St. John's Magazine - May 2023

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PETER D HANNABY
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THE VICAR’S LETTER
Dear Friends,
As we celebrate and mark the Coronation of His Majesty
King Charles III this month, it would be remiss of me not to
mention it. Coronations do not come around very often (at
least that has been my experience!). For the vast majority of people watch-
ing the Service from Westminster Abbey on TV on Saturday 6 May their
highlight will be the actual crowning of King Charles with the St Edward
Crown. I can testify to how impressive this crown is up-close. But for me
(and I hope our new King) this will not be the highlight but rather the culmi-
nation of the coronation process. I hope the anointing will be the highlight.
For during the anointing King Charles is set-apart for a distinctive calling –
his vocation to be our King and supreme governor of the Church of
England.
In former coronations this part of the service takes place under a canopy to
stop onlookers seeing this most intimate and sacred moment: the moment
when Charles accepts his sovereignty under God’s; when he acknowledges
the heavy burden placed upon him to represent and speak for the people
of this country and commonwealth, and to lead us; when the outward sign
of anointing portrays the inner working of God’s grace to strengthen and
equip him for the task and ministry that lies ahead. I wonder if the canopy
will be used again at this coronation?
The anointing of kings goes back millennia. As we read in the Old Testa-
ment of Samuel anointing Saul as Israel’s first king and then David as his
successor, or of Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointing Solo-
mon, oil was seen as a way of sealing-in God’s Spirit into his chosen
servants. It was a lavish extravagance by which the recipient would ‘glow’
which was reserved for monarchs and the special role they were called to
perform.
Over time, but particularly during the Christian era, anointing came to be a
symbol of God’s working in and for all his people. The Church has adopted
anointing for the many during services of baptism, confirmation, and
ordination, when the candidates - to varying degrees - offer themselves to
God’s service. Cont’d…….

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It is used during prayers for those who are sick or dying as a symbol of the
healing, consolation, and renewed hope we have in Christ; that in him we
may find peace and comfort and share in the fulness of his risen life. No
longer is it the sole preserve of the monarch.
We, through our baptism and confirmation, have like King Charles been set
apart for particular tasks and ministries within the Church and our wider
society. Some of these will be complicated and demand a lot from us –
perhaps even a lifetime, others are more simple and general – but equally
as important. It is heartening that The King has asked the Nation to get
involved in volunteering on the Coronation Bank Holiday. He is encourag-
ing all of us to respond to the needs we see in our community and
concerning our environment. He is asking us to show love for one another.
Her is asking us to care for the planet. He is asking us to respond to the call
God places on our lives and to serve.
Many of us already serve this community in many and wonderful ways, but
the question still remains what more can I do? What else could I do? What
gifts can I use better in serving others? How can I respond to being set
apart as one of God’s chosen ones? These are questions we all need to
answer. For some it may be to spend more time in prayer. For others it
might be writing to our politicians and lobbying them on behalf of others.
Perhaps it might be appropriate to volunteer for a charity, club, or society
that helps the young or vulnerable, or even to take on more responsibility
within the life of the Church. What are you discerning?
As we celebrate his coronation, may the Lord bless his servant Charles with
long life that he may be a faithful servant to God and his people. For God
save the King!
Every Blessing,

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PARISH DIARY FOR MAY 2023
Enquiries regarding baptisms weddings or marriage blessings are always welcome.
Please contact the Vicar.
Morning Prayer is said Daily at St John’s at 9.00am.
You are most welcome to join the clergy in prayer.
Evening Prayer is said privately for the life of the Parish unless details are below.
St John’s is open daily 9.30am-5.00pm for private prayer
(10.30am-5.00pm on Saturdays)
The Parish Eucharist and resources will continue to be live streamed and made
available at www.stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk/live-streamed-services
Mon 1 No Services - Bank Holiday
Tues 2 9.30am Tiny Tots: Stay & Play & Service St John’s
Weds 3 10.00am Holy Communion followed by Coffee St John’s
5.00pm Evening Prayer St Francis’
Thurs 4 11.00am Mountbatten Lodge Communion
Fri 5 12.30pm MASJ Lunchtime Concert & Lunch St John’s
5.45pm Junior Choir practice St John’s Hall
7.00pm Choir practice St John’s Hall
Sat 6 The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III
Sun 7 ST JOHN’S DAY (Fifth Sunday of Easter)
8.00am Holy Communion St John’s
10.00am All Age Eucharist with Junior Choir St John’s
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis’
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen
12 noon Holy Baptism St John’s
12.30pm Coronation Lunch St John’s
Mon 8 No Services - Bank Holiday
8.00pm Church Meeting: PCC St John’s Hall
Fri 12 MASJ Music Festival
12.30pm MASJ Lunchtime Concert & Lunch St John’s
7.00pm Choir practice St John’s Hall

