Port Perry High School - Hilltop Yearbook (Port Perry, Ontario Canada)

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The parade, which started about three-thirty, lasted for almost fifty minutes. In it were many servicemen, dark skins and white, representing all parts of the Commonwealth. When the Royal Canadian Mounted Police rode by in their scarlet tunics, a deafening cheer arose from the stand. We Canadians swelled with pride. The Prime Ministers of the various countries rode in carriages in the procession. Ne were a prominent group since we were dressed alike in navy suits and the British girls in red blazers. The Prime Minister of New Zealand leaned out of his carriage to wave to us. Sir Winston Churchill and Mr. St. Laurent had big smiles for us. When the royal carriage arrived my breath was almost taken away. The golden coach is almost beyond the power of words to describe. If the sun had been shining, the coach would have really glittered. The Duke of Edinburgh was on our side but when the coach was opposite, the Queen looked towards us. We were so thrilled because we had been waiting to see her for almost eight hours. While on tour we seldom had a free moment as we were always visiting points of interest. Some of these visits in- cluded Stoke Poges, to see the memorial of the famous poet, Thomas Gray, Hampton Court, a former home of Henry VIII, and many old cathedrals, some dating from the tenth CenturY.' One day we went to Windsdr Castle where we saw the colourful pageant of the changing of the guard. That evening we attended a performance of the London Symphony Orchestra in the Royal Festival Hall. On a visit to the Tower of London we saw the Crown Jewels. My, how they glittered! When I first looked at them, I wondered if they could be real. Each girl was given a large Wedgewood Coronation mug as a souvenir of our visit to Josiah Wedgewoodfs showrooms and I succeeded in bringing mine home in one piece. Another day we saw the Royal Tournament at Earlscourt which was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, Our seats were directly opposite the Royal Box. Other places of interest on our tour included the Houses of Parliament, St. Paul's Cathedral and the Port of London. Although our visit to Paris was a short one, lasting only three days, we enjoyed it very much. Ne could sense exciteuent in the air. Je saw many of the famous places in and around Paris including the famous Eiffel Tower, the Arch of Triumph, Napoleon's tomb and the palace at Versailles Paris is a very old city and some of the streets are quite narrow. The Arch of Triumph is the hub of the city with many streets leading frgm it.

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Q TRIP It is really difficult for me to realize that a whole year has passed since the coronation and my trip to England at that time. To be overseas seemed more of a dream than a reality and I hope that by this account you nay share some of my experiences as a member of the Garfield Heston Canadian Girls' Tour to the British Isles and France last summer. The fifty-two girls on our tour were from all parts of Canada, including the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. I myself was thrilled with the many beautiful and interesting sights we saw. Under the friendly leadership of two of Mr. Weston's daughters Miss Miriam and Liss Mendy Weston, we felt we were all part of one big happy family. We sailed from Montreal on the Empress of France on May 22nd. Life on the boat was fun, although we had a fairly rough crossing and at one evening meal only lb of our 52 girls were present. I found it was quite an accomplishment to be able to walk in a straight line on a rolling ship, an art which I did not acquire in two crossings. We landed in Liverpool on May 29th. Immediately we faced many cameras and then boarded a train to London. Passing through the beautiful countryside we saw many small fields, all with hedges around them. Our first glimpse of England told us that every Englishman takes pride in his garden. We stayed about forty miles from London at the Salvation Army Hostel in Caversham with the fifty British girls who were sent by Mr. Weston to Canada for a four-week tour after the Coronation. We thonoughly enjoyed the few wonderful days which we spent with them. Mr. Heston had a special stand built on Oxford Street. From there the fifty-two Canadians, viewed the Coronation procession. On Tuesday morning, June 2nd, Cshould I say bright and early? Well, early anywayl we crawled out of bed at h:3O a.m. We had breakfast, drove to London, and then walked sixteen blocks to our stand on Oxford Street. It was about eight o'clock when we arrived but many people had been along the route all night. Many of the spectators along the street were singing and we girls joined in the merriment. We sang songs while the others listened. ' Ne ate lunch in the dining rooms which hr. Jeston had especially constructed underneath our stand for this occasion We watched the ceremony in Nestminister Abbey on television sets which had been placed in the stand. Precisely at twelve thirty, when the crown was placed on the Queen's head, we heardr the great guns of the Tower of London fire a royal salute.

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The stop at Dieppe concluded our visit to the continent. A touch of sadness came to our hearts as we saw the cemetery there. Two members of our group laid a wreath at the Canadian memorial. The old Frenchman who acted as our guide told us many stories of trouble and hardship under German occupation. He had a particular affection for Canadians because of the part they played in the liberation of France. While on tour we met a great many people. When we were staying at Cheltenham we met Mr. and Mrs. Garfield Weston the sponsors of our trip. We were presented to H. R. H. The Princess Royal at her residence WHarewood House.W In Ireland we met the Governor and his wife, Lord and Lady Wakehurst, and the Prime Minister and his wife, Lord and Lady Brooke- borough. On the thirtieth of June, the Empress of Australia made a special stop for us in Belfast. Je had a very smooth crossing coming home. I was away a little over seven weeks and during that time I made many lasting and valuable friend- ships. It was nice to go away but wonderful to return home. These tours are made possible in order to foster better relations between Canada and Great Britian and I am quite sure that this purpose is realized. We Weston Tour Girls of l953 are very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. Garfield Weston for sponsor- ing our trip overseas in that great Coronation year. While staying at Cheltenham, England, Mr. Weston presented each girl with a sterling silver medallion with two of his most cherished mottos, which he carried with him to war, engraved on it. In concluding may I pass them along to you: WTis the set of the sails and not the gales That determines the way they go.W HThe high soul climbs the high way, The low soul gropes the low, And inbetween on the misty flats, The rest drift to and fro.N JEAN SAMELLS