The couple called in at the former Huddersfield Town football ground at Leeds Road, where 8,000 schoolchildren were assembled.
During a tiring morning of rehearsals for their display tableau, a number of the children had to be assisted from the field and when asked if they would give up lunch for another rehearsal the answer was a resounding “no”.
But they did agree to hurry over their sandwiches and pop to get back into position for the arrival of the Princess.
Royal Visit: Princess Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh visiting Trafalgar Mills. Princess Elizabeth talking to Mr E Overton.
Last stop on the royal agenda was at the Trafalgar Mills of Messrs Learoyd Bros and Co, worsted manufacturers, where the couple were shown all round.
St John Ambulance Brigade reported that nearly 100 men, women and children were treated during the day — few seriously — and the delivery of over 60 pints of water, carried in flasks by first-aiders, helped to minimise the number of faintings.
The six cameras of the Huddersfield Cine Club between them shot 700ft of colour film covering the visit.
The construction of the M62 (Image: Kirklees Council archives)
The sun was shining from a blue sky with only a few white clouds when a reigning monarch arrived in Huddersfield for only the second time in our history.
An Examiner leader lauded the Scammonden Dam and M62 projects. The dam which “will in years to come solve Huddersfield’s water problems” and the motorway which “will prove an inestimable boon to private and commercial travellers across the Pennines at least for a generation”.
With hindsight, today we might “tweak” both descriptions a little but given the pride and euphoria of the occasion, not a bad forecast.
On Wednesday, the Queen will pass the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria
The monarch was certainly making a fashion statement when she arrived in a striking coat in tomato red over a Paris-length matching dress and a red crocheted hat with a white and black flower motif.
There was a crowd estimated at several thousand people to greet her arrival at Huddersfield railway station, where the royal train overshot the red carpet area and the Queen had to step down on to the bare stone platform.
From then on it was flag-waving crowds all the way for the slow drive from St George’s Square and the route to New Hey Road and then first to Outlane and then Scammonden Water.
It was another 19 years before the Queen returned, this to open the new headquarters in New North Parade, of BARLA, the British Amateur Rugby League Association, on Friday, November 30, 1990.
Queen Elizabeth II visits Scammonden Dam
Maurice Oldroyd was a Royal visit veteran, but he was moved by the memory of one encounter with Her Majesty. He said: “We asked the Queen to open the building and we were staggered and delighted when we were informed that she would perform the ceremony.
“It was a great honour to have the Queen come to Huddersfield, and we were really proud to say we brought her here.”
Members of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment hoisted the Royal Standard over the BARLA head offices as the Queen’s car arrived. She was received by the Mayor of Kirklees — Tom O’Donovan — who was also BARLA ’s development officer.
The Queen’s final visit to Huddersfield came on May 24, 2007, when she was at the University of Huddersfield.
HM The Queen visits Huddersfield University - with Vice Chancellor Bob Cryan
The University was invited to host a civic lunch, welcoming the monarch to thee town, and it was provided by Asian food specialists, the Mumtaz group of companies of Bradford. The three-course meal, described as ‘fit for a queen’, included traditional Kashmiri starters and desert, and a selection of main-courses dishes which included a dish of Lamb and Spinach, Karahi Okra, Paneer Shahi, and Karahi Murgh Makhani.
During her visit, the Queen unveiled a foundation stone for the institution’s new Creative Arts Building.
“We are very proud that the University was chosen as the venue for the Civic Lunch,” said the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof Bob Cryan.
“As part of her visit, Her Majesty kindly agreed to unveil the Foundation Stone for our new flagship building for the creative arts, which represents an overall investment of £14 million. The new structure, at the entrance to the campus, demonstrates the University’s commitment to provide excellent student facilities, and its important role in the future of Huddersfield as a creative town.”
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