Our king charles

[happy daze john in oz]

In some respects many Royals are in a similar category as polis, in it for what there is for them.
But being born to it is not their fault, they just follow the rules of the family.

But there are some, often very low key such as Anne, who do some great work for the community.

But what is the alternative, a republic, like USA where the richest can win, or maybe as in some African one where a despot rules?

[Keith Tindell]

The alternative does not have to be a republic, the Dutch Royal family works fine, on a much smaller scale.

[j.sabourn]

Brenda Shackleton you maybe too young to remember when your father went to Buckingham palace to receive his DSO or he may have told you , but to most people it is an awakening of what the Royal family are all about.It is a ritual totally British and those who demean them have no right to call themselves British if they disclaim their Monarch. I bet your father never forgot meeting George V1. When he died the headmaster at school was crying his eyes out in front of 300 pupils . How many stand there doing that when a politician or a Dictator dies ? Give me a Monarch who has hundreds of years of blood line to represent the head of a nation ,than some back street urchin whether unviversity educated or not. The monarchy means different things to different people , but the first thing they should give to the same is respect. They earn it. JS.

[David Williams]

Should it not read as "CHEAP AT DOUBLE THE COST"
Dave Williams

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello
Well, yes , I was too young to remember when Dad got his D.S.C. but neither could I see the ceremony . Mum was 3 months pregnant with me ( it was dark in there !!!) However, I WAS there !!

I remember Sister Leo ( our Headmistress) coming into my classroom with tears rolling down her face. Made such an impression on me.
When I got home I should have gone to my playmate's birthday party but her Mum cancelled it !! My friend said, ' I am very angry with the King; he's ruined my birthday ... It all comes back to me every February 6th.
I think Charles will be a good King. He's practised for the role long enough ! He has a great track record of looking after the young, disaffected and unemployed with his Princes' Trust which now extends throughout the Commonwealth.
The call from Republicans to abolish the Monarchy . Mmm. Would like to hear their alternative arrangements that doesn't involve sheds of money being spent on preening someone for a temporary role; or permanent if you look at the likes of Mugabe, Putin etc
Brenda

[happy daze john in oz]

Recall the day the King passed, our teacher Ms Buchanan from far north Queensland living in UK made us all stand for two minutes.
We were given the next day off by the school.
So soon after the war and he and the Queen mother being so popular with the public it was such a shock to all.

But as one ,media outlet said, 'the show must go on;'.
Living here in Oz the population is split between the concept of a republic or the current system which has stood the nation in good stead sine 1788 when the first fleet arrived.
I am a fervent monarchist as having seen the alternative makes me shudder, God bless the king!!!!

[Rodney Mills]

The day the late Queen was crowned, I was fifteen years old working in the Regency Grill Bar, next door to The Ivy House pub; on the Front in Southend on Sea, Essex, England, as I chip cook. Southend was jam packed with crowds of Londoners.* Trains were arriving crammed, standing room only.* Charabangs (coaches) parked in the streets, parking lots sold out, cars too, "No room at the Inn! I found out this next week when the Southend newspaper came out, because I was working*in out front frying chips and had just enough time to breath, we opened at 7am, usually just doing things like changing old frying oil, or straining oil to get bits of crumbed fish batter out..* There was a line up waiting*for us to open to buy chips for breakfast and to get seats inside the restaurant. it got even worse as the day went on.* Non stop lineups. We closed at 1:30 am.

I cooked two and half tons of chips (french fries).* I know, because the boy like me ,only in the back of the house, stacked the empty sacks and counted them.He had machine*potato peeler and a chipper, I'd still be cooking if he had to do them by hand. Only God knows how many times I had to change the grease.

For this I was paid 1/6 (one and a half shillings an hour).* The owner of the restaurant was a local chemist.* There was so much money coming in that the cash register*would fill up, so he was dumping the pound notes and ten shilling notes and handfuls of coins in bags then going to his car and stashing them in the boot*(trunk) all day long.*

A piece of fish and say a large handful of chips was 1/6, what I got paid an hour working as fast as I could.* two other workers (adults) who were paid 2 shillings an hour worked alongside*me, one cooking fish, one dishing out and collecting money and another boy keeping*us supplied* with the raw fish and chips and supplies.

The pubs and restaurants in Southend were packed, they detoured cars away from the front as the crowd were overflowing*the sidewalks. all the carparks, buses and cars were filled by 10am all the side streets with cars by 11am.

There was no overtime paid, the owner didn't even give us*a thank you!* Five months later I was off to Gravesend for basic training (or boot camp as it would be called over here). But I will never forget that day, "It will live in infamy" in my mind. I worked my ass off.

Cheers, Rodney and enjoy your day.

[James Curry]

Fish super a 1 shilling 6 d think a fish super would cost about £6.50 today

[Doc Vernon]

Re Post #47

A couple of Years ahead of me Rodney, i can recall the Queens Coronation in 1953 of June, just a few days before my 13th Birthday. Although we could not watch it in South Africa then, as we had no TV then, only came in much later! But the Wireless Broadcast was terrific , and of course was all the Grand things that were set up in South Africa (Then under the Monarchy) for the big occasion. Streets lined with Flags and all sorts it was like a few Xmasses had come all at once! LOL
My dear Mum, i recall just loved it all too, and remember her taking us down to the City to see all this going on! One thing i recall is there was this small stand set up in Adderley Street which was selling all kinds of memorabilia, and besides a few Flags and Items, Mum saw this little Keepsake , made then by Matchbox, in all steel and painted Gold in colour!
Something which i have hung on to for all these Years!
Wonder if its of any value now, not that i would ever sell it though!
Cheers

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[James Curry]

Doc if you had the box for that matchbox toy it would be worth a few quid. We have several programmes here on TV dealing in Antiques etc! Anytime a toy like Matchbox, Dinky Toys come up for auction if you have the original box the value increases by quite a bit.