On the left an image of the original programme of events held in Soham for the Coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II.
_________________

The celebrations for the Coronation took place between Whit Monday 25th May and Coronation Day Tuesday 2nd June.
Many events were held and the following is taken from the original programme.

Whit Monday, May 25th
Grand Carnival and Gala on the Recreation Ground at 3.15 pm.

All decorated Vehicles and Entrance for the fancy dress competition to meet in their own areas at places
stated below. They will then proceed with their Stewards to the Crescent, Fordham Road, where each area
will be judged separately. The prizes for each area will be as under:-
Adults .............1st 30/-... 2nd 20/-... 3rd 10/-
Children ..........1st 15/-... 2nd 10/-... 3rd 5/-
The 1st and 2nd Prize Winners from each area will then be judged in the Recreation Ground for the final
prizes, which will be as under:-
Adults..........1st £3....2nd £2...3rd £1
Children.......1st £2...2nd £1... 3rd 10/-
All Vehicles will be judged together in the Recreation Ground and the prizes will be as follows
1st £5...2nd £3...3rd £2
Every Vehicle not winning a prize will be awarded £1 and every Child competitor not winning a prize will be
given 6d.
Area No.1 - Sand St. Tanners Lane, Brook St. Staples Lane, The Crescent, Fordham Rd. to the Cherry
Tree, Mill Croft and Butts.
Stewards - Messrs F Pluck, J Marriott, D Elsden, H Bullard, and B Owers meet in Tanners Lane at 2 pm.
Area No.2 - Qua Fen Common, Hasse Rd, and North Field Lane.
Stewards - Messrs N Brightwell, W Turner, and F Murfet, meet at The Holmes at 1.45 pm.
Area No.3 - Hall St. Bushel Lane, Speed Lane, Pratt St, and Station Rd.
Stewards - Messrs D Reed, C Laycock, and L R Banyard meet at the Bushel at 1.45 pm.
Area No.4 - Churchgate St. High St. White Hart Lane, Fountain Lane, Market St.
Steward - Mr S Smart meet in Market St. at 1.45 pm.
Area No.5 - Mereside, Julius Martins Lane, and Cote Piece.
Stewards - Messrs H Sizer, S Howe, and Seymour meet at H Sizers at 1.45 pm.
Area No.6 - Mill Corner, Angle Common, Clay St. and Gardeners Lane.
Stewards - Messrs Bob Sizer, and F Flude meet in Gardeners Lane at 1.45 pm.
Area No.7 - Eastern Ave, Brewhouse Lane, Paddock St, Brook Dam Lane and East Fen Common
Stewards - Messrs H Thompson, A Edmunds, and C Beaumont, meet at the Sportsman at 1.45 pm.
Area No.8 - Eye Hill, and Barcham, The Shade, and Townsend.
Stewards - Messrs G Turner, and L Palmer meet at the Boys School at 1.45 pm.
Area No.9 - Downfield.
Stewards - Messrs M Backhouse, and V Boyden meet at the Green at 1.45 pm.
Area No.10 - Barway.
Stewards - Messrs H Leaford, and A Taylor meet at Barway at 1.30 pm.
Area No.11 - Soham Fen.
Stewards - Messrs L Brooks, and R Fletcher meet at the School at 1.30 pm.

When each area has been judged all Competitors will proceed to the Recreation Ground headed by The Soham
Comrades Band. After the area finalists and decorated vehicles have been judged there will be an interval for tea, after which there will be Adults and Children's Sports and Comic Races from 6 till 8 pm. followed by singing,
Dancing etc. A licensed bar and buffet will be available.
Please bring something for the bring and buy stalls.
Mrs J N Clements of Red Lion Square has presented a Cup for the best fancy dress, Boy or Girl, under School
age. Entries will be judged on the Recreation Ground and need not be in the procession.

Tuesday May 26th
Dancing display by the Simpson School of Dancing in the Central Hall at 7.30 pm. Tickets 3/-. 2/6 and 2/-.
proceeds in aid of the Coronation Fund.

Wednesday May 27th
On the Town Rangers Football Ground various entertainments as under, commencing at 6.30 pm.
Comic Football Match - Soham Ladies v. The Town Rangers.
Referee: D Reed. Linesmen: Jack and Jill.
Comic Cricket Match - Soham Crazy Gang v. The Town Cricket Club.
Umpires: Bob Bobbie, and Fanny Little.
Football Match - Soham Rangers, ( 1930 ), v. Soham United.
Challenge Race - 2 Miles. Runner ( W Spratt ) v. Cyclist ( A Fordham ). Cyclist to give Runner 1 Mile start.
Ladies Donkey Race.
Prizes for various competitions include dinners, wines, cigarettes, a real live Donkey and various other gifts.
Richard Dimple with his Radio Van will arrive during the evening and interview a well known Soham Resident
and his Wife.
Dancing and Singing - Berts Band and Barrel Organ.

Thursday May 28th
Schools Day - Commencing at 2.00 pm.
Activities by the Boys and Girls on the Recreation Ground.
Infants.......................Pageant and Dancing in National Costume.
Junior Girls...............Physical Training and Dancing.
Junior Boys...............Physical Training Activities.
Senior Boys...............Activities with box and bench.
Senior Girls...............Country Dancing. Maypole.
Grand Coronation Ball at the Central Hall from 8 pm. to 1 am. Steve Stephenson's Band. Admission 3/6. spot
prizes and other surprise items.