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Sat 13 MASJ Music Festival
1.00pm Concert: Dacorum Youth Orchestra St John’s
7.30pm Concert: Castalia St John’s
Sun 14 Sixth Sunday of Easter—MASJ Music Festival
10.00am Parish Eucharist St John’s
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen’s
6.30pm Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation of His
Majesty King Charles III St John’s
Mon 15 11.00am Funeral St John’s
7.45pm Together on Monday Club - A Musical
Interlude - Anna Le Hair St John’s
Thurs 18 THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD
8.00pm Deanery Eucharist All Saints’, Kings Langley
7.00pm Choir practice St John’s
Hall
Sat 20 2.00pm Installation of new Archdeacon of St Albans,
The Venerable Charles Hudson St Peter’s,
Berkhamsted
Sun 21 Sunday after The Ascension (Seventh Sunday of Easter)
10.00am Sung Mass St Francis
11.30am Morning Worship St Stephen’s
12noon Holy Baptism St John’s
6.30pm Deanery Confirmation Service St Mary’s,
Apsley
Mon 22 8.00pm Church Meeting: Fundraising Comm Zoom
8.00pm Church Meeting: Communications Comm St John’s
Hall

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8.00pm Church Meeting: Finance Comm Zoom
7.00pm Choir practice St John’s
Hall
Sun 28 THE FEAST OF PENTECOST THE FEAST OF PENTECOST
11.30am Holy Communion St Stephen’s
Tues 30 No Tiny Tots - Half Term
Weds 31 The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
10.00am Holy Communion followed by Coffee St John’s
*******
Coronation Prayer 2023
Almighty God, On the occasion of the crowning of King Charles III, we, the
people, pray for him.
We thank you for him and for the calling on his life and we recognise the weight
of responsibility that puts upon him. We know that he will need your help, Lord.
We know that he will face many challenges, as did his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
We ask, that, as he is anointed with oil, you will anoint him with your Holy Spirit,
so that he will know in his heart, as his mother knew, that Jesus is alive and able
to help him fulfil his unique vocation.
We pray that in all the days he serves as King, he will be aware that first and
foremost he serves you, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. May his reign be
one of wisdom, vision and integrity, inspired by your Kingdom values.
May your name be honoured and glorified throughout this land, Lord, as we
pray, God save the King!
By Daphne Kitching

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Lent, Holy Week, and Easter
Sincere thanks to all who made our journey through Lent, Holy Week, and Easter
this year so special. It was a joy to travel with approximately 40 people during
Lent with our Lent Course looking at Images of Christ in music, art, and poetry – it
was really interesting to see how differently we react to the same images or texts
or tunes. Holy Week itself was well attended and once again an emotive journey
as we walked with Christ during his final days. And then Easter Day itself was a
true blessing of life and light as we celebrated the Risen Christ.
So many people have helped our observance of Lent, Holy Week, and Easter this
year – and to you all I say Thank you. I should also I like to express my sincere
thanks to everyone who worked so hard to clean and decorate our churches in
preparation for Easter. You have all done us proud. Thank you. And thank you too
to our musicians for the splendid offering and enhancement of our worship this
Easter. The choir are going from strength to strength – as the quality of the music
increases so does interest in joining the choir from new voices.
APCM
Thank you to all who attended or who gave apologies for the meeting on 23 April.
Attendance was once again very positive. My thanks to all who have been elected
to the PCC and I look forward to working with you for the good of the Parish and
our witness to the risen Lord Jesus. I am particularly grateful to Richard Lyne, our
PCC Secretary, for all the work he put in to collate and reproduce the various
Reports and to make sure we complied with the Church Representation Rules.
My sincere thanks also to Ian Packe for his work in updating our Electoral Roll, to
Chris Angell and Jo Fisher our Treasurers, and to Paul Davies for arranging our
various Rotas. A new picture board will be going up soon in our churches to
remind you who has been elected to particular offices and the PCC.
St John’s Day Celebrations: Sunday 7 May
As many will know the Feast of St John the Evangelist (our patron Saint) falls on
27 December. Experience shows that no one wants to be in church that close to
Christmas, let alone celebrate a Patronal Festival. In line with recent
(pre-pandemic) years we shall therefore observe and celebrate St John on Sunday
7 May with an All Age Eucharist (with Junior Choir) at 10.00am. This year the
service and celebrations will also incorporate thanksgiving for our newly-crowned
King, and the Coronation Lunch which will begin at 12.30pm. Don’t forget to sign-
up if you want to come to the lunch.

