1952
A hastily convened meeting of the Gala Committee decided reluctantly to hold the crowning ceremony in the local picture house. The tolling of the church bell announced the time of the ceremony to the entire village. Headed by Newtongrange Lothian and Juvenile Pipe Bands, the King, Queen and Court drove slowly down to the local Palace Picture House for the crowning ceremony. The picture house was filled to capacity by the older children and adults. Councillor Andrew Ross, Chairman of the Children's Gala Day, who presided at the crowning ceremony, expressed regret that the 'elements' had forced the committee to deviate from their customary practice of holding the coronation ceremony in the open. In the past they had been extremely fortunate as it was nearly 30 years since they had to make a similar departure from the usual proceedings. He pointed out an outstanding aspect of the ceremony.
All the children on the platform were there by reason of educational merit. The crowning ceremony was performed by Agnes E. Drake, Dux pupil of Newbattle Junior Secondary School who crowned Ian B. Dudgeon King and Elizabeth S. Reid Queen amid great enthusiasm. Newtongrange Lothian Silver Band, under the leadership of James Farrow, rendered musical selections and fanfares of trumpets. After the crowning, William Walkingshaw, Herald, read the proclamation. On behalf of the Children's Day Committee, the Chairman handed over wristlet watches to the King, Queen and Dux pupil to commemorate the occasion. He also presented the Gala Day Dux Championship shield to the Dux pupil.
The Court
King - Ian B. Dudgeon
Queen - Elizabeth S. Reid
Herald - William Walkingshaw;
Chief Maid of Honour - Jean S. B. Ritchie;
First Lord - David Fraser;
Maids of Honour - Margaret McIntosh, Joyce S Armstrong, Mary
Melrose;
Lords in Waiting - David A Dalgleish, Walter Gilroy, Andrew
McGuire; Crown Bearer; James Rutherford,
William Hutchison;
Pages - James Morrison, J. Stuart Lloyd, Robert Knight and
Kenneth McNeil;
Yeoman of the Guard - Thomas Bruce;
Ladies of the Court - Evalina M Dickson, Catherine Bone,
Margaret L Thomson, Mary A.T. Clark, Virginia G Watson, Euphemia R. Hood,
Edna J. H. McIntosh, Jean D Holgate, lsabella F. Richardson, Jessie T. D.
Kerr, Ann Hughes,
Catherine Haylott;
Bower Girls - Mary T. Bishop, Moira W. McIntosh, Irene M.
Millar, Morag Scott;
Halberdiers - Alexander Ramsay, Walter Walker, Wm. B. McIntyre,
James Walkingshaw;
Flower Girls - Isabella M.Thomson, Moira Peattie, Janette
L. Gray, Margaret B. Thomson, Roseanne Dubickas, Ann Morris, Janette Morris,
Christianne M. White, Marian J. Jeffrey, Janet B. K. Jeffrey, Isobel Baxter,
Tessa Smith.
All received a gift.
After homage had been paid to the royal couple, the Queen handed
over the trophies won by the Gorebridge Junior
Co-operative Choir and the Newtongrange Lothian Silver Band for dress and
deportment, medals to young bandsmen Neil Dougal, Thomas Brown, Abraham Walker,
William Dougal. Congratulatory telegrams were read from the ex-Queen Margaret,
ex-King Marshall, ex-Dux pupil John Findlay and Mr. & Mrs. Carrie, formerly
manager of the local Palace picture house.