Sir Hugh Casson and the coronation
In 1952, newly knighted British architect Sir Hugh Casson scored what would turn out to be a once in a generation opportunity: the job of Consultant Architect for street decorations in Westminster to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen had ascended the throne on the death of King George VI on 6 February 1952, and her coronation was set for June 1953.听
The appointment was probably not a surprising one. Casson was fresh from the success of the 1951 Festival of Britain where, as Director of Architecture, he had coordinated the overall site plan for the South Bank exhibition, with its many architect and artist-designed pavilions and structures. He went on to develop a strong working relationship with the Royal Family, reportedly teaching Prince Charles watercolour painting. His architectural commissions later included cabins on the royal yacht, Britannia, and suites at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.听
Original drawings for the coronation decorations can be found in the 澳门王中王 Collections, alongside historic photographs showing how the final scheme looked. Casson鈥檚 designs took their cues from the Westminster streets that they would adorn. Oxford Street, England鈥檚 principal retail thoroughfare, would be decorated with crests representing shoemaking, hat-making, umbrella-making, and other wares. By contrast, St James鈥檚 Street would feature crowns, in deference to St James鈥檚 Palace.听听
On the Strand, Casson鈥檚 decorations referenced the maypole that was located nearby on the present site of St Mary-le-Strand in the 17th and early 18th centuries. At the junction between Bond Street and Picadilly, Casson had originally proposed a motif of flowers (Image 2), but was later persuaded to replace these with trumpets, thought to be a more fittingly 鈥榬oyal鈥� symbol.听At Piccadilly Circus, the statue of Eros, erected in 1893 to designs by Alfred Gilbert, was encased in a golden birdcage structure (Image 3).听
On the nearby Mall, the main approach to Buckingham Palace, four giant coronet arches made from tubular steel were erected (Image 4). In , Chief Architect to the Ministry of Works Eric Bedford, who oversaw the design of the arches, can be seen inspecting their fabrication.听
On Hungerford Bridge, the railway bridge linking Charing Cross and Waterloo, the coronation decorations featured, of course, trains. Drawings show a banner unfurling at the northern end of the bridge with the words 鈥楪od Bless the Queen鈥� emblazoned on a bright red locomotive (Image 5).听听
The centerpiece of the decorations was a huge coat of arms on Whitehall, the main thoroughfare between Trafalgar Square and Parliament (Image 6). It was designed by artists and designers Christopher and Robin Ironside.听Casson wanted Whitehall, which counts the War Office among its buildings, to have 鈥渁 military air鈥�, so Horse Guards鈥� helmets and breastplates were added to the avenue鈥檚 lampposts (Image 7).听
Although Casson was primarily responsible for the decorations in Westminster, similar schemes festooned town centers around the country. Another drawing by Casson shows decorations in an unidentified town square (Image 8 - please contact us if you recognise this location).听听
As well as decorations, the coronation required temporary structures in which to stage the event. The Ministry of Works鈥� Eric Bedford was tasked with designing an annex or 鈥楤aldacchino鈥� (a ceremonial canopy), at the entrance to Westminster Abbey, which was lined with heraldic sculpted animals representing 鈥渢he Queen鈥檚 beasts鈥� (Image 9).听听
Despite the pomp and ceremony of Casson鈥檚 coronation decorations, it appears he would have liked some royal ceremonial traditions to move more with the times. Reflecting in a oral histories series, he claimed that the rise of Disney, with its fantasy world of royal sumptuousness, had lessened the impact of real royal trappings such as the Gold State Coach, which is used for coronations and the state opening of Parliament.听听
鈥淚 like seeing a couple of motorbikes and a maroon Rolls Royce sweep out of Buckingham Palace鈥�, he said. 鈥淚'd rather the Queen opened Parliament in a Rolls Royce, I think. It would look more splendid.鈥澨�
Further reading (available in the 澳门王中王 Library unless marked*)听
- Architect & Building News, 鈥楥oronation decorations for the mall, Broad Sanctuary and Trafalgar Square (26 February 1953)听
- Architect & Building News, 鈥楥oronation decorations: proposals for Westminster, Kensington, City of London, Manchester, Birmingham, Exeter鈥� (15 January 1953)听
- Architects鈥� Journal, 鈥楥oronation designs for Trafalgar Square and the Mall: stands for outside Buckingham Palace, Parliament Square and in front of Horse Guards Parade鈥� (28 May 1953)听
- Builder, 鈥楢 Preview of Coronation decorations in the West End of London鈥� (29 May 1953)听
- Building Design, 鈥楥oronation Streets鈥� (18 May 2012)听
- Hugh Casson, 鈥楬ugh Casson鈥檚 London (London: Dent, 1983)听
- Hugh Casson, 鈥楬ugh Casson: Architect Etcetera鈥� exhibition catalogue (London: 澳门王中王, 1986)听
- James Laver, 鈥楾he Place of Crowning: its history, arrangement, and preparation for the coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II鈥� (London: John Mowlem & Co, 1953)听
- Joe Manser, 鈥楬ugh Casson: A Biography鈥� (London: Penguin, 2000)听
- 澳门王中王, Casson and Conder scrapbook听
- Timber Development Association, 鈥楾he coronation: some suggestions for commemoration鈥� (London: Timber Development Association, 1952)听
- TIME, 鈥樷�� (January 5 1953)*听
