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The Golden Jubilee Embroidery is complementary to the
Greenwich Millennium Embroideries. It was never intended to
be the ninth panel. This mini-website tells you all about
it.
The Story of the Golden
Jubilee Embroidery
Beverley Burford, the Manager of
the Greenwich Heritage Centre thought that as the Millennium Embroideries
were now finished and ready for display it would be a shame to break up
the group of embroiderers, who had by then become great friends. She
suggested that some of the team might like to continue to meet once a week
to chat and work on another piece of embroidery.
She decided we
could do another panel, and this time it would be to celebrate the Queen's
Golden Jubilee, and would mark the number of times that HM the Queen had
visited the London Borough of Greenwich. The size and shape of the panel
was decided upon - as the Millennium Embroideries were upright, portrait
shape, that the Golden Jubilee panel should be landscape shape. The length
of people's arms had to be taken into account, as, if the panel had been
too deep, it would be difficult to sew the pieces of embroidery into the
centre of it.
Then the colour of the background had to be decided
upon. The Millennium Embroidery panels have a green background, and we
wanted this one to be different. Some favoured blue, grey, or
cream and others a neutral colour. Samples of suitable materials were
obtained from John Lewis & Co. and the decision was made - it would be
a pale mushroom background.
In the meantime, a list had been
compiled of the many times that the Queen had visited the Borough
since her succession to the throne in 1952. A 'brainstorming' meeting soon
sorted out which dates were going to be commemorated, and what pictures
would be used to record the event.
- The top of the panel would be sewn in royal purple wool, on canvas,
proclaiming the name of the work - HM Queen Elizabeth II, Golden
Jubilee. (Later the dates 1952 - 2002 would be added.)
- At the left side of the panel would be a shield
with the Royal coat of arms.
- On the right the coat of arms of Greenwich.
- The centre section would commemorate the Queen's visits to the
London Borough of Greenwich.
It was decided that, as on the Bayeux tapestry, there
should be, along the lower part of the panel a fun strip, which would show
street parties and other celebrations for the Coronation, Silver Jubilee
and the Golden Jubilee.
This would have suitable entertainments of
the times, a Punch and Judy show, a 'sing-song' around a piano and a
bouncy castle. We also show the Silver Jubilee bus and the Golden Jubilee
bus, which advertises John Lewis & Co. - they were so very helpful
with the backing material and embroidery threads.
Soon people were
choosing which pieces they wished to embroider, these ranged from the
Coronation coach to the opening of the Millennium Dome. We had decided
that each piece of embroidery should be no larger than an 8" diameter
circle so that all would be of equal importance. Work began on the pieces
and we met each week to discuss problems or ideas. The background cloth,
with a calico backing had been stapled to a wooden frame and stood ready
for the first pieces to be sewn upon it.
It seemed a long time
before we had enough finished pieces of embroidery ready, but when they
were spread out on a table, and we saw what we had produced then the
project began to take shape.
The team who gave their time to do the embroidery, had an
enjoyable time doing it, and we hope that when you see it you will enjoy
it too, and smile to see the children in the street parties.
One little girl in particular, in her nurse’s uniform at
the Coronation street party, adds a poignant note, for she is Beverley
herself, who started it
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