Royal picture recalled

The picture was brought in by reader Walter Hawksby of Acomb, York, and he wanted to know all about it.

The appeal prompted a magnificent response. In the light of the sad loss of the Queen Mother, your knowledge and interest in an event from 77 years ago is testament to her enduring popularity.

As Mr Hawksby suspected, the photograph was taken at the York County Hospital. The date was June 24, 1925, and reader Bill Sutton's informative e-mail even gives a time: "approximately 1pm".

Mr Sutton provided an excellent summary of the royal visit, based on his copy of the souvenir programme published to mark the occasion.

He writes: "The Duke and Duchess of York left York County Hospital on their way to lunch at the Mansion House before going on to York Minster where the Duchess unveiled the Five Sisters Window and war memorial to the women who gave their lives during the Great War.

"The later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother did this at 3pm before accompanying her husband, the later King George VI, to Leeman Road where at 5pm he unveiled the city's War Memorial.

"The royal couple left by train for London at 6.14pm.

"Standing behind the royal couple is the Archbishop of York Cosmo Gordon Lang, with whom the couple stayed at Bishopthorpe Palace on the night of June 23. They left Bishopthorpe at noon and travelled via Bishopthorpe Road, Scarcroft Road, The Mount, Blossom Street, Micklegate, Bridge Street, Ouse Bridge, Low Ousegate, Spurriergate, Market Street, Feasegate, Church Street, Goodramgate and Monkgate.

"Children from the Secondary and Elementary Schools were to be 'massed' in Blossom Street, Goodramgate and Monkgate. The time allowed for this cross-city journey was 15 minutes. They then toured the hospital for 45 minutes before leaving for the Mansion House for 'luncheon'."

Mr Sutton finishes by saying: "What makes this old photo so evocative for me is the nurse holding on to the lamp post in order to have a better view."

Katherine Webb is the archivist for the York Health Services NHS Trust. This superb medical history resource is based at the Borthwick Institute in Peasholme Green.

Katherine kindly loaned us the photograph of the Duchess touring the wards, above, and dug out more information on the visit.

On their tour of the hospital, the royal couple were accompanied by the senior physician, Dr Evelyn. He was also a renowned conservationist, as featured in a recent Yesterday Once More.

Also in the party were the senior surgeon G Wilfred Gostling, and the matron, Miss Margaret Steele.

Historian Joe Murphy, who has a wonderful collection of old images of York, identified the man leaning on a stick and wearing a buttonhole, standing to the right of the Duke, as James Melrose. Known as Jimmy, he was twice Lord Mayor, ran the wine merchants in St Sampson's Square, and was a racehorse owner.

Mr Murphy also spotted that Dr Evelyn can be partially seen on the extreme left.

The figure in spats looking at the camera on the left might be the brewer, Sir John J Hunt. That is the belief of Thomas Walker, who has a picture of Sir John presenting a medal to his granddad.

The third man from the right, with the bald head, was the head porter at the hospital, Mr Hudson. Charles Foster, 79, who lived and played near the hospital when he was a child, recognised him.

"He used to sit at a desk behind a glass screen, and everyone visiting the hospital had to report to him," Mr Foster said.

Irvine Watson's mother was on the hospital committee that organised the royal visit. He confirmed it was the first visit of the royal couple to York after their marriage.

Their visit to the Minster to unveil the restored Five Sisters Window was a significant moment, he said. The glass had been removed and stored safely for the First World War.

Mr Watson, 83, said the window was put back together with lead supposedly used first at Rievaulx Abbey, which was discovered during excavations there and donated by Lord Feversham.

The man in the middle of the three on the right was identified by Mr Watson as Dr Gerald Hughes, who lived in Minster Yard.

Mr Watson also pointed out that when the Queen Mother visited York in 1982, it was on the same date as her 1925 visit. Again she toured the Minster and saw the Five Sisters Window.

York pensioner Joan Merryweather got in touch to say her mother was in the York County Hospital and met the future Queen Mother on her visit.

Mrs Merryweather's mother, Annie Lund, had kidney trouble. She was the only woman on the ward with a baby, as she was still breastfeeding her child Gerald.

"At that time, it was something absolutely wonderful to meet royalty," Joan said.

"When the Duchess of York came in, she looked at the baby and said: 'what a lovely baby. Send me a picture of him'."

Although her mother and father did not have a lot of money, they found enough to send the picture to the Duchess.

A letter came back on her behalf, from Curzon House, Mayfair, London.

Dated January 9, 1926, it thanked Annie for her kindness in sending the picture, and said: "Her Royal Highness is so very pleased to have this photograph."

At the time of the 1925 visit, the Duke was terrified of speaking in public, and he suffered a bad stammer. So the York Corporation tactfully kept the Duke's public speaking to a minimum.

But he did give a speech to mark his unveiling of the War Memorial.

"I am proud to be able to join with you in honouring the memory of those men and women who gave their lives in the Great War," he said.

"I can imagine no more fitting place than this for our city War Memorial. Here on this ground, looking across the river to the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, we link our ancient glories with the recent heroic sacrifice."

This royal occasion certainly made an impression on York. Contemporary newspaper reports made it clear how the Duchess captivated the crowds.

During her visit to the hospital she cuddled an under-nourished baby, and chatted to nurses, in a manner that brings to mind a much more modern royal - Diana, Princess of Wales.

On her very first visit, York had taken the future Queen Mother to its heart.

My thanks go to all those who contacted me with ideas and information for this article.

Updated: 12:55 Monday, April 01, 2002