The time we almost got to see the Queen

Tweet

I've split this discussion into two as it's quite long. In 1954, I was eight and went to a West Australian government school that catered for quite a large district with many travelling in by school bus from outlying farms. Narrogin was also an important railway town and had had an influx of migrants following World War II. It was March and in a few days, our school would all march down to the train station and watch Queen Elizabeth II pass through on her way down to Albany. She was the first reigning British monarch to visit our shores and her visit was creating huge excitement. At the time of her visit, Australia was experiencing a poliomyelitis epidemic and it was peaking in Perth. There were grave concerns for the safety of our monarch. In the end, the royal couples’ outings were severely curtailed and the train trip to Albany was cancelled. I distinctly remember my sister interrupting our game in the schoolyard. My friends and I were just about to put a plump Dutch boy in a circle drawn on the ground and ‘cook’ him. We were all enjoying the fantasy. Outside the school were my parents and brother. This was unheard of as we only ever came to town on a Friday. Something had to be terribly wrong. Photo is of the Flying Scotsman. It also visited Western Australia and thousands turned out to see it.