Forty Years Ago Today

Forty years ago today is the anniversary of the Investiture of Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle, North Wales, when Prince Charles was crowned the Prince of Wales.

There was a lot of excitement going on at that time. I was eight years old and part of it. For weeks before there were preparations for street parties. In our street, Gladstone Terrace, the mothers got together with mothers from nearby streets to plan the party that was to be held in Hankey Place, a nearby side street. We lived on the main road, so a street party outside the front door was unthinkable.

It was a great day as tables and chairs were set out in the street. Mothers brought sandwiches, sausages on sticks, cakes, jellies and blancmanges.

Games were played and silly hats worn. The games that stick in my mind though are the ones the adults took part in like the mothers' races. My mother came joint first with another one, but I think it was ruled that the other child's mother had won by a hair's breadth. I was disappointed for my mother though. It would have been nice for her to have won something.

When the adults were busy playing bingo, I sneaked back home, probably to use the loo, and discovered that for the first time our duck had laid an egg. I remember being surprised at how big it was and took it to show my mother. Luckily I didn't drop it.

The sun shone all day that day.

When the events slowed down and people drifted away to go home, we were given a party bag with a toffee apple, sweets and a special commemorative mug to mark the prince's special day. I still have it on a shelf at home.

It was a day I'll never forget. A day when all the community got together to celebrate a very special event.