Three Queens and other matters.
Between February 1952 and March 1953 ( my eighth birthday was in May 1952) we had three Queens in England.
There was the imposing, stately, and yes regal, Queen Mary, widow of King George V. I was told that she would be called the “Dowager Queen Mother”, but that was never one of her many official titles.
Queen Mary was born on May 26th, as was I. Each year B.B.C. radio would play the National Anthem on her birthday - a nice bonus I thought “for me”!
Then Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, widow of King George VI. She’s the “Queen Mum” , known to most Americans.
Finally, the new young Queen Elizabeth. She became Queen upon her father’s death.
“The King is dead. Long live the Queen” was the official announcement.
Elizabeth II was not crowned (“coronated” as my grandmother put it) until June 1953, by which time Queen Mary herself had died.
Thus ended my British era of “Three Queens”. Now I am surrounded by them in Sarasota!
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I had problems with a few words. Our local bakery, “Parker’s” marketed their bread under the name “Parker’s Vitality Bread”. All well and good, except that for me it was “Vitta-Litty” bread.
Well, little wonder, for I had spent many years being my-zuled. This, while the rest of the English speaking world was being miss-led. Figure that one out!
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My grandmother taught me a rhyme. I’ve not heard it from anyone else, nor have I been able to track it down “on the web”.
Nanny would say:
Then Nanny would rock with laughter. I thought it was a rhyme about my dad who was always known as Jack.
There was the imposing, stately, and yes regal, Queen Mary, widow of King George V. I was told that she would be called the “Dowager Queen Mother”, but that was never one of her many official titles.
Queen Mary was born on May 26th, as was I. Each year B.B.C. radio would play the National Anthem on her birthday - a nice bonus I thought “for me”!
Then Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, widow of King George VI. She’s the “Queen Mum” , known to most Americans.
Finally, the new young Queen Elizabeth. She became Queen upon her father’s death.
“The King is dead. Long live the Queen” was the official announcement.
Elizabeth II was not crowned (“coronated” as my grandmother put it) until June 1953, by which time Queen Mary herself had died.
Thus ended my British era of “Three Queens”. Now I am surrounded by them in Sarasota!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had problems with a few words. Our local bakery, “Parker’s” marketed their bread under the name “Parker’s Vitality Bread”. All well and good, except that for me it was “Vitta-Litty” bread.
Well, little wonder, for I had spent many years being my-zuled. This, while the rest of the English speaking world was being miss-led. Figure that one out!
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My grandmother taught me a rhyme. I’ve not heard it from anyone else, nor have I been able to track it down “on the web”.
Nanny would say:
“Naughty Jack went out to play
In the meadow yesterday.
Mother told him not to go
Near the brook where rushes grow.
But he did, and tumbled in.
Got wet through, right to his skin.
Now he’s got a cold in head.
Atishoo, Atishoo, Jack’s in bed”.
In the meadow yesterday.
Mother told him not to go
Near the brook where rushes grow.
But he did, and tumbled in.
Got wet through, right to his skin.
Now he’s got a cold in head.
Atishoo, Atishoo, Jack’s in bed”.
Then Nanny would rock with laughter. I thought it was a rhyme about my dad who was always known as Jack.
My father sang that to me. Slightly different though.
ReplyDelete“Naughty Jack went out to play
In the meadow yesterday.
Where his mother told him not to go
Where the water lillies rushes grow.
But he did, and he fell in.
The water came up to his chin.
Now he has to stay in bed.
Such a cold is in his head.
Atishoo, makes his face so red.
Atishoo, Atishoo, Atishoo !