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Jubilee

25 May 2022

A colour coronation poster created to mark the coronation of of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. In the centre is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth, surrounded by gold lions and the Union flag.

By Sophie Stevens, Collections and Learning Curator

* Click on the photos below to visit our Collections Online database and discover more. *

 

This year, the Queen will become the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. It marks the 70 years of her reign from her coronation in 1952.  

 To mark the occasion, a selection of objects from the museum collections linked to the Queen’s coronation and previous jubilees will be displayed in Hollytrees Museum.  Most of these objects are commemorative souvenirs – a popular way for people to celebrate jubilees and other royal events. 

 

A colour image showing a section of a long thin banner. It is decorated with illustrations of crowns, state swords, orbs and sceptres. Text reads the Queens Silver Jubilee 1952 - 1977.

 

This commemorative textile was produced by Samuel Lamont & Sons Ltd for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977. The company was founded in 1830 by Samuel Lamont and became one of Northern Ireland’s foremost linen weavers. In the 1950s the company began producing printed textiles and was awarded the Royal Warrant for retail.  

 The design of this textile features images of the Crown Jewels – the coronation ‘regalia’ that has been kept at the Tower of London since the 1600s. In the centre is the St Edward’s Crown, used for the actual crowning only meaning that in portraits of the Queen at her coronation, she is wearing the Imperial State Crown.  

 

A colour photograph showing the two sides of a silver coin. One sides shows a figure on horseback while the other shows a bird with it's wings open surrounded by a floral border and with a crown above it's head.

 

This special issue large coin was issued in 1977 to mark the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Commemorative coins are usually of a large size known as a crown which allows for a more detailed design. It shows the Queen on horseback, and on the reverse the eagle-shaped flask or ampulla, and the anointing spoon used in the Queen’s coronation.  The most sacred part of the coronation ceremony is the anointing. The archbishop pours holy oil from the ampulla, an eagle-shaped flask, into the spoon, and anoints the monarch on the hands, chest and head. Until the 1600s the monarch was considered appointed directly by God and this was confirmed by the anointing ceremony. Monarchs have continued to be anointed during the coronation ceremony as it confirms their role as the Head of the Church of England. 

 

A colour photograph showing a rectangular shaped metal tin. The tin is bright yellow with red letting that says the Queens silver jubilee.

 

This tin of Colman’s Mustard was made to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Colman’s was established in 1814 and is one of the oldest existing food brands. The distinctive yellow colour of this tin was introduced to the firm’s branding in 1855. Colman’s mustard is used by the royal household and was granted the Royal Warrant as manufacturers of mustard to Queen Victoria in 1866. 

 

You can discover more objects in our Jubilee collection online.

 

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