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MASJ Music Festival: 12–14 May
The Annual Music Festival is fast approaching and I very much hope you will be
able to enjoy the musical opportunities on offer (please see the Calendar and
Newsletter and page 8 for more details). A highlight will be our choir leading A
Service of Thanksgiving for the Coronation of The King on Sunday evening during
which they will perform many of the traditional coronation anthems.
Thy Kingdom Come
During the 10 days between Ascension Day and Pentecost (18–28 May) the Arch-
bishops of Canterbury and York are once again encouraging congregations within
the Anglican Communion (and supported by other Churches around the world) to
pray for spiritual and numerical growth in the Church. Please set some time aside
to pray during this time. You might like to pray for 5 people at 5 o’clock each day
that they might come to faith, or for an increase in vocations to Holy Orders, or for
those who have been/will be baptised in the Parish this year.
Deanery Ascension Day Eucharist
On Thursday 18 May at 8pm there will be a combined Deanery Eucharist to cele-
brate the Ascension of our Lord after his resurrection. This year St Mary’s,
Apsley End, will be hosting the Service. In years gone by this Feast day was a day
of obligation and often meant a day’s holiday from school. Sadly this doesn’t
happen any longer but I would hope there is a good turn-out from the Parish.
Cricket Match
After two disappointing loses against the Boxmoor Occasionals (locally referred to
as “Boxmoor Odd-Sods”) our chance to get a win on the board this year will be on
Sunday 10 June at Hemel Hempstead Cricket Ground – nursery pitch. Although
the Occasionals have won both fixtures so far the gap between us is getting small-
er – hopefully we can win this year. It looks like it will be a 2.00pm start. If you
would like to play please let me know. I am very much hoping it will be a fine day
when Pimm's can be enjoyed on the boundary. I hope you would like to come
along and cheer on the team and enjoy some gentle socialising together.
Summer Fete
Advance notice that the St John’s Summer Fete will be on Saturday 8 July this
year. Please can I encourage you to help on the day with set-up, looking after a
stall, and take-down. The old adage many hands make light work will certainly be
true on the day. Please can you also start collecting/assembling items for us to sell
on the day. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us once again.

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Running
Those of you who come to the 8am Service, or who have had the misfor-
tune to come to the 10am the wrong week, will have often seen me clad
in leggings and wearing running shoes with lugs like football studs. Once
the service is over, and I’ve chatted to people and used the toilet, I don my
rucksack and run into the hills.
I never used to do this. I had dabbled at running in the past and done the
Couch to 5k, but I never enjoyed it. But on the other hand, it was a free
way to get fit. So, once I had left the profession which kept me on my feet
all day, I picked up my trainers and ventured out, taking pride in the fact
I’d put them on at all.
What made me keep going this time was a goal. I was turning 50 in 2021
and so I resolved to run my first half-marathon (21km) to celebrate my
first half-century. My original plan had been to have friends each run 1km
with me, but that never came off: few wanted to run and I didn’t have 21
friends. So I plotted a round route from my home to Ashridge and gradual-
ly built up my training until, in early September, I completed my challenge.
Those friends were waiting for me at the end.
Boy, was I was proud of myself. I had set myself a challenge and met it.
But I was left with a choice. Stop running and free up some time or keep it
up and see how far I could go. I chose the latter, but I knew I needed a
fresh goal if I wasn’t to lose interest.
This time I went for location. We are fortunate here to live so close to the
Chilterns. I adore being up in the hills and seeing no-one for miles. But we
live a long way from the coast. So I resolved to run part of the Pembroke-
shire Coastal Path, as dramatic as the South West but far more remote. So
last summer I spent a week running from Solva to St Dogmaels. I ran along
cliffs, on beaches and through dunes, and on a couple of days I saw
no-one for over three hours. I camped each night and a taxi took my hefty
backpack from a to b.
Cont’d….

