Royal book returns home

A book given to a young girl in Hastings when HM The Queen was crowned, with a foreword written by the then mayor of Hastings, has returned 'home' after 70 years.

Brenda Cruttenden, (née Challacombe) was 12 when the Queen was crowned and a pupil at St Mary's Star of the Sea School (then in the High Street). She was given a book through the school entitled 'Elizabeth Our Queen', by Richard Dimbleby.

It was a special presentation edition, and every child in the town was given one as a coronation souvenir. The foreword was written by the then mayor of Hastings, Alderman H W Rymill JP, Baron of the Cinque Ports. The book, published nationally, included a full page photo of the then Princess Elizabeth visiting Hastings in May 1951.

Brenda said "I no longer need the book and I thought it would be nice to return it to the mayor's parlour. I was very pleased our current mayor agreed to accept the book. It means a lot to me that the book, with the foreword being written by a previous mayor, will be welcomed as part of the town's mayoral history in the parlour.

The current mayor, Cllr James Bacon, said :- "This was a very kind gesture by Brenda, I will make sure the book is kept in the mayor's parlour in the town hall as a fitting souvenir to HM The Queen's 70 years on the throne."

Brenda handed the book to the mayor outside the town hall (COVID-19 restrictions not permitting a visit to the mayor's parlour) on Sunday 6 February, the exact day of the Queen's platinum jubilee.

Pics show Brenda Cruttenden giving Cllr James Bacon the book outside Hastings town hall, and a copy of the foreword to the book.