Programme of Tour Through the County of MERIONETH – April 28th & 29th, 1949
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES The Princess Elizabeth And The Duke Of Edinburgh (Earl Of Merioneth).
Day Two (After Leaving Harlech Castle) – Friday April 29th 1949:
10.45 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanfair.
10.50 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanbedr.
11.00 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Dyffryn.
11.20 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Barmouth.
10.40 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Bontddu.
11.50 am THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanelltyd.
The Bells of St. Mary’s Church, Dolgelley, will be rung as THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES drive into Dolgelley.
12 noon. THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will be received by The Lord Lieutenant and Lady Harlech, accompanied by the High Sheriff, Chairman of the County Council, the Member of Parliament, and The Clerk to the Lieutenancy.
The Lord Lieutenant will present:–
The Chairman of Quarter Sessions (The Honourable Sir Wintringham Norton Stable, M.C.)
The Chairman of the Dolgelley Urban District Council (D.R. Meredith, Esq., J.P.)
The Clerk of the Dolgelley Urban District Council (E.J. Pugh, Esq.)
The Chairman of the County Reception Committee (County Councillor John Evans).
Major General John Vaughan, C.B, C.M.G., D.S.O., D.L., J.P.
Brigadier E. O. Skaife, O.B.E. (Bi-County Cadet Commandant of Merioneth and Montgomeryshire).
12.05 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will inspect the Guard of Honour provided by the 10th Cadet Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers under the command of Lieutenant W.J Jones.
Units of the following contingents will assemble:–
“R” Battery 636 L.A.A. Regt. R.A. (R.W.F.) T.A. under the command of Lieut.-Colonel The Hon. R.E.B. Beaumont, T.D.
R.A. Garrison, Tonfannau.
No.20 Squadron R.A.F. Station, Llanbedr.
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will proceed to the Dais.
12.10 pm The Dolgelley Section of the Welsh National Eisteddfod Choir, under the Conductorship of John Hughes, Esq., Mus.Bac., County Music Organiser, will render the following:–
Welsh Hymn Tunes – (a) “Hyfrydol” (R.H. Pritchard) and (b) “Aberystwyth” (Dr. Joseph Parry).
12.17 pm An Address will be presented to THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES on behalf of the Merioneth County Council by Frank Owen Esq. (Chairman of the County Council) and Hugh J. Owen Esq. (Clerk of the County Council).
Copy of Address
To Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh and Countess of Merioneth, and His Royal Highness The Duke Of Edinburgh and Earl of Merioneth.
MAY it please your Royal Highnesses:
WE, the Chairman, Aldermen, and Members of the Merioneth County Council in our own name and as representing the inhabitants of the ancient County of Merioneth humbly beg to offer to you our loyal greetings and warmest welcome on the occasion of your first visit to our County and to tender our heartfelt thanks for your presence here.
SIR, the people of this County were filled with pride when His Majesty the King conferred upon you as your second title that of Earl of Merioneth, a title never before conferred. The name of our County derives from Meirion, grandson of Cunedda the first prince of the Royal house of Gwynedd. Ours is a large County, famous for the beauty of its mountains and valleys, small in population and wealth but rich in traditions as a County which down the ages has given birth to so many eminent bards and men of letters. Many of our people descend from the race who built the Cromlechs over three thousand years ago, and still speak the ancient language which was spoken in Britain when the Roman legions landed in Kent.
MADAM, we are ever mindful that your name will renew in history that of Elizabeth Tudor of the house of Penmynydd, one of the most illustrious Sovereigns in the long history of these realms and that your son and heir, Prince Charles, in whose birth we rejoice, will be, under the providence of God, our next Prince of Wales. In no part of the far-flung dominions to which your Royal Highness is the heir of Sovereignty is there a deeper feeling of loyalty and affection. We are grateful to you and to your husband, now Earl of our County, for coming amongst us and it is our heartfelt prayer that all who are near and dear to you both may enjoy in health and happiness the joys of family life in which you and our present King and Queen are such an example and source of admiration to all people.
