Mayor Creaghan Welcomes King and Queen to Newcastle

The silver and royal blue Royal Train steamed very slowly to a stop at the C.N.R. depot here at nine-twenty o’clock, Tuesday morning, June 13th, and Their Majesties King George VI and Queen Elizabeth first set foot on the Maritime soil in this town on the beautiful and historic Miramichi River.

Their Majesties, the King, stately and handsome, and the Queen, beautiful and charming, stepped from the rear platform of the train amid spontaneous outbursts of acclaim as sirens blew and bells rang. The Queen’s fresh, radiant beauty, enhanced by her magnificent clothes, brought exclamations of admiration. She wore a sky-blue ensemble with a long coat and white fox at the neckline, a short veiled hat and purse to match and grey suede shoes; her gloves were white. Around her throat was a double string of pearls. She wore diamond earrings and a brooch. The Queen opened a matching parasol as she stepped into the car at the station but lowered it a minute or so later.

His Worship Mayor Creaghan and Mrs. Creaghan welcome King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Newcastle as Prime Minister Mackenzie King observes the ceremony

The King was dressed in a black coat and striped trousers. He carried a grey fedora hat as he left the train. Looking younger than in his pictures, his face tanned by the sun, he seemed to enjoy thoroughly the show of loyalty and affection.

As soon as the train had stopped Prime Minister Mackenzie King, Hon. J.E. Michaud, Minister of Fisheries, and other government officials stepped off and greeted His Worship Mayor D.S. Creaghan and Hon. W.S. Anderson, Minister of Public Works in the provincial cabinet, of Newcastle.

When the King and Queen descended from the train, Hon. W.S. Anderson and Mrs. Anderson and His Worship Mayor Creaghan and Mrs. Creaghan were presented to Their Majesties by Prime Minister King. Mayor Creaghan then conducted the Royal Visitors along the canopied and red carpeted platform at the north end of the station, where a brief but interesting ceremony was held. His Worship the Mayor presented his Majesty the King an address of welcome from the citizens of Newcastle.

Her Majesty the Queen was asked to accept a bouquet of yellow roses by Miss Nora Creaghan, twelve-year-old daughter of Mayor and Mrs. Creaghan, which Her Majesty graciously assented to. Miss Marjorie Davidson, the six-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Davidson presented the bouquet. Miss Marjorie is the great-great-great granddaughter of William Davidson of Scotland, the first English speaking settler on the Miramichi.

The girls curtsied and the Queen shook hands with them, asking them their ages. The King remarked to the Queen that “they are about the same size as our children.” The children curtsied again before withdrawing. They wore yellow frocks of chiffon over taffeta, replicas of dresses the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose have worn. Miss Nora had a band of white roses in her hair and little Miss Marjorie a yellow hair ribbon and short yellow stockings. They both wore white slippers and Miss Nora’s white stockings were knee-length.

The Queen smiles her gracious thanks and the King looks on interestedly as two little Newcastle girls present a bouquet to Her Majesty. The children are, left to right, Miss Nora Creaghan, daughter of Mayor and Mrs. Creaghan, and Miss Marjorie Davidson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.S. Davidson and a descendant of one of the early Scots pioneers of the Miramichi. Mayor Creaghan is seen behind the girls

The King and Queen walked off the reception platform and moved out amongst the war veterans who formed a guard of honour. W.H. Davidson escorted them down to the ex-servicemen, and they both talked informally with several of the veterans, who wore badges and forage caps.

The King spoke at some length to Morrison Jordan D.C.M. with Bar, M.C., of North West Boom. His Majesty asked Mr. Jordan what battalion he had belonged to and learned that it was the 25th Nova Scotia, he having enlisted at Newcastle.

Mr. Jordan told His Majesty what the decorations were received for on being asked, and the King and Queen, who was beside the King, both remarked that Mr. Jordan had some very fine decorations. The Military Cross was received by Mr. Jordan at Buckingham Palace in London from the late King George V. At the time Mr. Jordan received the decoration, he was a non-commissioned officer and is possibly the only non-commissioned officer in Canada who received an officer’s decoration.

Among the men were a group of about a dozen veterans who had seen service in the South African War.

Their Majesties then entered the royal car to begin their 108 miles journey to Fredericton.

VIDEO (0:25) 1939 Royal Tour* – Newcastle Stop. Click on photo to watch video.