I HAVE ALWAYS BEING A LOYAL DEVOTEE OF MY ROYAL FAMILY.  I SUPPOSE IT WAS THE THING TO DO IN MY GENERATION.  BORN ON 21ST APRIL 1936, THIS MAKES ME TEN YEARS YOUNGER THAN HER MAJESTY, QUEEN ELIZABETH.



   I SAT ON THE COUCH ON THAT SATURDAY MORNING,I MUST ADMIT,  SOME-WHAT TEARFUL, NOT JUST FOR THE LOSS OF AN ICON, BUT FOR THE GLIMPSES OF MY PAST SIXTY-SIX YEARS WHICH WERE INTERTWINED WITH THE BLITZ AND ALL THE STORIES I READ OF HER AND THE EXAMPLE SHE SET FOR US ALL.
     I HAVE HAD FRIENDS WHO WERE EQUERRIES TO THE PRINCESSES AND WHO KNEW THEM PERSONALLY.  MY FATHER WAS A FAIRLY FREQUENT VISITOR TO "ALTHORPE', (PRINCESS DIANA'S HOME) AND I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH RHYS-JONES, PRINCESS SOPHIE'S FATHER.
    OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE MANAGED TO COLLECT SEVERAL SOUVENIRS OF THE QUEEN MOTHER'S LIFE.  I PRESENT SOME OF THEM HERE:-
CORONATION MUG
THE MOST PERSONAL BECAUSE
OF THE CITY, PLYMOUTH, DEVON,
PORT OF THE "MAYFLOWER" &
MY BIRTHPLACE IN 1936.
A CORONATION PLATE
RILEY'S TOFFE TIN WITH
THE PRINCESS'
PORCELAIN TRINKET
BOX
80TH. BIRTHDAY
90TH. BIRTHDAY
SOME OF THE STAMPS ISSUED TO HONOUR HER LIFE
NOT MUCH HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT HER "BLACK ANGUS HERD".  SHE WAS ON A VISIT TO EDMONTON FOR A CATTLE SHOW WHEN I PUT ON A CHARCOAL GREY SUIT AND A REGIMENTAL TIE AND ARRIVED AT THE CONVENTION CENTRE, WELL BEFORE HER VISIT.  WITH MY PENTAX ROUND MY NECK AND TAKING PICTURES OF THE CROWDS, I WAS ALLOWED CLOSE TO THE ROYAL PARTY AND TOOK SOME WONDERFUL PICTURES OF HER.  (SECURITY WASN'T MUCH OF A PROBLEM THEN,
I GUESS).

THE SCALE MODEL OF THE CPR ENGINE  THE ROYAL COUPLE,  KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH TRAVELLED IN, ON THEIR VISIT TO CANADA, IN MAY 1939. I TRAVELLED IN THIS MODEL TRAIN ON THE ROMNEY, DYMCHURCH & HYDE RAILWAY WHILE ON A VISIT BACK TO "BLIGHTY"
The visit of the Duke and Duchess of Wessex to Nova Scotia in July 2000 reminded me of other photo opportunities I have had with visiting Royalty. I have put together a selection of photos together with the appropriate stamp, where possible.
The Royal Wedding 1986
The Duke and Duchess of York at the Science Museum, Regina,
Saskatchewan
18 May 2005, Regina Legislature,
Saskatchewan
My father was a relatively frequent visitor to Althorpe.  The Print was made long before the lake and island , where she is buried, were constructed.  Barbara Cartland (Step-Mother) was there when I didn't buy some Champagne from Diana's father!!
Some of my "nicer" acquisitions
SG #1
PENNY BLACK
SG #4, 2d BLUE
FROM 'BLACK' PLATE
IVORY HEAD
SG #58
EMBOSSED 6d
SG #49 1/2d
PLATE 9
THE YEARS 1842 -1978 ARE MOUNTED IN A STANLEY GIBBONS "DEVON" ALBUM,
USING A SG 1983 SPECIALIZED CATALOGUE
collections
index