All children attending Swanage primary schools have received a silver plated teaspoon from Swanage Town Council to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III.
In the week before the coronation, that takes place on Saturday 6th May 2023, Swanage Town Mayor Tina Foster handed out commemorative teaspoons to children at St Mark’s CE primary school, Swanage primary school and St Mary’s Catholic primary school.
The children of St Mark’s CE primary school with their coronation teaspoons
King Charles, pictured visiting Corfe Castle in 1998, will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May 2023
Special coronation assembly
The first to receive the teaspoons was St Mark’s CE primary school off the High Street, who held a special assembly to welcome the mayor and her deputy, councillor Chris Moreton.
The children showed a good knowledge about the coronation and why it was taking place and one teacher revealed that she was going up to London on Friday night in the hope of getting a good vantage point to see the royal procession.
A silver teaspoon commemorating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, given to Swanage councillor Bill Trite
Receiving the silver teaspoons put a smile of the children’s faces!
“Something to remember the Coronation of King Charles III”
Swanage Town Mayor Tina Foster said:
“We wanted them to have something to remember the Coronation of King Charles III and a souvenir teaspoon was a popular choice. It’s a traditional item and many children received teaspoons for the late Queen’s Coronation in 1953, including our own councillor Bill Trite!
“I know my children have treasured teaspoons and other memorabilia that they have received over the years for various royal jubilees and it’s nice for our young children in Swanage to have the same opportunity.”
St Mark’s CE primary school also gave their pupils souvenir bookmarks
Attending the special coronation assembly at St Mark’s. Left to right: Swanage deputy mayor Chris Moreton, headteacher Rebecca Martin, Swanage mayor Tina Foster, school govenor Holly Corsar and deputy head Vicky Brierley
“The lady with the big silver necklace”
The pupils were very interested in not only the teaspoons but also the mayor’s silver chain of office that she wore round her neck.
Headteacher of St Mark’s Rebecca Martin said:
“My hope is that in the years to come the children will remember the coronation and the day ‘the lady with the big silver necklace’ came to their school assembly and gave them coronation teaspoons!
“As a school we are giving them special coronation bookmarks with the school crest so they can look back when they are older and know where they were when King Charles was crowned. It’s all part of their history.”
Pupils of St Mark’s first school in 1953 at Sandpit Field in Swanage celebrating the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Pupils of St Mark’s CE primary school in 2023 marking the Coronation of King Charles III
“It’s something that I have treasured over the years”
One former St Mark’s pupil, who remembers the coronation of the late Queen, is Langton Matravers resident Linda Welsh, who as a very young pupil received a New Testament Bible to mark the Queen’s Coronation in 1953.
Linda said:
“At the time, it was St Mark’s Church of England First School in Jubilee Road in Herston. I have vague memories of all the pupils going to Sandpit Field where we were all given a commemorative Bible.
“It’s something that I have treasured over the years and still keep to hand now to look at. It’s a nice thing to have, to remember the Queen’s Coronation by.”
Linda Welsh’s commemorative Bible. All pupils of St Mark’s received a copy in 1953 to mark the Queen’s Coronation
