Official Programme of the Liverpool Coronation Celebrations ; Sunday 9 May to Saturday 15 May 1937 : City of Liverpool Coronation Celebration Committee : 1937 : advert issued by William Crawford & Sons for Crawford's Cream Crackers
On Wednesday 12 May 1937, amidst great pomp and ceremony in Westminster King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned and through Britain and the then Empire and Colonies there was much official, and unofficial, celebrations. In Liverpool, one of the world's great ports and a major centre of commerce and industry, the City Council like almost every other UK municipal government, prepared to hang out the bunting and put on a show. This is the lavishly printed 'official programme' and it details a week long series of celebrations and events to be held around the city. This coming May will see the Coronation of the UK's new monarch, Charles III, but I doubt any festivities this time round will match these!
Numerous events are listed for each day ranging from "pageants, plays and services", to "hospitalities" and "Bands, entertainments and other engagements". Ships were decorated and illuminated on the River Mersey, numerous bands including that of the city's Passenger Transport Department, played in halls and parks, trees were planted and tea parties given to 147,000 school children. Gun salutes, firework displays and a procession and pageant made its way through the city's streets. Even the timetable for the operation of the illuminated tramcar is published here.
The programme also includes numerous adverts from local and national concerns whose fees would have helped off-set some of the costs of the programme brochure. No artist is given for the suitably 'regal' front cover or the various adverts but one advert is for the Liverpool based company of Dellagana and Denby who produced drawings, photographs and printing blocks for the publication and I wonder if their in-house artists are responsible for some of the work.
William Crawford & Sons were a well-known biscuit manufacturer's and national brand who in 1856 had acquired a bakery in Leith; the 1813 establishment date they always quoted refers to the original opening of a bakers of ships biscuits that formed the original concern. The company grew and when their new and highly mechanised plant in Liverpool opened in 1897 they were amongst the biggest biscuit makers in the UK. They would, in 1960, be acquired by United Biscuits and the brand is still available. This is for their packets of cream crackers, a type of biscuit more often associated with rival bakers Jacob's.
Official Programme of the Liverpool Coronation Celebrations ; Sunday 9 May to Saturday 15 May 1937 : City of Liverpool Coronation Celebration Committee : 1937 : advert issued by William Crawford & Sons for Crawford's Cream Crackers
On Wednesday 12 May 1937, amidst great pomp and ceremony in Westminster King George VI and Queen Elizabeth were crowned and through Britain and the then Empire and Colonies there was much official, and unofficial, celebrations. In Liverpool, one of the world's great ports and a major centre of commerce and industry, the City Council like almost every other UK municipal government, prepared to hang out the bunting and put on a show. This is the lavishly printed 'official programme' and it details a week long series of celebrations and events to be held around the city. This coming May will see the Coronation of the UK's new monarch, Charles III, but I doubt any festivities this time round will match these!
Numerous events are listed for each day ranging from "pageants, plays and services", to "hospitalities" and "Bands, entertainments and other engagements". Ships were decorated and illuminated on the River Mersey, numerous bands including that of the city's Passenger Transport Department, played in halls and parks, trees were planted and tea parties given to 147,000 school children. Gun salutes, firework displays and a procession and pageant made its way through the city's streets. Even the timetable for the operation of the illuminated tramcar is published here.
The programme also includes numerous adverts from local and national concerns whose fees would have helped off-set some of the costs of the programme brochure. No artist is given for the suitably 'regal' front cover or the various adverts but one advert is for the Liverpool based company of Dellagana and Denby who produced drawings, photographs and printing blocks for the publication and I wonder if their in-house artists are responsible for some of the work.
William Crawford & Sons were a well-known biscuit manufacturer's and national brand who in 1856 had acquired a bakery in Leith; the 1813 establishment date they always quoted refers to the original opening of a bakers of ships biscuits that formed the original concern. The company grew and when their new and highly mechanised plant in Liverpool opened in 1897 they were amongst the biggest biscuit makers in the UK. They would, in 1960, be acquired by United Biscuits and the brand is still available. This is for their packets of cream crackers, a type of biscuit more often associated with rival bakers Jacob's.