Friday May 29th
Open Day at the Schools.
Parents and Friends are invited to visit the Schools to see the Children at work.
Infants School Clay St................10 am. to 12 noon.
Junior Girls School Clay St........10 am to 12 noon and 2 pm. to 3.30 pm.
Senior Girls School Clay St........10 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 3.30 pm.
Boys School The Shade..............10 am to 12 noon and 2 pm to 3.30 pm.
Darts Social at the Central Hall at 7 pm. admission 1/-.
Darts Championship of Soham. Semi-Finals and Final.
Teams - The Ship 'A', The Ship 'B', The New House and The Angel.
The individual winner to receive a cup given by Mr A Griggs of The Red House Soham.
The winning Team to hold the Soham Red Cross Cup for one Year, the Members will receive cups and the
semi-finalists prizes.

Saturday May 30th
Soham Cycling Clubs Timed Race.
Start - From Soham Post Office at 6.30 pm. distance: 15 miles.
Course - Post Office, Shade School, Soham Fen, Prickwillow, Isleham Rd, turn to Soham via East Fen Common,
Downfields, Wicken Rd, to Soham Rd, then Main Rd, to finish on the Recreation Ground.
Prizes - Challenge Cup presented by Mr Eric Martin, of Townsend Soham to be held by the Winner for 1 year
and a miniature cup and 3 small cycling plaques for Runners up.
After the race all entrants will ride around the Recreation Ground.
Soham Walking Race - North of the Church v. South of the Church.
Starting Points - North - 30 m.p.h. limit Post on the Shade. South - The Cherry Tree at 7 pm.
Prizes value £2, £1, and 10/- and a bottle of Coronation Beer for all finishing the course.
Entries for this race to be handed into A Wells or R Rouse by Wednesday 27th May.
Soham and District Scouts Camp and Jamboree - In the Recreation Ground during the evening.
There will be about 250 Scouts in camp who will give various entertainments round camp fires, etc, the Soham
Crazy Gang will arrive during the evening with the largest fruit pie ever seen in the county, made by Mr Clement Fuller, and a portion will be given to each Scout.

Sunday May 31st
2.30 pm. Parade of Scouts, Guides, and Local Services and Organisations outside the Grammar School and March to the Recreation Ground ( or the Parish Church if wet ) for a United Service at 3 pm. accompanied by the Soham Comrades Band.
Preacher - The Rev Canon Peyton Burbury, S.G.M., Chaplain Royal Navy ( Retired ).
8 pm. Concert by the Soham Comrades Band in the Recreation Ground.

Monday June 1st
Tea in the Recreation Ground Pavilion at 4.30 pm. for all Parishioners over 60, followed by a Concert for them
in the Central Hall by the Soham Showtime Concert Party.

Coronation Day Tuesday June 2nd
3 to 5 pm. Children's Sports in the Recreation Ground.
School Children's teas in the Recreation Ground Pavilion as under.
Infants, 4 pm. Girls 4.30 pm. Boys 5 pm.
6.30 pm. Grand Procession starting from the Crescent Fordham Rd and proceeding to the Recreation Ground to
take part in a Cowboy and Indian Fiesta.
Berts Cowboy Band.
Little Christine the Dancing Cowgirl.
Queen of the Cowgirls and the King of the Cowboys with their attendance and the 30 singing Cowboys and
Cowgirls.
Hanks Square Dancers.
Ranchman Martin with his Cowgirls and Cowboys, covered Wagons, Ponies, Horses, etc.
Surprise Items from the Rockies.
Ragtime Cowboy Joe and his Roughriders of the Range.
Big Chief Running Water and his Indian Tribe.
All Persons wishing to take part in this Procession must give their names to J Martin, A Wells, R Rouse
S Howe, or E Isaacson.
9 pm. Radio Broadcast by H.M. The Queen.
Bonfire, Fireworks and Dancing in the Recreation Ground to finish the Evening.
Licensed Bar.
The Committee hope that all Householders and Shopkeepers will decorate their premises during the whole week and that everybody will join in the Festivities. Collections will be taken during the various functions to help in
paying the cost of the Celebrations.

The result of the Miss Coronation Competition arranged by Mr Moate of Waddington's was as under.
Miss Coronation - Miss Jean Darnell.
Her Attendants - Miss Edna Murfet, and Miss Mary Seal.
They will be in attendance at all functions.
Keep a look out for the Soham Crazy Gang and their Barrel Organ.
A special display of prizes, Photographs, Programmes, etc. will be on show in Waddington's shop window in
Churchgate St.
The Clacton Carnival Association, in addition to decorating a lorry for the Whit Monday Carnival Procession,
have offered as a prize a holiday for two Soham People at a Clacton Hotel during June 1953 this will be awarded
in a prize competition.
We thank you, Clacton - the ideal holiday resort.
Keep this numbered programme, prizes will be awarded for the lucky numbers on Coronation Day in the
Recreation Ground.
The Committee would like to thank all those who have assisted in preparing this programme, the donors of
subscriptions, cups and prizes, the Clacton Carnival Association for their generous help, Mrs J N Clements
of the Milkiway Cafe for her generous gift of an ice - cream for each of the Children at their tea on Coronation
Day, and all who are going to make this one of the most memorable weeks in the history of Soham.
A Wells, Chairman, Carnival Committee.
Mrs R Mann, Chairman, Catering Committee.
E P Leonard, Chairman, Sports Committee.
J R Ennion, Chairman, General Committee.