AS the final preparations are underway for the Coronation of King Charles III on Saturday, we thought it appropriate to produce a special edition of Looking Back turning our attention to the last Coronation event.

The 27-year-old Princess Elizabeth was crowned Queen at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953.

It was an opportunity for the whole country to come together and celebrate and Bolton was keen to get in on the act.

It’s hard for us today to appreciate what an occasion this would be. Remember it was only eight years after the end of the Second World War and rationing would still be in place for another year.

Across Bolton there was cause for celebration. This was the first major royal event to be televised and although TV sets were a rarity, households fortunate to have one found their front rooms filled with neighbours and relatives eager to see the events on a small, flickering black and white screen. If you wanted to see everything in colour, you would have to wait until the official film of the Coronation came to the cinema.

Street parties were everywhere and homes raided for chairs and tables. Bunting flew from lamp-posts and many children were encouraged to dress up for the occasion.

Many schoolchildren were presented with souvenir Coronation mugs at school - have you still got one in the family?

One of the special ways Bolton celebrated was having 12ft high letters forming the Royal Emblem on the corner of Victoria Square and Old Hall Street South in 1953 as well as a giant roman candle being put up on the square too.

Even Lady Godiva took her horse to Bridgeman Street at the Recreation Tavern, then on Mealhouse Lane, window boxes were filled with red, white and blue flowers over the shops.

Coronation garlands in red, white and blue and British flags and a fresh coat of paint was given to the Britannia Hotel at the corner of Deane Road and Derby Street.

Flags, pennants, coat of arms and coronation emblems were on display in Derby Street.

Pubs have always been at the heart of celebrations and you could see that at the Volunteer Inn in Bromley Cross.

For this week’s Looking Back supplement we have featured a number of photos showing how Bolton was gripped by Coronation fever with pageants, parties and processions all taking place.

We have also come across some of the original press photographs of the Coronation itself - some of which have not been seen since they were first printed almost 70 years ago.

If you have any photos and memories of the Coronation in 1953, do get in touch. Also if you are holding any street parties we'd love to feature them. Emailing robert.kelly@nqnw.co.uk.

These photos are just a selection from a special Coronation Looking Back supplement which features street parties and some historic images taken at the Coronation itself. If you don't already subscribe to the digital edition of the Bolton News and would like to see more, all you need to do is to click here and sign up. It costs just £6 for a six month subscription.

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