As Britain pauses this week to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, our film clip takes us back 45 years to a time when the nation was celebrating a previous jubilee - this time of the silver variety.
It was the summer of 1977 and the 51-year-old monarch, with Prince Philip by her side, was in the midst of a UK tour to mark 25 years on the throne. Our amateur video footage, courtesy of the North East Film Archive (NEFA), captures Silver Jubilee events taking place in South Shields on July 15, 1977, and was shot by Ken Wright.
We see the Queen car on the town's John Reid Road greeted by local people and flag-waving schoolchildren from Monkton Junior School, South Shields. A street party at Wharton Street with Union Jacks and bunting displayed on terraced houses mirrored scenes taking place right around Britain. The clip comes from a longer version of the silent, colour film which can be viewed on NEFA's website.
READ MORE: Newcastle in the 1980s - 10 photographs
Forty-five years ago, having arrived at Newcastle Quayside on the Royal Yacht Britannia, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a whirlwind tour of the region, including South Shields. The Chronicle reported: "They received a tumultuous Geordie welcome from the people of Tyne and Wear today.
"Wherever they went, the story was the same – thousands of people shoulder-to-shoulder wanting a chance to see the Royal couple. At every stop along the 64-mile route, there were huge crowds, cheering and waving Union Jacks."
If you would like to watch more archive footage like this, but in DVD form, Newcastle On Film has been specially produced by NEFA. Presented and narrated by Pam Royle - latterly of ITV Tyne Tees News fame - it pays homage to life on Tyneside and features lots of wonderful archive film footage.
The DVD 'Newcastle On Film' is priced at £12 (including postage and packing), and all profits from the sale go back into the valuable work of the North East Film Archive. Buy it here. See more from the North East Film Archive at www.yfanefa.com
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