Oxford County's Royal Visitors
Oxford County's Royal Visitors
By Megan Lockhart, Archives Technician
Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee this year, 70 years on the throne! Oxford County has been the stop for royalty on several occasions throughout history during their visits to Canada. This was always an exciting affair for fans of the royal family as the events were originally intended for Canadians to potentially get a glimpse of or maybe even meet one of the royals. Oxford County residents would gather from all over to see the royals at one of their brief stops in the county.
One such visit took place in 1860 when Edward, the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), arrived at the Great Western Railway station in Woodstock. He was received by local dignitaries including Mayor Thomas Cottle. The Woodstock Volunteer Rifle Company, and bands from Tillsonburg, Norwich, and Woodstock, were also waiting at the train station. The Prince of Wales would spend the night at Altadore and attend a social event with the local elite. The manor house Altadore was owned by Mayor Cottle at the time, Altadore Crescent is named after the house which stood in the area historically. During his time in Woodstock, the Prince of Wales’s carriage became stuck in mud on his way to visit Senator Alexander. Allegedly, the prince helped push the carriage out of the mud. The Prince of Wales was crowned King in 1901 and reigned until 1910.
In June of 1939, another significant royal visit took place in Oxford County. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the parents of the current Queen Elizabeth II) stopped briefly at the C.N.R. station in Woodstock during their tour of Canada. This marked the first time Canada was visited by a reigning monarch. The C.N.R. engine and coaches carrying the royals were painted royal blue and silver and arrived over an hour late! A reception stand was constructed for the occasion south of the tracks and east of Bay Street. The royal couple was greeted by a crowd of allegedly 25,000 people, and joining them on the reception platform was Woodstock Mayor John A. Lewis and Mrs. Lewis, Police Chief Moore, County Warden Kent Marshall and Mrs. Marshall, and Premier Mackenzie King among others. Woodstock City Clerk Lee and Mrs. Lee were also provided the opportunity to meet the king and queen during the brief stop which was approximately just under 15 minutes in duration. During their visit, the royal couple spoke with veterans from the First World War; there were approximately 400 veterans in attendance. The king and queen also made a stop in Ingersoll as they travelled through the county.
Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) and King George VI during their stop in Woodstock. Front row, left to right: Woodstock Mayor John A. Lewis, Queen Elizabeth, King George VI. Back row, left to right: County Warden Kent Marshall, Mrs. Marshall, Premier Mackenzie King, Mrs. Lewis.
Members of the Royal Family would return to Oxford County again in October 1951, when Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) and her husband The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, visited by train and made a stop at the C.N.R. station in Woodstock, Ontario, on October 14. Mayor Fred Childs greeted the royal pair, and Princess Elizabeth made an unscheduled walk along a group of over 7,000 school children. The royal train also slowed down while passing through Ingersoll which provided spectators with an opportunity to wave at and see the princess.
Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, greet the crowd at the C.N.R. station in Woodstock during their trip through Ontario.
School children crowded around the train stations in Ingersoll and Woodstock, hoping to get a glimpse of Princess Elizabeth.