Coronation of Queen Elizabeth IIPrint Page

The direction finder and plaque commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. 

The coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey, London. Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, being proclaimed queen by her privy and executive councils shortly afterwards. The coronation was held more than one year later because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies before holding such festivals. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to make preparations for the ceremony. During the service, Elizabeth took an oath, was anointed with holy oil, invested with robes and regalia, and crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Last Sunday (December 12) some 500 residents of Lane Cove Municipality assembled on Coronation Viewpoint to witness the Mayor, Ald. G. O. Venteman, unveil a plaque to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. By this simple act was also preserved for all time, a vantage point of great value to the nation. At the end of the ceremony pupils of local schools and youth organisations planted trees about the lawns surrounding the site. Back of this ceremony is a flash of history. This site originally consisted of four blocks. In 1935, three of the blocks were acquired by the Government of the day on the understanding that the Lane Cove Council would buy the fourth block, which it did. In 1936, the Government transferred its three blocks to the Council, thus making the preservation of this vantage point possible.

In 1953, the Mayor, Ald. Venteman, suggested that a directional indicator should be set up on the western side of the site close to the edifice destined to bear the plaque. Today, this indicator carries 20 metal insets which, skilfully inserted in the stone pavement, illustrate in etchings the main points of interest visible in the distance. The Salvation Army band played "God save the Queen." The mayor came accompanied by Mrs. Venteman. On this, the last day of his two-year term of office, he was realising the fulfilment of a great ideal this dedication, this tree planting. Slowly, he inspected his guard of honor, "The Mayor's Own Group of Boy Scouts," the only group of its order in N.S.W.

The dull storm light threw up the dramatic draping of the banners, the historic coloring of the Union Jack about the plaque. In his address, Ald. Venteman said: "We are here to unveil a memorial plaque which commemorates the coronation of our young and beautiful Queen. "We had hoped to have it unveiled by her but that could not be arranged. "This plaque and edifice were erected by the Lane Cove Council. By their generous donations Lane Cove residents and sports organisations made the directional indicator possible so that it can be said that was erected by the people (they helped, too) to preserve a beautiful lookout." The tree, planting, also Ald. Venteman's idea, was based on the Queen's love of young people. "I thought it appropriate," he added, "that schools and youth organisations should be requested to plant trees as a loyal tribute to the coronation of our Queen." 
Land (Sydney), 17 December 1954.

Queen Elizabeth II (21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was the longest serving English monarch, who reigned from 6 February 1952 to 8 September 2022 a period of over 70 years.

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