luncheon”

There were more speeches, and various local worthies were presented to the royals before they emerged onto the steps of the Victoria Rooms where the King inspected members of the British Legion and met with ex-servicemen.

Here the royals met 104-year-old ‘Granny’ Jarrett of St Jude’s (see panel) and inspected the Mons Club, veterans who had been at the very first battle of the Great War.

The King noticed John “Jackie” Legge, who was disabled and whose father had recently died. The boy wore his father’s medals, and onlookers were very pleased with the way the King stopped to chat with him.