On the occasion of the Coronation of George VI on 12th May 1937, various village events took place, with the programme as detailed below
The events were then described in the Rugby Advertiser in an article entitled “Flying the Flag”.
THE Coronation celebrations at Church Lawford started in this village with Holy Communion conducted by the Rector.
At 9:30a m. there was a good congregation at the service of thanksgiving, when the special forms were used.
In the afternoon the villagers assembled in the school playground, where the flag was unfurled and the proceedings opened by the singing of the National Anthem The fancy dress parade followed. All the entries were worthy of praise, both the costumes and decorated vehicles being very attractive.
The following took part – Yeoman of the Guard, David Heckford;
No more strikes, Rose Cresswell; Tate’s sugar, Frances Riley;
Cotton Packer, Patrick Newman. Coronation, Mrs Paxton;
King and Queen, Norman and David Parker; Eat more fruit, Murielle Simmonds;
Nurse Joan Earp; Jockey, Michael Woodward; Miss Night, Kathleen Woodward;
Britannia Mrs Bailey; Minnie Ha Ha, Mrs. Round;
Sir Walter Raleigh, Mrs Heckford; Nurse, Malcolm Heckford;
May Queen, Geoffrey Heckford; Belisha Beacon, Marjorie Newett;
Bo Peep, Dorothy Archer; French Legionnaire, Mary Archer;
Minstrel, Mr. Archer; New Zealand, Mrs Newett;
Order of the Bath, Beryl Simmonds; Gypsy, Gladys Thorne;
Rainbow, Decima Thorne; Sheik, Mr. Round;
Granny gives up hiking, Mrs Simmonds; Red Indian, Walter Riley.
The judges for this were Mrs Underwood (Rugby) and Mr. Bird (Coventry). The awards were :-
Children. 1 Norman and David Parker, 2 Mary Archer. 3 Rose Cresswell. Ladies. 1 Mrs Simmonds. 2 Mrs Bailey, 3 Miss G. Thorne; Gentlemen. 1 Mr Round. 2 Walter Riley. 3 Mr. Archer.
A short tour of the village was made followed by the children’s sports. Races were won as under:-
60 yards flat race, children under 5 1 Geoffrey Heckford, 2 Ben Burrell, 3 Marjorie Gibbs;
100 yards flat race, boys over 5 and under 9 years, 1 Roy Farmer, 2. Jim Chambers, 3 Malcolm Heckford;
100 yards flat race, girls over 5 and under 9. 1 Phyllis Perry. 2 May Cross, 3 Kathleen Woodward;
100 yards flat race, boys over 9 and under 14. 1 Raymond Burrell, 2 Maurice Howell, 3 Derek Birch.
100 yards flat race, girls over 9 and under 14 years 1 Rose Cresswell, 2 Frances Riley, 3 Murielle Simmonds;
Obstacle Race, heat 1 1 Herbert Reeve. 2 Stanley Cross. 3 Stanley Townsend. heat 2. 1 Maurice Howell. 2 Charles Perry, 3 Raymond Burrell;
Skipping race, 1 Murielle Simmonds, 2 Rose Cresswell, 3 Beryl Simmonds;
Three-legged race. 1 F. Riley and S. Spires. 2 R. Burrell and S. Townsend, 3 B Simmonds and G. Thorne.
Sports for the adults had to be postponed on account of the weather. Between the hours of 4 pm and 6 pm all the children and the adults sat down to a meat tea, the men being given beer with which to drink the King’s health.
In the evening a whist drive was held at the Rectory, the winners being :- Ladies. 1 Mrs. Pincham, 2 Mrs. Bailey. 3 Mrs. Mitchell; Gentlemen. 1 Mrs. Patton (playing as gent), 2 Mr. Day, 3 E. Smith; consolation prises Mrs. Hence and C. Davis.
At 8:30 p m. the children assembled in the schoolroom. where the prizes for races were handed to them by Mr S. Robinson, and at the conclusion each child was given a beaker as a souvenir. A dance in the evening at the Reading Room brought a happy day to a close.
Details of the Wake Festival for that year show the results of the postponed Sports Events (and other being repeated) – see here.