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I loved it, but at the end I faced that choice again. Should I set another
goal or move on? I chose the former and now hope to run the whole of
the Wales Coastal Path. Just before Easter I ran the North Wales stretch
(120km – actually, it was further, because I got lost) and plan to run a
similar distance on another stretch this summer. At my current rate of
progress, it will take me 7 years to complete the 1,400km path, so I have
decided to try to complete it by the time I turn 60. That goal motivates
me, and I remember it on the tortuous mid-week runs I must do to be
able to manage long distances on weekends and holidays.
I will never be fast, not even for my age-group (I once topped my group in
a race, but I was the only entry). But I have run further than I ever
thought I could. What have I learned about setting goals? That they need
to be specific: if I hadn’t had something concrete to aim for – in my case,
a distance and a deadline – I would have lost motivation and given up. I
have also learned that having a goal doesn’t mean it will always be fun –
those mid-week runs really are awful - but loathing it sometimes doesn’t
necessarily mean that you want to give it up. Most of all, I have learned
that I need to believe that change is possible. To be honest, I don’t think I
believed that when I set my goal. I only believed it after I started trying to
reach it.
I don’t know for sure that I’ll manage to run the whole path. I do get
injured and life, as we all know, just has a habit sometimes of getting in
the way of the best laid plans. But does that uncertainty mean I shouldn’t
try? Of course not. I’ll go as far as I can, and then look back and see just
how far I’ve come.
Rosie Akeroyd

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HALLS FOR HIRE
ST JOHN’S HALL - Well equipped hall suitable for use by special interest
groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and special occasions.
Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary on 07939 226977 or email:
hallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and availabil-
ity.
ST STEPHEN’S HALL, CHAULDEN - (opposite Tudor Rose) - Sunny Hall with
tiled floor suitable for dancing and exercise groups as well as being ideal for
children’s parties. Please contact Jean on 01442 257023 for further
information and availability.
ST FRANCIS HALL, HAMMERFIELD - Well equipped hall suitable for use by
special interest groups, clubs and societies. Ideal for family parties and
special occasions. Please contact Hall Bookings Secretary by email: stfran-
cishallbookings@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk for further information and
availability. More urgent queries can be handled by leaving a message on Paul
Davies mobile phone: 07802 442908
Please Note: St. John's Church PCC cannot accept any responsibility for goods or services

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Toe-tal
FOOT CARE
Safe, hygienic, friendly service for all the family
For the treatment of corns, callus,
ingrown or thickened nails,
nail trimming, cracked heels
In the comfort of your own home
Call Graham Spendlove, MCFHP, MAFHP
Qualified Foot Health Professional
Book now 07799 033974

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Herts Musical Memories deliver vibrant, therapeutic music
sessions designed to help connect people to their memories
through singing. The group is aimed at people worried about
their memory or their voice, those living with dementia, their
carers, or anyone who likes to sing and have fun - everyone
is welcome!
The Hemel group meets on Tuesday afternoons at
St George's URC Hall. For more information please call
07515 633486.

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Hemel Hempstead Town Cricket Club
Hemel Hempstead Town Cricket Club was founded in 1850, and plays at
Heath Park. Our 1st
XI has played at the highest level of Hertfordshire
Cricket for most of the time there has been a league system, although is
currently in the second tier of the Saracens Hertfordshire Cricket League.
We field five Saturday teams and two Sunday teams, the latter playing in
the Chess Valley League. Playing numbers are thriving and we expect to
field a Saturday 6th
XI for friendlies in 2023.
A particular focus of the club is bringing younger players into senior
cricket, usually from the age of 14. This is a particularly done through our
Saturday 5th
XI and the Sunday 2nd
XI. That rests on one of the
largest junior sections in the area. Boys and girls start as young as 5 years
old, through ‘All Stars’, a national scheme run by the England and Wales
Cricket Board. That goes up to 8 years old and the boys then progress to
Under 9 Boys league squad while the girls take part in Dynamos for 8-11
year olds (another ECB scheme) and/or the Under 11 Girls league squad.
For boys’ cricket, have Hemel Hempstead Town teams from Under 9 to
Under 15 in 2023. Our girls’ teams (Under 11, 13 and 15) are run in
conjunction with our neighbours at Boxmoor Cricket Club, playing under
the name ‘Grand Union’, influenced by a spirit of cooperation between
the clubs and of course the name of the canal which links us.
Cricket is played for longer than people might expect, with October,
November and December being the only months without play of any kind
– winter training begins in January and goes through to March or April.
We then move outside, not least to our new outdoor nets which are
among the best such facilities in the area.
We have an active social calendar at the club for members, from
barbecues to quiz nights, along with two pool tables and darts board. The
club is available for hire and we are delighted to welcome people from the
local community as social members.
More information is at www.hhtcc.co.uk
Prof. Richard Grayson, HHTCC Chairperson

