We all dressed up in our Regatta finery and boarded at 1.15. It was a gloriously sunny day, and as soon as the funnels were lowered we passed under Henley Bridge and went down below for a while. There I joined my cousin Jim and Val, Mollie, and Val, my sister-in-law.
On board we drank Pimms and generally made merry. I knew most of the passengers, and because I wanted to be in a good position to take photographs of some of the boats that had been in the London Jubilee RIver Pageant, I was allowed to stand at the front of the boat.
Because we were to be part of the Henley River Pageant we hovered around Temple Island for an hour or so until all the boats were lined up in the right order. The Queen was due at Hambleden Lock at 2,45 where she was to board the 130 year old ‘Alaska’ which followed ‘Black Watch’ out of the lock.
About 30 boats from Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire were taking part in the pageant, depicting the last 100 years of the river. It was divided into seven eras, with boats ranging from commercial to wooden river boats. Even Ratty and Toad from ‘The Wind in the Willows’ were represented.
I also spied a skiff, which looked as if it was from ‘Three Men in a Boat’ – although the third man must be temporarily taking advantage of a nearby bush.
As we slowly passed by the College I saw Paul Ludwig, The Queen’s Bargemaster, and one of the Watermen in their red uniforms standing by the water’s edge when the Queen alighted. You can see the Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh and the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire sitting under the shade of an elegant tent in the gardens.
