Reproduced here with kind permission of the Sunderland Echo, this article by C. A. Smith appeared in the Sd Echo on May 6th 1965. 1911 Coronation - A Time To Remember Seaham’s Day Of Festivity It is Thursday, June 22, 1911. Seaham is all agog with excitement. Two days ago, tickets for dinner were distributed to the poor at the Londonderry Institute between 10am and 1pm. Today, Seaham Harbour will celebrate the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary. The programs have been printed in colour and distributed by the committee responsible for carrying out the celebration under the chairmanship of James W. Grant, Esq. and Henry B. Wright, Esq., clerk. By 9am the expectant crowds gathered in the streets to await the arrival of the procession which had formed up on the Terrace Green, so often the scene of great events in Seaham’s history. Procession Here, the friendly societies and public bodies mustered under the procession marshals - Inspector Banks, B.Q.M. Sgt. J.T.R. Heppell, B.Q.M. Sgt. G.W. Gotts, Sgt. J. Thirlwell, and Sgt. J. Snowball. At 10 o’ clock precisely, the procession left the Terrace Green headed by the Seaham Bottleworks Prize Band and in the following order: The Naval Brigade of H.M. Coastguard and Royal Naval Reserve. Seaham Harbour U.D.C. magistrates, officials, and other residents. The Coronation Celebration Committee. Court “star” of the Ancient Order of Foresters. Neptune Lodge of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. J.J. Candlish Lodge of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. Sir Henry Havelock Lodge of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows. Star of Honour Tent of the Independent Order of Rechabites. Court “Rising Sun” of the Ancient Order of Foresters. Marquess of Londonderry and Shakespeare Lodges of the Ancient Order of Buffaloes. The procession took the following route: Tempest Place, Vane Terrace, Marlborough Street, George Street, Emily Street, Adolphus Street West, Adolphus Street, Lord Street, Cross Street, from Ropery Walk to the Bottleworks, Foundry Road, South Terrace, and Church Street. At the top of Church Street the national anthem was sung to the accompaniment of the Bottleworks Band. At 11:15 am a united Church service was held in Saint John’s Church (Vicar, Canon J. Colling). Royal Salute About 12:30 pm a Royal salute was fired from the road on the east side of Terrace Green by the 3rd Northumbrian (Co. Durham) Brigade, R.F.A., under the command of Col. F.J. McKenzie. And so to lunch! Every building in Seaham displayed colourful bunting and flags. We exhibit a picture (lent by Mrs Sample, of 5, Vincent Street), of the Candlish residents in Bath Terrace. On it appears the whole of the Candlish family and some of the Bottleworks staff, including William Hall Esq., J.P., The manager. In the foreground is the Seaham Bottleworks Band, which led the Coronation procession. This most interesting photograph is probably of the Coronation date. But to continue…. After lunch the schoolchildren’s entertainment began at 1:30 pm when pupils mustered at their respective schools, each to receive a box of chocolates with a medal for the boys and infants and a brooch for the girls. In Drill Field At 2:15 pm the Ropery Walk Council Schools’ pupils marched behind the Bottleworks Band via Adolphus Street to the top of Church Street where they were joined by the Church of England and Roman Catholic Schools, and marched to the Drill Field (Kindly lent by R. Brydon Esq.) headed by the band. Superintendents of Sunday schools joined the procession with banners by special invitation. On arrival at the drill field the children grouped in the centre to sing the national anthem, led by the band. After the first verse the schools took up their respective places in the field where each child received a bag of cakes and a bottle of lemonade. While the children disported themselves in the field the Bottleworks Band gave a program of light music to which the pupils could dance until 5pm. So ended the pup afternoon. From 6:30 - 9pm on the Terrace Green the Bottleworks Band, under their conductor, I.W. Wright gave a program of music. Pageant Meanwhile, at 7pm the Naval and Military Pageant left the Terrace Green in the following order: Band of the 3rd Northumbrian (Co. Durham) R.A.F.A. children’s tableau of Britannia; H.M.S. King George manned by R.N.R. and Rocket Apparatus Brigade; field gun; tableau “John Bull and the Empire”; field gun ; field ambulance tableau; lifeboat tableau; aeroplane tableau; nursing tableau; dairymaid’s tableau; decorated bicycles; fancy and comic dress; miscellaneous tableaux. Boy Scouts also accompanied the procession. The procession of tableaux proceeded along the following route: North Terrace, North Railway Street, Blandford Place, Marlborough Street, George Street, Emily Street, Charles Street, Adolphus Street West, Foundry Road, Cross Street, from Bottleworks to Ropery Walk, Adolphus Street, Lord Street, Viceroy Street, Sophia Street, Caroline Street, Blandford Place, Castlereagh Road, Colliery Road to Vicarage, back to Tempest Place and North Road. I print these names not only for the memories they revive, but because they are, in fact, a brief commentary on so many important phases of national and of local history expressed by Seaham Harbour and district. The procession lasted until 10pm when the great bonfire was lit. This was built by permission from the Marquess in the Sea Banks to the north of the old Battery. Giant Blaze Materials were kindly provided by the Marquess, the Seaham Harbour Dock Co., Seaham Gas and Lighting Co., Londonderry Collieries Ltd., R. Brydon Esq., Councillor J. Elgey, and the Petroleum Solid Fuel (Parent) Co. Ltd., of London. The gigantic blaze lit up the sky for miles around and provided a heart-and-hand-warming climax to a memorable and loyal occasion just 54 years ago. We are again indebted to Mr J. Humphrey and his friends for the pictures.