Thousands of people packed Blantyre streets on Tuesday 24th May 1977 to say a big “welcome back” to an old friend. Almost fifty years after her last visit, the Queen Mother returned to the town – and the local folk made it clear it wasn’t a day too soon.
In 1929, as the Duchess of York, she came to open the famous National Memorial to David Livingstone. On that Tuesday, she returned to open the £120,000 African Pavilion, an extension of the Memorial that brought the memory of the Livingstone legend into the Seventies.
The usually drab Glasgow Road was transformed by hundreds of flag-waving schoolchildren and their cheers could be heard half a mile away at the Memorial, giving the crowds there good warning of Royal approach.
There was a burst of cheering as the Queen Mother emerged from the Royal Car at the Memorial entrance at Station Road. Lord Clydesmuir, the County’s Lord Lieutenant, introduced Her Majesty to local government representatives, Livingstone Trust members and visiting African diplomats and then she reviewed the ranks of the local youth organisations.
The uniformed organisations of Scouts, Brownies, BB’s and Guides lined the route to the African Pavilion where the Queen Mother was due to make a short speech and unveil a plaque commemorating the opening. This did not go entirely without a hitch. As the Queen Mother approached the microphone, the amplifiers gave off an agonised, loud electronic howl! She commented, “I’m terrified of these things. What an awful noise.” she said clutching her heart in a mock gesture of shock.
The Rev. John Gray, installed that morning as Moderator of the General Assembly, was standing beside her and he shook the microphone saying: “We’ll try to shake some of the gremlins out of this.”
Eventually the Gremlins did leave and the Queen Mother made her speech. She praised the Governors of the Livingstone Trust for their “courage and wisdom” in building the new pavilion.
She added that it would be wonderful for the many children who would visit the pavilion to see the Livingstone story portrayed so vividly. She then unveiled a plaque, then following a dedication by Mr Gray, little Ishbel Murdoch , the great great granddaughter of David Livingstone presented the Queen Mother with a posy of flowers.
But you don’t have to take my word for all this. You can see it here, in colour film! Although no sound, the video captures perfectly the atmosphere of the day. Who remembers this day some 47 years ago.
Continued on Part 2 tomorrow….