This week saw the death of Queen Elizabeth II bringing to an end her reign of over 70 years.
During her time on the throne, Her Majesty visited St Helens several times with the first of these royal visits coming in 1954. Local historian Stephen Wainwright recounted this visit saying: "In Queen Victoria's long reign of 63 years the monarch never once visited St Helens. However, the young Queen Elizabeth took only two and a half years from ascending the throne before making her first journey to the town.
"Mummy, Oh Mummy! She's Beautiful!" , was what one anonymous eight-year-old girl was quoted by the St Helens Reporter as having exclaimed upon sighting the Queen. The St Helens newspaper described how the 28-year-old had immediately taken to residents' hearts, with practically the whole of the population giving 'their beloved Sovereign and her husband a right Royal welcome'.
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"The crowds had begun lining the Royal route at an early hour determined to secure the best spots. Some sought quieter places, such as at Windle Island, in order to catch the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's entrance into the town and by 10:30am large numbers had assembled in Rainford Road.
"Other popular spots were at the junction of Westfield Street and Lowe Street where the band of the Royal Engineers performed and by the Oxford Cinema in Duke Street where the band of the 4th South Lancs Regiment (TA) band played the National Anthem. Troops also lined the streets of the town centre.
"Around 4,000 children were conveyed in double-decker buses from their schools to various locations on the Royal route."
The last of Her Majesty's visits came during the year of her silver jubilee, in 1977. The Queen, alongside her husband Prince Philip completed a tour of the UK, visiting 36 counties in three months. June 21 saw over 50,000 strong greet the royals in St Helens, many of whom had been waiting eagerly for hours.
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