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Pilgrimage to the Shrine of our Lady of Walsingham, Parishes of Boxmoor and
Hemel Hempstead, St Mary and St Paul. March 2023
We left early afternoon on Friday 24th
March in two cars and went on our way to
Walsingham, Norfolk. We all enjoyed very jolly conversations all the way there
and with an excited air of anticipation.
When we arrived we were directed to our little bedrooms which were ensuite
and reminded us of little ‘cells’ (not that any of us had been in one!) with a cross
on the wall above the bed.
Once settled we then joined everyone in the Holy House in the Shrine Church for
Mass. According to my Walsingham ‘children’s’ Guide a Shrine Church is a Holy
Place with something very special inside it! Inside this Shrine is The Holy House,
with a special statue of Mary with Jesus on her knee.
This came about after Lady Richeldis had a vision, from Mary who took her to her
house in Nazareth, where the Angel Gabriel appeared and asked her to have
God’s son and Mary accepted without hesitation. Mary asked Lady Richeldis to
build an exact copy of her house in Walsingham. When she did this a well sprang
up and pilgrims have come to drink the water believing it will heal them ever
since.
The next day, Saturday 25th
March, was the feast day of The Annunciation of the
Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary, so it was very special that we were there on that
day. Also, it wasn’t too overcrowded with pilgrims and visitors as being Lent and
almost the start of Passion week, we virtually had the place to ourselves, which
made for a very peaceful time.
After breakfast, Mike was invited to take his first Mass in the Holy House after
which we walked/or drove to the Roman Catholic shrine via a sweet little
Orthodox Church and disused railway line. This little church would have been a
waiting room for the station for the train to come from London out to Norfolk
where people working in London would have come to experience the fresh air of
Norfolk.
Father Hope Patten wanted to revive the pilgrimage to the village in 1921 - but
on the day only two people got off the train! Not to be deterred he got everyone
in the village to come out into the streets and make it a celebration: - and so the
following year more people arrived for the celebration and thereafter more and
more people arrived on this day, the Annunciation of the Lord.

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We continued our walk along the disused railway line which is now a paved path
(and suitable for wheelchairs and buggies!). We stopped for coffee and Angelus
Prayers at the Roman Catholic Shrine before we walked the Holy Mile back to
Walsingham, (not in bear feet as some Pilgrims would have done or may choose
to do) which was very pleasant; noticing all the wayside flowers and the lambs.
Then we were off to Wells Next the Sea for fish and chips and a long walk to the
beach and we’re treated to a lovely Gelato ice cream by Sheila.
At the end of a long, interesting and fulfilling day we had free time until supper
(the meals were all very good) and some of us visited The Guild of All Souls
Church, which has just celebrated 150 years anniversary and is where prayers are
offered for the dying and the departed.
Later that evening there was a very special service called The Liturgy of Reconcili-
ation in the Shrine Church - processing round the grounds with lit candles and
singing; raising our candles high when it came to the chorus of Ave, Ave Maria
after which there was laying on of hands, anointing (if you wished)! and Benedic-
tion. This was very special.
Next day after breakfast we joined everyone in the local parish church for Concel-
ebrated Mass which means Fr John and Fr Mike took part in blessing the sacra-
ments.
Finally after a roast lunch, we went to have another special service which was
called the Sprinkling, Procession of the Blessed Sacrament which Fr Mike was
invited to take part in and Fr John the Sprinkling at the Well.
I must say that when I came home, I felt relaxed, refreshed and joyful.
On behalf of our pilgrims - thank you Fr John, Fr Mike and Marian (for driving)
Dee Fisher – March 2023

