Monday 6 February 2012

Diamond Jubilee Day

February 6th 1952. George VI died and the long reign of ElizabethII began. A headline from the International Express this week.


Overnight Princess Elizabeth became Queen. Elizabeth and Phillip were on their way to Australia and had to return home for the funeral and the Coronation in 1953.





Women around the world picked up needle and thread and started to embroider souvenirs. Large tablecloths to handkerchiefs and beautiful samplers were all embroidered with varying levels of skill.


The sampler above has a matching tablecloth and I missed out on the matching tea cosy on ebay.



Magazines all had something to stitch for the coronation. Embroidery transfers could be bought or came free with a magazine so you could design you own royal sampler, make a brooch or stitch a crown on your underwear.


I already had the magazine on the left then found the tapestry finished on ebay. The back of the tapestry has a sticker 'Worked by Marion Chaplin 1953 for Coronation of ElizabethII'.


Thank you Marion wherever you are now, your tapestry has found a good home.


Many different types of china appeared in the shops for sale. Pens and pencils, matchbox cover for a patriotic smoker and a powder compact. The small book is a New Testament given to schoolchilren.



Three different types of tablecloth, perhaps for the non-embroiderers. Lace, oilcloth and damask. The damask cloth also has Charles, Anne and Prince Phillip embossed.




8th February is another very BIG day for me. Watch this space!!!

8 comments:

  1. Hmmmm...now you have me curious. Is it your birthday? Well now. That is a teaser if ever I heard one. I'll be back!
    xo Catherine

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a super, informative blog entry, with wonderful illustrations!

    ReplyDelete
  3. 2012 a very exciting year for the royal family.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Diamond Jubilee Day! Long may Queen Elizabeth reign. Thank you for showing so many lovely things.

    Happy stitching.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My 60th birthday is 03 June, and I have just placed an order for Jubilee paper plates, banner etc. to celebrate the Queen's and my Diamond Jubilee...May HM and I live long!
    Margaret

    ReplyDelete
  6. I read about that in the newspaper today.
    Wow, what a long time she reign.!!!
    She is almost 85 years old .

    Also I´m curious about the 8th February!

    Have a great day!

    Stefanie

    ReplyDelete
  7. Today is a bittersweet day for the Queen. It's awful that she has to remember the death of her father today and celebrate her 60th year on the throne. She is awesome. God bless her.

    ReplyDelete
  8. For me the coronation is also related to my very first time that I was in a cinema ! My grandma took me to watch the film of the coronation, nobody at this time had a TV ! It was a big event for me I was 10 years old ! And of course even in Germany all Magazines were full of pictures and stories about the couple !

    ReplyDelete