Historic coronation photo recreated at the Castle of Mey
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A LITTLE bit of history was recreated at the Castle of Mey at the weekend when a picture of Caithness people celebrating the Queen's coronation 70 years ago was re-enacted.
Seven of the people who were in the original photo back in 1953, including two guides at the castle, Hazel Farquhar and Katie Henderson, came along to take part in Saturday afternoon's event to mark the coronation of King Charles III. Some of those who took part were fourth generation relatives.
Shirley Farquhar, the daughter of Hazel Farquhar and administrator at Queen Elizabeth Castle of Mey Trust, said the idea was to "give a nod to the past but also look to the future."
She and her team came up with the proposal after Shirley saw the old photo in the Canisbay Book and thought it would "be nice to do it again."
"There was a great atmosphere. Everybody bought into the whole thing. Seventy years is a long time between coronations so it was lovely to have the local community and tourists there. We had 180 tourists on the day. The weather was not in our favour but so many people braved the wind and cold to be there and be part of history. We were very happy with it," she said.
Miss Farquhar explained that one woman remembered the excitement of the coronation event at the castle 70 years ago and "running around with other children."
She could recall the picture being taken and her mother being there as well. "It was just a joyous occasion and that’s why we wanted to try and recreate it."
Miss Farquhar said the Granary Lodge was opened so people could watch the coronation of the new king at Westminster Abbey on television. The photograph was re-enacted at 3pm.
She said "a huge thank you" to "everyone who came along to make it a special day" and to the staff for arranging it.
The original photo – believed to have been taken by Nan Fraser from Canisbay – came about after the Queen Mother gave permission for the community to gather in front of the castle itself for the historic moment.
The Queen Mother had a special history with the Caithness castle after she buying it not long after her husband died.
Miss Farquhar said: "She’d just lost his majesty King George VI in the February and she saw the castle a couple of months later so she just felt probably it was a project she could do and it’s the only home she’s owned herself.
"I think the love of Mey and Caithness and the north of Scotland in general was that people respected her privacy. I think she really became a part of the community and people locally saw that love she had for the area."
The new king has been a regular visitor to the castle and Caithness ever since the death of the Queen Mother in 2002.
