Care home residents share memories of royal celebrations ahead of King’s coronation

Joan Ryder, a resident at The Cottage Christian care home in Newport, was in her early 20s when the coronation of Queen Elizabeth took place in 1953. 

At the time, she lived in Donnington and remembers fondly celebrating the occasion with neighbours from morning until night. 

She said: “We decided for the coronation to get together with neighbours. A couple of days before we planned what we would eat. We were to visit their house because their TV was larger. We took our food and spent the whole day with friends. We had a beautiful day from breakfast through to the end. It was a marvellous day.” 

The 92-year-old, who worked as a teacher in Shropshire for 36 years, said she was now looking forward to watching the King’s coronation this weekend.  

She will be joining family to watch the special occasion. 

“I’m hoping Charles will have as good a reign as his mother although it will be difficult to follow – she was a class act!” 

Meanwhile, Alan Macey, 91, a resident with Innage Grange care home in Bridgnorth, is hoping for a better viewing of the King’s coronation celebrations than he managed of the Queen’s. 

He said: “On the day of the Queen’s coronation there were no street parties where we were living so my mum, brothers and sisters decided to decorate the lounge with gold Christmas decorations ready for the celebrations. 

“Because we had a television, we invited the neighbours round too. 

“It was wonderful to watch but it was hard work because the picture kept disappearing and someone had to sit with their hand on the tuning knob for the whole event. 

“I’m excited to watch the King’s coronation. I think he will be a good King – he has a lot of experience.” 

Both The Cottage Christian care home and Innage Grange are operated by Shropshire’s largest not-for-profit care provider Coverage Care Services. 

Chief executive Debbie Price said: “There is an incredible buzz across all our homes about the King’s coronation. Our residents are really looking forward to the occasion and we have lots of celebrations planned in our homes. 

“It’s been wonderful for residents to reminisce with our younger members of staff about what they remember from the Queen’s coronation. It will be very different this time around for them particularly with such progress in technology.” 

Residents at Coverage Care homes have been taking part in a Telford & Wrekin Council-led project to capture people's memories of the Queen’s coronation and their thoughts about the up-coming King’s celebrations. 

Interviews from the residents will be archived to record how people in the local community celebrated the coronation of King Charles.