Wiganers share memories of meeting the Queen ahead of her Platinum Jubilee

With her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee just weeks away, Wiganers have shared their memories and photographs of the Queen’s visits to the borough.
By Holly Pritchard
Published 15th May 2022, 15:45 BST
Updated 16th May 2022, 10:43 BST
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Some caught a glimpse of her, some some got close but not close enough and others wished they had just gone and skipped the day off school at the time.

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Here’s what people had to say:

The Queen visits Leigh and Wigan borough in 1977 for her Silver Jubilee.The Queen visits Leigh and Wigan borough in 1977 for her Silver Jubilee.
The Queen visits Leigh and Wigan borough in 1977 for her Silver Jubilee.

Alan Hill said: “I didn’t actually meet the Queen when she came with the Duke of Edinburgh to Leigh library, in 1977, to celebrate her silver jubilee but I got within a couple of feet of her.”

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Gill Long said: “I remember her arriving by train as we were stood outside North Western waving our flags.

"I’m sure we were in the paper the next day.”

Malcom S Ryding said: “I don’t know if I went to the event because my mum was heavily pregnant with my younger sister, Patricia.”

The group photo is of children and mums from Smalley Street and adjoining Collingwood Street outside a large wooden hut off Preston Road used for social events. The children were given a Coronation mug and bar of chocolate in a celebration tin. Many of the young faces are still living in and around Standish. Others have moved throughout the UK and abroad.The group photo is of children and mums from Smalley Street and adjoining Collingwood Street outside a large wooden hut off Preston Road used for social events. The children were given a Coronation mug and bar of chocolate in a celebration tin. Many of the young faces are still living in and around Standish. Others have moved throughout the UK and abroad.
The group photo is of children and mums from Smalley Street and adjoining Collingwood Street outside a large wooden hut off Preston Road used for social events. The children were given a Coronation mug and bar of chocolate in a celebration tin. Many of the young faces are still living in and around Standish. Others have moved throughout the UK and abroad.

“The group photo is of children and mums from Smalley Street and adjoining Collingwood Street outside a large wooden hut, off Preston Road, used for social events.

"The children were given a Coronation mug and bar of chocolate in a celebration tin.“The other photo is an invitation to my mum, dad and me for a Coronation concert by the High Street Methodist Chapel concert party where my auntie, Dorothy Aspey, was one of the mainstays in the group.”

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Michael Farrow said: “It was 1984/85-ish at Wigan Pier and was on “News at 10” that she and Phillip were in The Way We Were museum on the day, beside what used to be the Orwell pub.

“There was a re-encted Victorian classroom scene and they both meekly stood by old-fashioned school desks and took part.

An invitation for a Coronation concert by the High Street Methodist Chapel concert party.An invitation for a Coronation concert by the High Street Methodist Chapel concert party.
An invitation for a Coronation concert by the High Street Methodist Chapel concert party.

“There was uproar at my school, the Deanery, as the headmaster said “no time-off allowed to attend”.

“There was, funnily enough, a suddden 25 percent non-arttendance that day as excited youths didn’t give a “hoot” what the headmaster said and wanted to see the Queen.

“I went to school that day, my brother didn’t.

"He got to see the Queen that day, I didn’t.”

Lois Gregory, mum of former Wigan Warriors player, Andy Gregory, siad: “It was a memorable day, never to be forgotton.”

Tera Cassidy said: “The Coronation was on my birthday, I was two.”

Related topics:Queen