It has nearly been a year since the coronation of King Charles III at Westminster Abbey. Regardless of whether you are a republican, if you love the Royals, or sit somewhere in between these two extremes of opinion, the fact is that the King’s coronation was a major historical event. The last coronation of a British monarch was that of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and a lot has changed since then. Change has occurred in technology, politics, economics, and perhaps most importantly, the general public’s overall opinions about the monarchy.
While there is much doubt circulating today about the future of the House of Windsor and the British monarchy altogether, once upon a time most, if not all members of the Royal Family were highly respected and adored by their British and British-descended subjects.
This fact is well-demonstrated by the reception Ashburton gave to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, when he visited Ashburton on Saturday, 19 January 1935. As a testament to the importance of this event to the people of Ashburton, the Guardian reported extensively on the Duke’s movements throughout the town, as well as his stay at Longbeach during his visit.
“The Unknown Soldier”
Prince Henry (Henry William Frederick Albert) was born on 31 March 1900, and was the third son of King George V and Queen Mary. Interestingly, he was the first son of a British monarch to be educated at school. He excelled in sports and went on to attend Eton College.
After Eton, he was commissioned in the 10th Royal Hussars, a cavalry regiment of the British Army. He had hoped to command the regiment, however because his military service was frequently interrupted by royal duties, this could not happen. He was nicknamed “the unknown soldier” due to his low profile in his military career. After being forced to end his romantic relationship with famous aviator Beryl Markham, he married Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott in November 1935, with whom he had two sons.
Ashburton abuzz
When the Duke of Gloucester came to visit Ashburton on 19 January 1935 as part of his tour of Aotearoa New Zealand, just about the whole town and a good chunk of the surrounding district showed up for the occasion. The Guardian’s special page-long feature on the Duke’s visit claimed:
“Never before have such scenes of sincere enthusiasm been seen in Ashburton as were witnessed this morning, when his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester paid an official visit. The pride of the New Zealander in the Royal House, and loyalty to all that its members represent in the great British Empire welled up and overflowed as residents of town and country, assembled in thousands, vied with one another in the warmth of their welcome to the King’s third son.”
At 9:55 a.m., the Royal convoy crossed the Ashburton traffic bridge and proceeded up East Street, before meeting with B Squadron of the Canterbury Yeomen Cavalry at the Havelock Street intersection. Under cavalry escort, they crossed the railway line, and as the procession passed the cenotaph in Baring Square West the Duke removed his hat out of respect for the fallen. The Duke’s party reached the Domain shortly after, proceeding to the oval to address the public.
Domain event
When the Duke arrived at the Ashburton Domain oval, he was met by a Guard of Honour comprised of 38 mounted men, also of the Canterbury Yeomen Cavalry, managed by Major A. J. Nicoll and Lieutenant I. Bonifant. Ashburton’s mounted guard was the only one presented to the Duke during his tour of New Zealand, and since the Duke was a “keen cavalryman”, the Guardian tells us that “the significance of the Ashburton guard was apparent and the men fully appreciated the honour that had been bestowed upon them.”
Once the Duke had inspected the Guard of Honour, accompanied by the Ashburton Silver Band playing a verse of the National Anthem, he was led onto a platform upon which many local dignitaries were presented. Those who accompanied the Duke on stage included Ashburton Mayor Mr. W. H. Woods, County Chairman Mr. D. J. Morrow, their wives, Mid-Canterbury MP Mr. J. Connolly, Town Clerk Mr. W. Patterson, County Clerk Mr. G. Kelly, and Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Grigg of Longbeach, who had been the Duke’s host and hostess for that week.
By the time the formal address of welcome to His Royal Highness began, many thousands of people had filled the domain oval. It’s worth noting that this event was the first time a public address system was used in Ashburton. According to the Guardian: “The Borough and County address of welcome to his Royal Highness was read by the Mayor, whose voice carried well out into the Oval, and was further amplified by a loud-speaker, and everyone who attended was able to hear all that was said.”
During the event, the Duke spoke with and acknowledged many local residents, as well as returned soldiers, nurses, and children. The crowd was transfixed on the proceedings while the Duke greeted and acknowledged the locals who were presented. Once the ceremony had concluded, the Duke moved back toward the Guard of Honour, which gave the Royal salute while the Ashburton Silver Band played the National Anthem. After the anthem had finished, the Duke entered his car and left for Christchurch.
Compared to the popular reception the Duke of Gloucester received in 1935, do you think that if any Royals visited Ashburton today, including King Charles III, there would be a similarly grand display of fans?
By Connor Lysaght
Unless otherwise stated, photographs and research materials on this page are owned by the Ashburton Museum & Historical Society Inc. This post was modified for this blog and was originally published in the Ashburton Guardian, 6 May 2023.
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