EADT – 15th December 1936
KING GEORGE VI. PROCLAIMED IN EAST ANGLIA
NEW MONARCH ACCLAIMED BY LARGE CROWDS
HOW IPSWICH FOUND A BAND
On his 41st birthday, King George VI. was proclaimed King in the Provinces, the London ceremonies having taken place on Saturday.
East Anglia joyfully acclaimed the new Monarch, Cambridge having the distinction of three ceremonies, one each for University, town and county.
ROYAL MARINES TO RESCUE AT IPSWICH
With ceremony suitable to the occasion, the new King was proclaimed in Ipswich on Monday. A large crowd had assembled, which covered the whole of the Cornhill, and drawn up at the foot of the Town Hall steps was the Royal Marines Band from Shotley.
Almost precisely at noon a trumpet announced the approach of the Mayor of Ipswich (Mr. Victor Smith), who read the proclamation.
The Mayor was accompanied by the Mayoress, the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk (Col. the Right Hon the Earl of Stradbroke), the High Sheriff (Sir Charles Napier Bunbury, Bart.), Sir John Ganzoni; Bart., M.P. for Ipswich, and Lady Ganzoni; Mr. R. Eaton White (Chairman of the East Suffolk County Council) the Clerk to the Lieutenancy (Mr. Cecil Oakes), the Chief Constable of Ipswich (Mr. C. Cresswell), the Chief Constable of East Suffolk (Mr. G.S. Staunton), the Aldermen, Councillors and Magistrates of the Borough of Ipswich, and the commanding officers and officers of all Territorial Army units in Ipswich, with Col. H.R. Hooper. M.C.
Also present were representatives of the Ipswich British Legion branch and club, with their standard, the officers in charge being Mr. J.T. Pye and Mr. G.T. Moss, M.P., and Mayor W.J. Rice, T.D., the club president; and the Ipswich and District Battalion of the Boys’ Brigade, with the King’s colour and standard, under Capt. J.F. Price and Mr. R. Prentice.
After the reading of the proclamation the band of the Royal Marines, which had come from Shotley by kind permission of Capt. C.O. Alexander. R.N., played the National Anthem, the crowd joining in with the words.
Three cheers were given for the new King.
After the proclamation had been read, the Mayor sent the following telegram to His Majesty: “On behalf of the ancient borough of Ipswich, I humbly offer our heartiest congratulations, and our heart-felt hope that Your Majesty may long be spared to reign over a happy and contented people.” – Mayor of Ipswich.
At 10:30 yesterday morning the Town Clerk received message that owing to unforeseen circumstances it would not be possible for a band to be on the Cornhill at twelve o’clock to play “God Save the King.” Inquires were made round the town with no success. As a last resort the Town Clerk, at a quarter to eleven, appealed to the Naval authorities at Shotley. They took a few minutes to consider the question, and reported that if the Mayor could send over for the band in twenty minutes time the Royal Marines would fill the gap.