Table of Contents
Royal Visits
1920 - Prince of Wales
May 3, 1920
It was planned that Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) would arrive at new Plymouth by train at 8.55am. The party would then make their way to the Park for a reception after which they would go onto the Boy’s High School. To get to the High School the cars carrying the royal party planned to drive through the Park from the Sports Ground by way of Racecourse Walk. To do this Racecourse walk was widened. The time of departure from New Plymouth was set at 11am. A few days before the visit the arrival time was changed to 10am reducing the stay to just one hour, resulting in the visit to the Boys High School being cancelled. A lot of work went into the visit and one of the highlights was the forming of the Prince of Wales feathers on the playing field by 1536 children holding pampas plumes. The words of the motto were formed using 70 children. Also, The letters H. R. H were formed on the southern terrace by the Technical College students and the word welcome was formed on the eastern terrace by students of the Girls High School. Following the visit the school children were entertained and fed, organised by Mrs Burgess and her helpers.
The Press Collection,
Alexander Turnbull Library.
Plan to show where the children would stand to form the Prince of Wales Feathers. Collection of Puke Ariki (Ref: ARC2003-862/1).
1927 - Duke and Dutchess of York
March 3, 1927
This visit was of similar brevity as the 1920 royal visit. The Gilbert Street entrance was used on this occasion taking the royal party past Fountain Lake and entering the Sports Ground by the pavilion. The royal couple became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1936. Queen Elizabeth, known after her husband’s death as Her Majesty the Queen Mother, remained very popular in New Zealand.
Images below are from the Auckland Weekly News. March 10, 1927
1935 - Duke of Gloucester
On January 4,1935, Prince Henry the Duke of Gloucester, third son of King George V, visited New Plymouth.
The images below are from the Auckland Weekly News, January 9, 1935
From Left to Right: Percy Stainton, Mr. S. G. Smith, MP., Lord Galway, Lady Galway, Mrs. S. G. Smith, Mrs. P. E. Stainton, Thomas Horton and Mr. E. Jackson.
Private collection, Warwick Horton.
1954 Quenn Elizabeth II & Prince Philip
On January 9, 1954, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited New Plymouth. This was the first visit by a reigning monarch.
Below are a series of photos fron the Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 1370-395-01/20 series
1958 - The Queen Mother
Photo News, February 1958.
On February 6, 1958, the Queen Mother visited New Plymouth. She was welcomed by an estimated crowd of 16,000 at a reception in the Sports Ground.
1970 - Queen Elizabeth II & Prince Philip
On March 20, 1970, The Queen and Prince Philip visited New Plymouth. They attended a reception at the Bowl of Brookland and were entertained by the Spotswood College’s Madrigal Group. The group sang three pieces, Cantate Domino; Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, featuring soloist Julie Eales and The Little White Hen.
2015 - Prince Charles
November 9, 2015
Prince Charles and Camilla visited New Plymouth. As part of a brief visit to New Plymouth they had a walk through Brooklands.
Walking through Brooklands, TDN, November 9, 2015