E. Lloyd Daniels (Cr 1946-56)

I was there this day 60 years ago - 6^thFebruary 1952 – the Royal Family

This day 60 years ago I was 13 years old and lived in Worcester with my parents and younger brother.    Wednesday 6^th February was a school day and I rode my bicycle from our home in Lansdowne Walk to the King's School right beside the cathedral and the River Severn.   I had been going to this school for over 5 years. 

It was a cold and frosty morning as I left home and it took me less than 15 minutes to cycle through the city to school.   I put my bicycle in the bicycle sheds along one side of the school playground.   As I walked across the playground to my class room I looked up at the tower of the cathedral which was shrouded in the freezing fog.   I had no idea of the events that were taking place in our country that were to make history. 

I walked round College Green joining others going to College Hall for morning assembly.   College Hall is a vast stone building that was originally part of a monastery.   It has an extremely high ceiling and large windows just like a cathedral.   There is a big platform at one end and behind it a 20 foot high stone statue in the wall.   The head of the statue is missing as it was damaged by a canon ball shot at it by Oliver Cromwell's soldiers.    

All the school were arriving at College Hall.   I sat on one of the many rows of bench seats with my friends from class Upper Remove A.  Promptly as the cathedral clock began to strike 9 o'clock we were all told to stand up as the headmaster entered the hall from his house alongside.   He walked the full length of the hall which was in complete silence, climbed the steps to the platform, and stood behind a table in front of his high backed chair.  The school monitors were sat on chairs in a row either side of him.   The school teachers were sat on rows of chairs behind.

School assembly began with the singing of a hymn which was followed by a Bible reading and a talk from the headmaster, or a member of staff, or sometimes a visitor to the school.   When this was over, the headmaster would read out any notices for the day.   On this particular day there was no mention of what had happened less than two hours earlier.   No one had yet been told.

We all left College Hall and went to our classrooms for lessons.   At morning break (play time) we went out into the playground but it was so cold we did not stay for long.   As I returned to my class room around 11 o'clock, one of the cathedral bells began to ring.   It was a single bell tolling about once every 30 seconds.   This was a signal that something of great sadness had happened.  We did not know what it was.

Once I got back to my class room the word soon passed round "the King has died".   At first we did not know whether or not to believe it.   It was true; His Majesty King George VI had died peacefully in his sleep at Sandringham House.   He was found dead in bed at 07-30 GMT by a servant.   He was just 56 years old.   The official announcement from Sandringham was given at 10-45 GMT, shortly before I heard the cathedral bell begin tolling.

I was there 60 years ago, the day King George VI died.