June 14, 2005
Infants at the Palace
In 1949, The then Princess Elizabeth visited Bishopthorpe Palace with her new husband the Duke of Edinburgh, and village children (and mums) turned out to welcome them.
This week (56 years later) the Royals are back and on Tuesday village children and mums were there again. We have the pictures.
Here's the photo from 1949:
- probably taken by the Yorkshire Post -
Not many Royals in sight, eh?
Then spin on to 2005, and the lady in pink:
Yes, it seems the Queen has finished her lunch, and is coming down the garden path...
Now look at this fellow (note the wig and ribbons):
And who's he keeping under his left elbow?
The children certainly got a good view:
All the new pictures by Linda Haywood. Don't forget this will happen at the same time every day this week - between 1:30 and 1:45 - and you're welcome to come along.
Posted by Andrew at 09:01 PM | Comments (1)
Day One at the Palace
More photographs from Day One sent in by Brian Mellors
and a traditional skill returns to the Palace
The newly weds
Posted by martin at 07:25 PM
June 11, 2005
Royal Movements
For those who are interested, the movements of the Royal Family in Ascot Week will be as follows (to the best of my knowledge):
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will be staying with Lord Halifax at Garroby Hall, but will travel to Bishopthorpe Palace for lunch each day. The Landau will leave the Palace at around 13:30, travel up Bishopthorpe Road to Middlethorpe (watch for road closure around this time), turn left down the newly surfaced track and on to the race course from there (by the short start). The procession down the long straight will begin at 14:00 precisely.
Incidentally, if the Rails enclosure is very full, a better view may be had from the Bishopthorpe Road side of the rails (free entry, too) but get there in good time!
The Queen will attend Tuesday to Saturday, the DofE Tuesday to Friday.
Other Royals:
Prince Charles and Camilla: Tuesday (in a private capacity)
Princess Royal: Thursday and Friday
Duke of York: Tuesday - Friday
Earl and Countess of Wessex: Tuesday and Wednesday.
NB I do not know how the Queen et al are reaching Bishopthorpe. If by car, expect more short road closures in unexpected places (the back way). More likely it'll be by helicopter.
Posted by Andrew at 06:29 PM | Comments (1)
Half Price Hair
Jacqui's hairdressers in Acaster Lane have a sign in the window:
Ascot Week - 50% 0ff!
for the Royal Family
Posted by Andrew at 06:23 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
June 10, 2005
Facts, rumours, (and suburban myths?)
If you listen there are all sorts of stories going round, although the Council has a information web site on the whole affair here.
Here are some of them:
The Queen is to drive in her carriage over the Millennium Bridge.
All of the manhole covers in our area are inspected and sealed up.
There are watchers on all the tall buildings in the area.
The village is/will be full of extra police and security, holed up in the Church Hall.
There are many unsold tickets for the race days.
Despite expectations, only 3 private houses in York have been rented out to racegoers.
There will be 200 helicopter flights per day (mostly over Bishopthorpe.)
Most villagers are taking the opportunity to be elsewhere during the week.
The village economy will be enhanced by the extra turnout at the races.
'Southerners' won't travel north, so the extra punters will be (God help us!) Lancastrians and Geordies.
If most of this is true, living in Bishopthorpe next week could resemble southern Iraq - Basrathorpe even.
Posted by Len Holdall at 08:55 AM
June 09, 2005
Doctor's Surgery
The GP practice in Church Lane has announced the following changes during race week.
PARKING
There will be NO PARKING on Church Lane including immediately outside the surgery between:-
14th – 18th June
The only available parking will be 4/5 spaces in the St Andrews Church Hall Car Park which will be tightly controlled by the Police.
SURGERIES
Change of opening times
Monday/Tuesday
NORMAL OPENING TIMES
--------------------------
Wednesday 15th June
Thursday 16th June
Friday 17th June
The surgery will be open
Morning 8.00 – 12.00
Afternoon 2.00 – 5.00
As we are unable to quantify the demands on the Practice during this period, appointments for the period 15th - 17th June will not be released more than 48 hours in advance.
Reception staff will be under instructions to delay routine check-ups on these dates.
PS Don't forget you can book online for an appointment here.
Posted by martin at 09:06 AM
June 08, 2005
Post early for Ascot
Yet another perhaps less known inconvenience of having the racing fraternity expected in droves (what is the collective noun for a mass of punters I wonder - a muggle perhaps?) - is that the dear old Royal Mail has decide that last collections from the box at Bishopthorpe Post Office will be at 2 o'clock! during race days (Tuesday to Friday), and 11.00 on Saturday.
You have been warned.
Tough!
Posted by martin at 09:07 PM
June 07, 2005
Man United
I hear a rumour that the whole Manchester United Football Team (that's 11 men, right?) has booked into Middlethorpe Hall for the week.
WHY?
Posted by Andrew at 09:02 PM | Comments (1)
Infant's School
I'm informed that all the kids from Bishopthorpe Infant's School are going to the Archbishop's Palace to wave the Queen off in her horse and cart, as she sets off for the Races. Is that on Lady's Day too? Will they have a hat competition as well? Do the police know about this?
I think we should be told.
Posted by Andrew at 08:58 PM
Junior School
Apparently the entire junior school is going to walk, en masse and on Tuesday, from the school up Sim Balk and along Green Lane to the rails enclosure. I think there are 176 children, but they've got 50 adult tickets too. Should be quite a march!
They're going to have a hat competition first though. It might be interesting to see what the boys come up with.
I'll let you know how they got on!
Posted by Andrew at 08:52 PM | Comments (1)