Ryde Social Heritage Group research the social history of the citizens of Ryde, Isle of Wight. Documenting their lives, businesses and burial transcriptions.
RYDE SOCIAL HERITAGE GROUP
Based at Ryde Cemetery Heritage & Learning Centre. Preserving, documenting and promoting the social history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.
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TEA WITH THE QUEEN!

Carol & Janette at the Palace
Carol & Janette at the Palace

Earlier this year I was surprised and delighted to receive a letter from the office of Major General Martin White, the Lord Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, asking if I would accept an invitation to one of Her Majesty’s Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace this summer.

The invitation was for me and one other and was in recognition of the work carried out by Ryde Social Heritage Group. RSHG is a voluntary local history group set up by myself and two friends in 2002 with the aim of researching, documenting and sharing information about the history of Ryde on the Isle of Wight. In 2004 we received a lottery grant for about £20,000 which enabled us to set up a website, purchase display equipment, carry out research, increase our membership and produce a book about the history of Ryde. In 2005 we became a formerly constituted group with a Management Committee and I am currently Chairman of the group. Last year we received a national award, from the Community Archives and Heritage Group, for being the ‘Most Inspirational’ local history group in the country.

We held a ballot of committee members to see who would accompany me to the palace and Carol Strong, one of our hardest working volunteers and leader of our publications team, was chosen to come with me to the Garden Party.
After a wait of several weeks Carol and I received our official invitations from the Lord Chamberlain’s office at Buckingham Palace to attend a Garden Party on 3 June 2014. We spent some time organising our outfits and (most importantly) our hats and on the morning of June 3 we set off for our trip to London.

We travelled by ferry from Ryde to Portsmouth and then by coach to London Victoria arriving at Buckingham Palace just after 2pm. The gates to the Palace were not due to open until 3pm and we thought we would have time to take some photographs outside before we went in, but a queue was already forming at the gates and a friendly policeman told us to join the queue as the gates would be opening early. By half past two we had passed through the security checks and were inside the Palace grounds. We entered through the Grand Entrance, that’s the part of the building you see from the front below the balcony. To reach the Garden we had to walk through part of the Palace, across a courtyard and then through another part of the house. We were impressed by the size and grandeur of the building. As we walked through the building there were plenty of friendly staff on hand to guide us in the right direction and finally we came out onto The West Terrace overlooking the vast and beautiful gardens.

There were thousands of guests at the garden party but the grounds are so huge it didn’t feel crowded. It was a cool but sunny day and we wandered around the gardens admiring the plants and the views. On the big lawn in front of the house two military bands played alternately throughout the afternoon and cool and refreshing drinks were available whenever needed. Just after 3pm tea was served from the main tea tent. This was a huge tent with lots of stations where guests could collect their food. There were queues but everything was done so efficiently no-one had to wait long to be served. We selected our sandwiches, some small fruit tarts and iced coffee and took our tea across the lawn to a seating area under some trees.

Just after 3:30 the Yeoman of the Guard marched out which indicated that Her Majesty was about to arrive. Many people rushed to form two lines across the lawn from the Terrace to the Royal Tea Tent, the route the Royal Family would take. We stood just below the Terrace and saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles and Camilla as they stood at the top of the steps while the National Anthem was played. Other members of the Royal family present were the Earl and the Countess of Wessex, the Duke of Kent and Princess Alexandra.

Unfortunately just as the Royal entourage came out of the Palace the heavens opened and there was a very heavy downpour of rain. Naturally many people put up umbrellas to keep themselves dry, but this meant that we were unable to see the Royal family as they walked across the lawn, stopping occasionally to speak to guests. So we, like many other guests, ran for the cover of the trees.

At 4:15 tea was served in the Diplomatic Tent and at 4:30 tea was served in the Royal Tent. Admittance to these two tents was strictly by invitation only and as we could not get near enough to see what was going on we went back to the large Tea Tent this time for a cup of tea and some cakes. The cakes were absolutely delicious and I was particularly taken with the chocolate squares complete with little crowns on the top. They really did taste as good as they looked.

At about a quarter to six, after they had had their tea, the Royal family departed and the National Anthem was played again. After this many of the guests also started to leave and there was a crush of people all trying to get back through the Palace at the same time and members of staff trying, without much success, to persuade some of the people to use alternate exits.

By this time the sun had come out again and as we were in no rush to leave we stood on the terrace people watching and admiring the many smart uniforms, national dresses, glamorous outfits and a vast array of hats. Waiting staff came around with ice-creams for anyone who wanted them and we felt it would be impolite to refuse, so that was another treat for us.

When it came time for us to go we decided to leave the Palace grounds by the Grosvenor Gate which is closer to Victoria Coach Station than the Grand Entrance, it was also much less crowded and gave us another opportunity to walk through the gardens and around the lake.

We arrived back on the Island at about 11pm very tired but pleased with how the day had been.

If you ever get an opportunity to visit the Palace we would thoroughly recommend you seize it and go and see the impressive building and beautiful grounds, it’s an a rare opportunity to get close to a wonderful part of our country’s heritage and, if you are very lucky, you may even get to speak to a member of the Royal Family.

Janette Gregson
Chairman
Ryde Social Heritage Group
5 June 2014

You can see more pictures of the day by clicking the link below to Daily Mail Online.