QUEEN ELIZABETH II AND REPTON

The Accession: Editorial, The Reptonian, March 1952

Repton School was but a year old when the first Elizabeth came to the throne of England. We are looking forward to celebrating our four hundredth anniversary in the reign of Elizabeth the Second, to whom, called at this early stage of her life to suffer such a loss and at the same time to assume the heavy burden of the duties of State, we wish a long,

The Coronation: Editorial, The Reptonian, July 1953

happy and peaceful reign, in which she is assured of the devoted and unwavering loyalty of her subjects.

Memories of the Coronation are many; but there is one which Reptonians will cherish with especial pride – the thought that it was a Reptonian who crowned our Queen, and a Reptonian who stood at her right hand throughout the long ceremony.

Besides the Archbishop (Geoffrey Fisher, Headmaster 1914-1932) and the Bishop of Durham [Michael Ramsey, OR), other Reptonians who took part in the ceremony in the Theatre were Sir Arthur Cochrane, K.C.V.O., Clarenceaux King of Arms, Canon Charles Smyth, and the Rev. C. Hildyard, who carried the Cross of Westminster.

Our thoughts travel back to those distant times when, with the same emotions and festivities that have in our day surrounded the Coronation of our Queen, Repton itself witnessed the crowning of the Kings of Mercia.

The Queen’s Visit, March 28th 1957: From The Reptonian, July 1957

We who are in the school at the moment are lucky enough to have rather special memories of Repton. The Queen's visit and the Quatercentenary mark the passing of another milestone in the history of the School. Whatever the part we played on these occasions, whether we sat next to the Queen at lunch or merely saw her from the steps of Pears School, whether we took a leading part in the Masque or were only at the other end of one of the many torches in the procession, we will one day look back with a twinge of amusement and regret on 1957. The businessman in his office, the doctor in his surgery, the schoolmaster in his form-room, all will share a common memory, and sooner or later all will lose the thread of the job in hand and look back over the years to Repton, 1957....

Meanwhile all spectators, including the Guard of Honour, had reassembled in the New Precinct in readiness for the opening of the Kindersley Gate. After the presentation of Lord and Lady Kindersley, the Dowager Lady Kindersley and Mr. Marshall Sisson and Mr. J. P. Foster (the architects), N. Etherington-Smith, a great-grandson of Dr. Pears, presented the Queen with a pair of scissors for cutting the ribbon across the Gate. Although so comparatively young, EtheringtonSmith coins, a symbolical antidote against the severing of friendship. By that gift we should like to think that Her Majesty's friendship for the School was established and will never be cut. After the Queen had named the new way from the gate to the Precinct "The Queen's Walk," the Archbishop said a prayer and blessed the precinct.

Assisted by Mr. George Parker, the Queen then planted a royal oak, which, despite her assertion that she has not "green fingers", is at the time of writing, in full foliage and seems perfectly healthy.

As the Royal cars drove through the School Yard between the two lines made by the School, we all had our last glimpse of the Queen at Repton. The heartfelt cheers that sped the Royal guests in their way was the only way we could all say "Good-bye" and "Thank you for a wonderful day."

And so it finished. The Royal Visit was over. Despite the litter in the streets and the drooping bunting hanging from the flagpoles, there was a strong sense of elation throughout the School. Everything had gone like clockwork, thanks to meticulous planning and superb organisation, and the weather could not have behaved better. Everybody was delighted at the charm of the Queen and the ease of manner of the Duke. Both have the rare gift of communicating their personalities to all around them - it is this that made the day the success it undoubtedly was.