Hilary's Diaries - Hilary Townsend President of Stalbridge History Society
April 2022
Hilary Townsend
We have the unique Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June and I cannot help wondering what form the decorations will take in Stalbridge. Looking at old photographs it’s obvious that for the Jubilees of Queen Victoria people used a great deal of plants and trees and natural growth to decorate their homes. The reason for this was obvious – such things were free.
At the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 and for the Coronation of King George V1 in 1937 there seemed to be very many fabric union flags draped outside houses. Some of these were very large and my childish mind they seemed to appear on the street scene very quickly. The 1930’s was a time of intense economic depression. Everybody was hard up so I wonder how Stalbridge people came by them. No doubt they were borrowed somehow.
Nowadays we seem to have an interesting development. There are workshops held before the event – notably at Christmas – so that children can make their own decorations. Stalbridge, for Christmas decorations such as lanterns, seems to excel at this and to make one’s own things in a workshop certainly must prolong the excitement. It would have done for me as a child I know.
So I wonder what sort of decorations we shall have for our Platinum Jubilee this year. I shall watch the High Street and surrounding streets with great interest. Shall we have plants and trees? No perhaps not for we have so much more respect for the natural world and wildlife now. Shall we have manufactured goods such as large fabric union flags? Well these things come with a cost and times are hard at present.
Or – I’ve just thought – will our Platinum Jubilee celebrations be an opportunity to see what computers can do now to brighten up the street scene? Shall we celebrate in Stalbridge with large, highly coloured and innovative decorations, the like of which we have never seen before? Whatever we have, I hope there will be some old-fashioned large fabric Union Jacks – I am rather fond of them.
At the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 and for the Coronation of King George V1 in 1937 there seemed to be very many fabric union flags draped outside houses. Some of these were very large and my childish mind they seemed to appear on the street scene very quickly. The 1930’s was a time of intense economic depression. Everybody was hard up so I wonder how Stalbridge people came by them. No doubt they were borrowed somehow.
Nowadays we seem to have an interesting development. There are workshops held before the event – notably at Christmas – so that children can make their own decorations. Stalbridge, for Christmas decorations such as lanterns, seems to excel at this and to make one’s own things in a workshop certainly must prolong the excitement. It would have done for me as a child I know.
So I wonder what sort of decorations we shall have for our Platinum Jubilee this year. I shall watch the High Street and surrounding streets with great interest. Shall we have plants and trees? No perhaps not for we have so much more respect for the natural world and wildlife now. Shall we have manufactured goods such as large fabric union flags? Well these things come with a cost and times are hard at present.
Or – I’ve just thought – will our Platinum Jubilee celebrations be an opportunity to see what computers can do now to brighten up the street scene? Shall we celebrate in Stalbridge with large, highly coloured and innovative decorations, the like of which we have never seen before? Whatever we have, I hope there will be some old-fashioned large fabric Union Jacks – I am rather fond of them.
© Hilary Townsend
April 2022
April 2022
Discover Dorset – Blackmore Vale Dovecote Press 2004
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Blackmore Vale Childhood Dovecote Press 2006
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One Woman’s Fight for Architectural Heritage 2012
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Stalbridge to Siberia and other places - Silk Hay Books 2018
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Titles by Hilary Townsend
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
Hilary, from a family of yeoman farmers, grew up in Dorset. As a personnel manager in industry, and later lecturer in management subjects, she wrote magazine and newspaper features for UK and North American markets.