WE trust that the beauty of our land and the warmth in our hearts will encourage you to come amongst us again in the coming years and that God will prosper you in your arduous lives of service to the many peoples of the British Commonwealth.
GIVEN UNDER THE COMMON SEAL of the Merioneth County Council this tenth day of March, 1949.
JOHN EVANS, Chairman & HUGH J. OWEN, Clerk – COUNTY OFFICES, DOLGELLEY.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH will reply.
12.22 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will leave the Dais.
The Lord Lieutenant will present to THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES:
Mrs. Alfred E. Hughes
Lady Stable
Mrs. D.R. Meredith
Mrs. Frank Owen
Mrs. Emrys Roberts
Mrs. John Vaughan (see photo above)
Mrs. Richard Jones
Mrs. E.J Pugh
Sir Henry Haydyn Jones and Lady Haydn Jones
Deputy Lieutenant J.M. Howell, Esq., J.P.
Deputy Lieutenant, Lieut-Colonel A.E. Jelf-Reveley, J.P., and Mrs. Jelf-Reveley.
Deputy Lieutenant, Major C.Ll. Wynne Jones, J.P., and Mrs. Wynne Jones.
Deputy Lieutenant, Major O.D. Jones, V.D., J.P.
Deputy Lieutenant, Colonel C.J. Lloyd Carson, C.B.E., J.P.
Deputy Lieutenant, Lieut-Colonel J.E. Lewis, D.S.O., T.D.
Deputy Lieutenant, Henry Robertson, Esq., J.P. and Mrs. Robertson
Deputy Lieutenant, Lieut-Colonel W.H.H. Johnston, D.S.O., M.C. and Mrs. Johnston.
Deputy Lieutenant, Lieut-Colonel Guy Lee, D.S.O., M.C., and Mrs. Lee.
Deputy Lieutenant, Captain G.B. Piggott, J.P.
The Chairman of the Barmouth Urban District Council (David Jones, Esq., J.P.)
The Clerk of the Barmouth Urban District Council (G. Evans Jones, Esq.) and Mrs. Evans Jones.
The Chairman of the Dolgelley Rural District Council (John Edward Jones, Esq., J.P.) and Mrs. Jones.
The Clerk of the Dolgelley Rural District Council (D. Pugh Jones, Esq., M.B.E.) and Mrs. Pugh jones.
The Chairman of the Towyn Urban District Council (William R. Rowlands, Esq., J.P.) and Mrs. Rowlands.
The Clerk of the Towyn Urban District Council (H. Glyn Jones, Esq.) and Mrs. Jones.
THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will inspect the following contingents assembled in the Square:-
British Legion under the command of Captain W. G. Jones.
British Legion (Women’s Section) under the command of Mrs. Morris Griffith.
British Red Cross under the command of Miss Beatrice Carr, County Director.
Merioneth Girl Guides under the direction of Mrs. K.J. Price, County Commissioner for Merioneth.
Women’s Voluntary Services under the command of Mrs. Mair Parry, M.B.E., J.P., County Organiser.
Women’s Institutes under the leadership of Mrs, Llewelyn Owen, J.P.
Young Farmer’s Clubs under the leadership of O. Cyril Edwards, Esq.
2058 Squadron Air Training Corps under the command of
Flight-Lieutenant J.J. Rowland
1st Towyn Troop Boy Scouts under the command of
Group Scoutmaster R. Ivor Jones
National Savings Voluntary Workers under the leadership of W. Clayton-Russon, Esq., M.B.E.
The Assembly, accompanied by the Band of The Welch Regiment, will sing “Hen Wlad fy Nhadau”.
12.50 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will leave Dolgellau Square for Nannau.
3.10 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will leave Nannau.
3.15 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanfachreth.
3.33 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Rhydymain.
3.51 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanuwchllyn.
4.08 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Bala.
4.10 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Llanfor.
4.25 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will pass through Sarnau.
4.43 pm THEIR ROYAL HIGHNESSES will arrive at the Station Square, Corwen.
(I have only included the details of the tour relevant to Dolgellau and local area).
