The University and More
Thursday 24th May started dull and looked like rain. Employees of Huddersfield University had been urged by senior management to attend the arrival of the Royal party, but they needed no urging. Non-teaching staff were told that they would have to make up for any time taken off but, although that was mean-spirited, it did not dampen the occasion. The sun came bursting out with minutes to spare before the cavalcade arrived and the crowd was very pleased to see the Queen and Prince Philip. (Many thanks to Engineering lecturer Bruce Mehrdadi for sending me the first picture).
After the usual speeches, a foundation stone for a creative arts building was given Royal approval, before a carefully screened party of employees. The Royal party had a curried meal at the University provided by a top Bradford eatery. Next stop for Prince Philip was an eco-homes project at Primrose Hill while the Queen opened a new eco-friendly building at Huddersfield Media Centre.
St. George Square
The big event of the afternoon was a short musical event in St. George Square performed by the world-renowned Huddersfield Choral Society and the orchestra of Opera North. They played Handel's 'Hallelujah Chorus' from The Messiah; Handel's 'Zadok the Priest', (which was sung during the Queen's Coronation); and Verdi's Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves. The Dambusters March went down very well with Town fans, some of whom supplied their own colourful words about Leeds.
The Royal party listened in a pavilion which looked something like a greenhouse. Then she mysteriously moved from one side of the crowd to the other, to appear on the stage. To rapturous applause, the Queen received a posy from a little girl and to thank the musicians and singers. A splendid time was had by all.
Will Rogers: 'Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.'