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'Music Percentage Club Update’
Congratulations to the winners of the March Music
Percentage Club draw:
Sheila James 1st £15
Job Rombout 2nd £8
Gill Williams 3rd £4
If you know of someone who would be interested in joining the Music
Percentage Club and supporting Music at St John’s in this way there are
forms in church or please contact Mark Harbour on 01582 841019 or see
him in church.
SMILE-LINES
Life abundant
Two students from a theological training college decided to spend part of
their holiday in the countryside doing outreach. They stopped at an old
farm house and proceeded up the path through a group of screaming
children and a washing line heavy with wet clothes. When they got near
the door, the woman of the house stopped scrubbing the steps, brushed
her hair and perspiration from her brow, and asked them what they
wanted. “We’d like to tell you how you can live forever,” they answered.
The exhausted woman hesitated for a moment, and then replied, “Thank
you, but I don’t think I could stand it!”
BOXMOOR PARISH WEBSITE
If you have posters for an event which you would like
to appear on the church website, or if you have taken
photos of a church event and would like them to
appear on the website, please email them to
webteam@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk so that the web-
site team can access them easily. We are an active
parish and it would be nice to show that.

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JUNE 2023 - PRICE 60p
Please note the deadline for articles for the June 2023 edition of the magazine is
Sunday, 7th May.
You can e-mail direct to magazine@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk or leave articles in
magazine pigeonhole or deliver direct to 27 Beechfield Road. Please note any
articles sent by email should be in A5/A4 format (MS Word or MS Publisher
preferred). Thank you. Sally Bates, Editor, Tel No. 266912 or Mobile 07792
768236.
PLEASE NOTE
Website for St John’s Boxmoor is:
www.stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
E-mail: office@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
Website for Music at St John’s is http://masj.org.uk
Facebook Page: St Johns Church, Boxmoor
NEWSLETTER: If you would like to receive a copy of the weekly Newsletter by
e-mail, please contact Alan Munford - alan.munford@btinternet.com with your
e-mail address and he will arrange to send it to you.
Please send any items for inclusion in the Newsletter to the Parish Office at the
email address: newsletter@stjohnsboxmoor.org.uk
SUBSCRIPTION TO MAGAZINE
If you would like to receive a copy of St John’s Parish Magazine on a regular
monthly basis, please email alan.munford@btinternet.com or telephone him on
01442 242543 or complete your details below and return tear-off slip to:
Mr. Alan Munford, 16 St Nicholas Mount, Hemel Hempstead HP1 2BB
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THE CORONATIONS OF 1953 AND 2023: THEN AND NOW
For the majority of the population in this country the Coronation of King Charles
III on Saturday 6 May will be the first time they have seen the crowning of a
monarch. You probably have to be in your mid seventies or older to have any
clear recollection of the last time such an occasion was held with the coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.
It is interesting to reflect that most medieval sovereigns were crowned on a
Sunday, the last being Queen Elizabeth I in January 1559. King Edward VII is the
only other monarch whose coronation has taken place on a Saturday. This
happened by accident as the King underwent surgery for appendicitis on the June
date originally chosen and a period of convalescence was needed for him to
recover to face the vigour's of the ceremony, which was rescheduled for 9 August
1902.
Westminster Abbey has been the scene of every Coronation since that of William
the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066. The ceremonial followed is a very old one,
being used for over a thousand years. The Kings of Saxon England were crowned
and anointed very much in the same way and the old rites were adopted by the
Normans. In the reign of Richard II (1377-1399) an account of the coronation
ceremonial was written down. This document called the Liber Regalis, the Royal
Book, kept by the Dean of Westminster, gives a full description of the way in
which the sovereign was crowned six hundred years ago and ever since then
Coronations have followed that pattern. The main elements are the Recognition,
during which the people acclaim the new monarch, the Oath by which the
sovereign pledges to serve the people; the Anointing, an act of consecration; the
Investiture when the monarch is presented with the symbols of sovereignty,
culminating in the crowning; the Homage; and the Communion, during which the
sovereign receives the sacramental bread and wine. The Regalia used in the
Coronation dates from 1661 when a new set had to be made following the
destruction of the original objects during the Protectorate under Oliver Cromwell.
Only the spoon used for the anointing is older being the only piece to survive
having been secreted away.
King Charles has said that tradition will play its part in his Coronation, but that it
will also reflect the times in which we live. Perhaps this has also been so. For
example, up to the time of Elizabeth I the monarch spent the night before their
Coronation in the Tower of London, processing from there to Westminster Abbey
for their crowning, while the Coronation Banquet took place in Westminster Hall
following the ceremony was last held for George IV in 1821.

