There was no shortage of enthusiasm for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lt Philip Mountbatten in 1947, despite continuing post-war rationing and plummeting winter temperatures.

With the big day on Thursday, November 20, partying in Swindon began earlier that week.

The local branch of the International Sequence Dance Circle held a ball at the Co-operative Hall in East Street where Princess Elizabeth’s dance, the Royal Minuet, was on the programme. And guests at the Coate Amateur Swimming Club Wedding Eve celebration paid six shillings to dance the night away to Johnnie Stiles and his Band at the Town Hall.

Although the town had no official entertainment, numerous street parties had been organised and Swindon schoolchildren enjoyed a day off school. At Blunsdon more than 150 children aged three to 15 attended a party at the British Legion Hall while Wroughton Conservatives held a dance in the Ellendune Hall.

“Several shops had window displays and decorations but little bunting was to be seen,” reported the Advertiser.

Mayor Alderman W.J. Davis sent a telegram to Buckingham Palace expressing the tender loyal and dutiful greetings of the people of Swindon, with sincere good wishes for the health and happiness of the royal couple.

The Palladium, the Regent and the Savoy admitted cinemagoers free of charge to watch the live broadcast of the royal pageant while the bells rang out at local churches. Bellringers at Christ Church rang a quarter peel of Stedman Caters with 1,257 changes and St Mary’s, Rodbourne Cheney, rang out Grandsire Doubles with 5,040 changes lasting over two and a half hours.

Swindon railway station reported an increase in passengers travelling to the capital the day before the wedding and one lucky local girl made a very special trip to London.

Thirteen-year-old Mary Summers, of Shrivenham Road, was one of the youngest guests to receive an invitation when the royal wedding gifts went on view at St James’s Palace.

Mary’s mother told the Advertiser that her daughter had saved up her pocket money for months to buy the princess a silk dressing table set. She then wrote a letter of congratulation and posted her gift to the royal couple.

“I doubted whether she would get an answer, but told her she could send it if she liked,” said Mrs Summers. “It was a great thrill for her when the invitation arrived for her to go to the palace.”

Mary wore her blue party frock and a sailor hat for her trip to London with her mother; however Mrs Summers did not see the presents as she was not invited.

And Mrs Godwin, of 2 John Street, was another very proud Swindon mother. Her son Roy, a Guardsman in the Coldstream Guards, was in the Royal Guard of Honour at Buckingham Palace.