Exhibition to Celebrate the Queen’s Jubilee and Launch of Syston in the 20th Century Part 2
On Wednesday 1st June, invitations were sent out to people who had contributed to the second book about Syston in the 20th Century. Refreshments had been provided by TESCO, Syston.
With everyone charged with a glass of their choice, the invited guests took their seats in St Peter and St Paul’s Church.
The church was full and Felicity Austin thanked everyone for attending and all those who has contributed their own and family history and memoirs that have culminated in two books, which as she said in her welcome speech, she was only aiming to write one!
She had talked the idea over with Ray Young and Tim Garner of the History group and to a group she gave a ‘Swinging Sixties’ talk to and they all seemed keen on the idea. Little did she know what was coming in the New Year and how it was going to affect everyone. Neither did she realise how much time it was going to take to write. So with the help of Diane Smith her writing partner, they got to work. Diane spoke a little about her involvement and how Felicity had asked her to help. Felicity presented Diane with a thank you gift. She then introduced her brother-in-law, Ray Weston, who helped with all the technical side of getting the book together and finished. He was also given a small gift.
She went on to thank myself, your editor, for featuring an appeal for specific information about our town in the 20th Century and gave me a signed copied of the book, for which I thank you very much.
Anchor Print were thanked for their patience and in particular, Richard Linnet and Simon Bradshaw who helped the two novices!
She gave two special and symbolic awards to Tim Garner and Ray Young who answered all sorts of queries, lent them the book of All Sorts and photographs and images. They were presented with a box of All Sorts each! This made the audience laugh and they gave a hearty round of applause.
She finished with a poem called ‘Back in time’ which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. Please see our website for this.
After the speeches the audience was able to walk around the church and to see the Exhibition of the Life and Times of her Majesty the Queen before it opened to the public from the 2nd to the 5th June. It included the post box topper from 2021 by SKB with the Queen and her beloved Corgis, plus the beautiful Crown which SKB did for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this year. A bonus was that you could try it on and have your picture taken, as many people did.
It was a lovely evening with everyone taking time to walk around and chat with one another. Something that we hadn’t been able to do for so long.
Thank you to Felicity and her band of friends who helped to put on the displays and provided an excellent exhibition for the people of Syston to view.
Our Pictures show some of the exhibition.
