How the Turks and Caicos Islands recorded the events in 1952 and 1953
The death of King George VI and coronation of Queen Elizabeth II did not pass the Turks and Caicos Islands by. On the 6th February 1952 the following telegram was sent from the Acting Colonial Secretary, Jamaica to the Commissioner, Turks Islands;
“The following from the Secretary of State for the Colonies begins circular 11 – Profoundly regret to inform you that His Majesty King George VI passed away last night”
This was communicated at the Legislative Board meeting on the 8th of February 1952 along with the following response from His Honour T W Willis, M.B.E., the Acting Commissioner for the Turks Islands, to the Colonial Secretary, Jamaica.
“The People of the Turks and Caicos Islands have learnt with profound grief of the death of their beloved Sovereign and ask that an expression of their deepest sympathy may be conveyed to the bereaved Royal Family”.
At the same Legislative Board meeting the “Board stood in silent tribute” and the following resolution was moved by the President, seconded by Hon. F C Grant and passed unanimously:
“The Members of the Legislative Board of the Turks and Caicos Islands on their behalf and on the behalf of the people of the Dependency desire to record their deep sorrow at the news of the death of their beloved Sovereign King George the Sixth, and profound sympathy with the Queen Mother and all the Members of the Royal Family, to affirm to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second their true devotion and loyalty”. (Gazette Extraordinary, Friday February 8, 1952)
Also issued on Friday February 8th 1952, in another Gazette Extraordinary was the following Proclamation of Accession.
“Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call His Mercy Our late sovereign Lord King George VI of Blessed and Glorious Memory by whose decease the Crown is solely and rightfully come to the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary:
We, Thomas William Willis, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Acting Commissioner for the Dependency of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Vernon Lister Lopez, Evan Thomas Wood, John William Astwood, Official Members of the Legislative Board of the said Dependency, Edmund Garcia Ewing, Felix Cornelius Grant, William Richardson Tatem, James Nathaniel Morgan, Unofficial Members of the said Board, Cecil Earle Crawford, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Frank Herbert Jones, Assistant Commissioner and Christopher Benjamin Jennings, Government Officer at Salt Cay:
Do now hereby with one voice and consent of tongue and heart publish and proclaim:
That the High and Mighty Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary is now by the death of Our Late Sovereign of Happy Memory become Queen Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God, Queen of all her realms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom her Lieges do acknowledge all faith and constant obedience with hearty and humble affection beseeching God, by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless the Royal Princess Elizabeth the Second with long and happy years to reign over us:
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN !
The approved Loyal Toast was recorded in The Gazette for July 5 1952 as:
1. The Queen
2. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Queen Mary, The Duke of Edinburgh and the other members of the Royal Family.
Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation saw many official celebrations. The Gazette for December 13 1952 recorded that the following people were “appointed members of a Committee to manage and coordinate arrangements for the Celebrations in connection with the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on June 2nd, 1953”
H. H. the Commissioner (Chairman)
Mrs Bleackley
Mr B. D. Kelly
Rev. S. U. DunMoodie
Rev. G. L. Walters
Mr C. S. Jones
Hon. W. R. Tatem
Mr. Alex Astwood
Hon. T. W. Willis, M.B.E.
Miss A. A. Tatem
Miss I. A. Roberts (secretary)
Mrs E. M. Simmons
Mr L. Godet
Mr A. Hill
Hon. E. T. Wood
Mr A.L. Hawkins
This committee was to prevent “overlapping or duplication” and all societies that were proposing to hold their own functions during the week ending 6th June were asked to contact the committee. The committee also requested any suggestions for celebrations to be sent to them.
There are no accounts yet found of what activities took place to commemorate the Coronation in the Turks and Caicos Islands so if you can remember any or have any photographs or programmes please let the Museum know. In The Gazette for June 6th 1953 it does state that “The Coronation Committee will issue a detailed report in due course” but no further information is found.
We do know that the following received awards on the occasion of her Coronation. The Honourable William Richardson Tatem received the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) whilst the following received the Coronation Medal:
His Honour Peter Bleackley, M.B.E.
Hon. Evan Thomson Wood
Hon. H. V. T. Chambers
Hon. John William Astwood
Hon. William Richardson Tatem
Hon. Felix Cornelius Grant
Hon. James Nathaniel Morgan
Hon. Thomas William Willis, M.B.E.
Mr Brian Douglas Kelly
Mr Clifford Stanley Jones
Dr Donald Oliver Astwood
Mr. Alexander Astwood
Mr Bertram Alexander Manuel
Mr Christopher Benjamin Jennings
Mr Raymond Evan Gardiner
Mr Harold St. George Robinson
Mrs Rachel Bleackley
Mrs Mary Ellen Elizabeth Wood
Mrs Euphronia Misick Simmons
Miss Irene Alice Hope Roberts
Miss Amie Louise Tatem
Contents of this story:
Turks and Caicos National Museum
Nigel Sadler
See Summer 2002 issue of Astrolabe |
