Schedule of first aid duties at Queen Elizabeth's Coronation in 1953
Audio tour
Description
A schedule of first aid duties at the Queen’s coronation. The document belonged to Miss M. Archard, who was one of the first aid volunteers during the coronation and is dated on the 22nd May 1953.
The monarch is the patron of the British Red Cross. The organisation has taken part in many royal events since it was founded in 1870, with Queen Victoria its first patron. Queen Elizabeth II has held this role since her accession in 1952.
During the Queen’s coronation on the 2nd of June 1953, around 1,500 volunteers were on duty to take care of more than 8,000 guests at Westminster Abbey and many thousands more outside its premises.
The volunteers stood in the rain for 10 hours, dealing with over a thousand injuries, mostly from people who fainted or were hurt while trying to get a better view of the event. Despite the hard work, they felt very happy to attend the event and said the setting inside the Abbey looked like a fairy tale.
The Queen’s coronation was a remarkable event that changed the way monarchy connected with people, not only in the United Kingdom but all around the world. This was the first televised coronation and the grandness and importance of the event is what attracted me to this particular item.
Coordinating that many volunteers within such a large-scale event is no easy task and requires precise planning and training, as shown by the detailed information contained within the schedule. The positive results of this work show the adaptability of the Red Cross to different scenarios and it is a testimony of its close relationship with the Queen.
Audio recording by Valeria Miranda (Volunteer), Edinburgh.
The monarch is the patron of the British Red Cross. The organisation has taken part in many royal events since it was founded in 1870, with Queen Victoria its first patron. Queen Elizabeth II has held this role since her accession in 1952.
During the Queen’s coronation on the 2nd of June 1953, around 1,500 volunteers were on duty to take care of more than 8,000 guests at Westminster Abbey and many thousands more outside its premises.
The volunteers stood in the rain for 10 hours, dealing with over a thousand injuries, mostly from people who fainted or were hurt while trying to get a better view of the event. Despite the hard work, they felt very happy to attend the event and said the setting inside the Abbey looked like a fairy tale.
The Queen’s coronation was a remarkable event that changed the way monarchy connected with people, not only in the United Kingdom but all around the world. This was the first televised coronation and the grandness and importance of the event is what attracted me to this particular item.
Coordinating that many volunteers within such a large-scale event is no easy task and requires precise planning and training, as shown by the detailed information contained within the schedule. The positive results of this work show the adaptability of the Red Cross to different scenarios and it is a testimony of its close relationship with the Queen.
Audio recording by Valeria Miranda (Volunteer), Edinburgh.
Collection Type
Archives
Catalogue Number
150.6
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