On Thursday 9th July, 1953, the queen started her two day coronation visit to Wales at Newport. Many people had waited in heavy rain throughout the night to greet her.
A salute of 21 guns announced that the Royal train had arrived. The Queen wore a fitting Princess-style coat in white grosgrain and held a bouquet of sixty roses grown in Newport parks. The Duke was in the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet.
Waiting at the railway station to receive the Royal visitors were the Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire, Lord Raglan, the Sheriff of the County, Mr. E. C. Lysaght, and the Mayor of Newport Councillor William Pinnell.
About 25.000 children lined the streets as the royal party were driven by car to the civic centre. Then after signing the visitors' book in the Mayor's Parlour the Royal couple were driven to Cardiff.
This digitized 16mm video footage was filmed by Dr. W.R. Campbell a G.P. (1936 - 1964) and Newport Rugby Club's medical officer for many years. It shows street decorations before the coronation and the Queen's drive to the Civic Centre and then on via Cardiff Road to Cardiff. Rob Campbell, Dr. Campbell's son, kindly sent us a copy of this original footage.
Start to 23 secs
36 Chepstow Road. Dr. Campbell's house and surgery. Now with no 34 The Newport Hotel.
24secs to 49 secs
Probably Livingstone Place / Glebe Street.
49 secs to 1m 07 secs
Back of Maindee School, now demolished.
1m 07 secs to 1m 22 secs
Again Livingstone Place / Glebe Street?
1m 22 secs to 1m 38 secs
The Queen, top of Stow Hill – filmed from St Woolos Hospital.
1m 38 secs to end
The Queen on Cardiff Road – filmed from Belle Vue Park.