The Street Party

~ the britchy one

1977. The Queens Silver Jubilee. 25 years as Queen of England and it was a big deal! My Mother, although Irish, was a staunch Royalist. She absolutely adored the Royal Family and in particular, Princess Anne. She loved her sense of style and often bought similar outfits.

We had a house just behind Buckingham Palace in London. A typical Georgian London home with railings in the front, taller than it was wide with a basement and a pocket sized garden and patio at the back. Those railings, usually black, were painted silver by my Mum for the jubilee – much to the consternation of our snooty neighbours! She swathed the house in bunting and proceeded to knock on every door to organise a street party to celebrate. Every street in England seemed to be having a street party. For us kids, it was just glorious! Everywhere there was excitement. Special assemblies and picnics at school. Commemorative coins and daffodil bulbs to grow. Coloring books, special tv shows, parades and fun fairs and to top it off, the knickerbocker glory of nostalgia – The Street Party. That’s how I remember it. With as much planning, anticipation and new clothes as a wedding. Some families bought grocery carts of fizzy pop for the kids. Others made sandwiches and sausage rolls. There were the quintessential cheese and onion or pineapple on stick ‘hedgehogs’* There was jelly and choc ices. Iced cakes with sprinkles, crisps and those funny little wafer ‘footballs’ filled with something that smelled vaguely cheesey but resembled putty. Oh how we loved those slightly stale-tasting, musty smelling treats!

There were games as always. Slightly changed up for the day that was in it. We had Musical Thrones, Pin the Crown on the Queen and Pass the Corgi – although the creativity had failed at that point. It really WAS just a parcel.

My Mum had one of those reel to reel cassette(?) players. I’m not sure quite what to call it but she was blasting music. Grown ups were drinking decidedly Not Pop and there was an atmosphere of sheer exhilaration. It was a wonderful day. My Mum, ever the party planner had arranged a surprise none of us knew about. She’s hired a costume and the tallest of our neighbors dressed up as Orinoco from the Wombles and he appeared just as we were all singing ‘Remember you’re a Womble’!! Oh the excitement!

Later that evening my Dad and I walked around to the front of Buckingham Palace to watch fireworks. I’ve never seen such a glorious display as we had that night. It was magnificent. A gruff old man elbowed me, and with a twinkle in his eye exclaimed “It’s as loud as the Battle of Britain!” He was wearing a rack of medals on his suit. I’ve never forgotten him. A stranger who just shared a moment of joy. 43 years ago. Nearly my whole lifetime. The whole crowd burst into ‘God Save The Queen’ and I remember wishing that feeling would never end. I got my wish really. Here I am, still feeling it today.

We took so many photos that day and only two remain. They’re very poignant as they’re also the only two photos I have of my mum. She was so animated and happy, it’s bittersweet to see her young and lively when she’s no longer with us. Losing an old woman with Alzheimer’s was hard but seeing her back when she’d chase me down the street with a plastic spider and acknowledging that loss.. it’s like being stabbed. My mum. The only person I know who would stand drinking ginger ale out of a Waterford Crystal goblet at a street party!

*a potato covered in foil with a load of cocktail sticks adored with cubes of cheese and silver skin onions or cubes of pineapple.

Published by the britchy one

A PROUD American Citizen who was born and bred in England and now resides in the US. I’m married to an American who really didn’t have a clue what he was letting himself in for - poor sod! I’m a cranky bitch who loves cats and books and hates chocolate, politics and Dave’s. Oh and mosquitos. I hate those blood sucking parasites but since I’ve already mentioned politics I’m repeating myself! I’m a short, skinny redhead, 3 kids, 2 dogs, not enough cats and a mouth with a death wish. Blood group - certifiable.

50 thoughts on “The Street Party”

  1. Are you talking about 8 tracks? They were box shaped and had a ribbon across the top. You inserted in the machine. My mom had one that she would insert into where the cassette (this was early ’80’s) would go and we listened to a lot of Rod Stewert. I love those types of memories. 🙂

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      4. I love Rod Stewart too. My best friend Titselina Bumsqueak and I were obsessed with Them killing of Georgie” when were were about 15. It was an old song by then but we just loved it. I like pretty much everything he’s done 😊

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      10. That is reel to reel tapes, not cassettes. Cassettes are little things…smaller than a CD. Some music geeks still have reel to reel. And, not too long ago, a similar system, magnetic tapes (also on reels but, a different configuration), was used to back up computer systems.

        Did it look similar to this:

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    1. I left everything when I left my first husband. I was running from violence. I never got any of my photos, exam certificates.. nothing at all back. My sister activated a scorched earth policy a few years ago and took all of my parents albums so it’s slim pickings. She won’t even scan them for us

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      2. My dad recently emailed a picture he just found of my great grandad who was killed at the Somme and also one of my grandad at 25 with his 18 year old brother, his two sisters and his grandparents. Within 5 years all except my grandad were dead, my great uncle died at Arnhem and my great, great grandparents and my two great aunts died in the Blitz. I’ve been thinking about them so much. So much tragedy.

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    1. No we certainly didn’t! As a child she was already in the ‘grandma’ age group to me. I think we all though that would be her one and only jubilee. I prefer her greatly to the next potential potentate !!

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      1. Considering her mother’s age, she could be kicking for a few more years. Prince Philip, on the other hand, turns 99 in a couple months, so I don’t expect it will be too many years before he reaches the other side.

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      2. Yes I agree although that’s still a prodigious age! The Queen is more active and hardworking than people literally half her age. She’s quite remarkable. I wish her halfwit sons were as committed (instead of needing committing!)
        The only Royals younger than the Queen that I care for are William and Kate.

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  7. This was a delightful read and my favorite from today’s prompt. Thank you for bringing the Queen’s jubilee to life, better than television. Hugs from Thailand.

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    1. Thank you! I’ve been racking my brains since you posted this. Years ago I was friends with someone I no longer talk to. She recommended something that I think might’ve been this but I can’t remember and it’s bugging the heck out of me!

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      2. I really think this must be it. I know it was very long and it was the something kingdom so I’m betting this is it. I would get very frustrated with all the near misses so kudos to you for sticking with it

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    1. They were such a thing! Getting the cheese and pineapple/onion on sticks without it being a hedgehog was a huge anticlimax! Kinda like having chocolate blancmange if it wasn’t in a rabbit mold and serve on chopped up green jello!
      There were standards!

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