Our Late Queen Elizabeth II

We acknowledge the sad passing of our Queen, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen was sure in her faith and steadfast in her duty, bringing constancy through 70 years of change.

We’ll remember our Queen with affection and gratitude, giving thanks for her many years of public service.

Thanks to our partners, we were able to hold a Proclamation Service, Civic Service at St Lawrence’s Church and we marked the National Silence on the Town Hall steps. Thank you to everyone who contributed to these events that took place to mourn her loss and to proclaim our new King Charles III. They were well attended and gave us a chance to come together in our grief.

Accession Proclamation Service – Sunday 11 September 2022

A formal Accession Proclamation was made on the Town Hall Steps by Biddulph’s Mayor, Councillor Jim Garvey. It followed the Proclamation being read at St James’ Palace and in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

The proclamation of the new Sovereign is a very old tradition which can be traced back over many centuries. The ceremony does not create a new King. It announces the accession which took place immediately on the death of the reigning monarch. Now, when modern communication conveys news in an instant, the proclamation is no longer the means by which people learn for the first time that they have a new Monarch. It was however, one of the first occasions when our community had an opportunity to come together and reflect on the end of the reign of our longest-serving Monarch and the succession of our new Sovereign.

Special Commemoration Service – St Lawrence’s Church – Sunday 18 September 2022

A special service to mark the death of her late Majesty, followed by refreshments in the school room.

National Silence – Sunday 18 September 2022

On the Town Hall steps, our Town Crier, John Robinson, led a moment of reflection and delivered a specially-penned proclamation on the eve of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, ahead of the National Silence at 8pm. It was concluded by the singing of the National Anthem.

OYEZ! OYEZ! OYEZ!

I DELIVER THIS PROCLAMATION
OF A QUEEN AND MOTHER.
THE LIKE OF WHO
WE WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN
REIGNED FOR 70 YEARS.
NOW WE STAND HERE TOGETHER,
HEADS BOWED, IN TEARS.

WE GIVE ONE MINUTE OF SILENCE
TONIGHT! OF ALL NIGHTS.
WHEN TOMORROW IN LONDON
GATHER COMMONERS, ROYALTY, AND KNIGHTS.

THIS TOWN OF BIDDULPH
WEARS ITS HEART ON ITS SLEEVE.
GRIEVING AT NEWS,
NO-ONE COULD BELIEVE.

HER MAJESTY HAS GONE,
AND EVERYONE MOURNS.
YET UPON THE MORROW,
AS A NEW DAY DAWNS.

I URGE ONE AND ALL,
COME, BIDDULPH! LIFT UP YOUR EYES!
AND JOIN OUR GREAT NATIONS,
AS EACH OF US CRIES

GOD BLESS QUEEN ELIZABETH II

AND

GOD SAVE THE KING

AS PROCLAIMED BY BIDDULPH AND FUSIGNANO TOWN CRIER JOHN ROBINSON
ON THE STEPS OF BIDDULPH TOWN HALL AT 8pm ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH 2022