- 25 -
On 1 January 1953 Westminster Abbey was closed completely so it could be
prepared for the Coronation. A narrow gauge railway was laid through the Nave
to help move the great quantities of steel and timber required to construct the
boxes to accommodate seating for 8,251 guests and to convey the carpeting for
the Sacrarium by the High Altar. A stylish annexe was built at the west front of
the abbey where processions could assemble. It was guarded by two metre high
models of the ten heraldic Queen’s Beasts. The originals can be seen in Quebec,
Canada, while copies made of Portland stone were placed in Kew Gardens. At
the 2023 coronation guest numbers will be limited to about 2,000 who will actu-
ally witness it. The 1953 Coronation lasted for three hours, while this time it will
take just over one hour. Throughout June 1953 Westminster Abbey was opened
to enable visitors to view the Coronation setting. On the first day nearly 9,000
people paid the 10/- (50p) admission fee to tread in the Queen’s footsteps. For
this Coronation the abbey will be doing the same, although the entry fee will be
considerably higher than it was 70 years ago!
The Gold State Coach will only be used in the return procession to Buckingham
Palace, which will cover a shorter route along Whitehall and The Mall. In 1953
the return journey was a five mile route taking in Pall Mall, Piccadilly, East
Carriage Road, Oxford Street and Regent Street and took 45 minutes to pass any
one point, taking two hours in total. Nearly 30,000 service personnel took part in
the procession, with many coming from the Commonwealth. I clearly remember
the Canadian “Mounties”, the Australians in their “bush” hats and the Fijians in
their native uniforms. Stands lining the route provided seats for over 105,000
people and required 700 miles of tubular scaffolding in their construction. Sir
Hugh Casson, an eminent architect of the day was given the task of designing the
street decorations for the processional route. To complement these Eric Bedford,
the Ministry of the Works architect, devised four huge tubular steel and wire
arches which were placed along The Mall. The arches were surrounded by gold
and silver lions and white unicorns, with a coronet suspended on wires from the
centre of each arch. I, along with many other visitors to London enjoyed seeing
all the different decorations which remained in place throughout the summer.
The biggest innovation about the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was that the
occasion was televised for the first time. Prior to the event sales of TVs rose
considerably so that people could view it in their own homes. As with many
other families I watched the ceremony along with other relatives (It is thought
there was 27 million viewers on 2 June 1953). We had an Ecko television with a
12 inch screen and the transmission was, of course, in black and white. Sylvia
Peters, a TV announcer of the time, introduced the proceedings at 10.15 am and
the measured tones of Richard Dimbleby commentated on the ceremony, while
others reported at various points along the processional route. Cont’d…..

- 26 -
My abiding memory of the day was that it was overcast and very cold for the
time of the year with rain during the afternoon. A tea was arranged for the
children of Charles Street, Cotterells and Park Road in the late afternoon and it
was fortuitous it took place in Boxmoor Hall. A number of the ingredients were
very locally sourced - the “pop” came from the off-licence at the bottom of
Charles Street, now Needlecraft; the bread for the sandwiches was provided by
Deans the bakery which was opposite; while other “goodies” such as the ice
cream were supplied by Robinsons, a general store then next to the Cotterells
Social Club. It was a very memorable day, which had begun with the news in
both the newspapers and on the radio that Mount Everest had been successful-
ly climbed for the first time by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing. All the
pictures of the Coronation appearing in papers and publications were in black
and white and it was only later in the summer when we were taken by the
school to the Luxor Cinema in Marlowes (where B & M Bargains next to Lloyds
Bank now is) to see the film of the Coronation did we see how colourful it all
was.
In 1953 there was very much Coronation fever in the weeks preceding the
event with the shops selling every kind of decoration and souvenirs. This was
probably because we had a young Queen whose reign was heralded as the new
Elizabethan age, and the Coronation was an excellent vehicle to celebrate this.
70 years on, details of The King’s Coronation have only gradually been
announced, but whatever changes we may see, this will be equally impressive
and splendid like all the others.
Certainly for at least two hundred years Coronations have been marked with
festivities in local communities. If you are taking part in any celebrations in
your road, would you be kind enough to write a few lines about them and/or
send some photographs to the Editor so they can be included in the June
edition of the magazine.
Graham Gibbs

- 28 -
MUSIC AT ST JOHN’S 2022/23
Our charity, Music at St John’s (MaSJ), has continued to promote music
for all in the local community, especially the younger members.
MaSJ has also helped to enrich the music at services in the church,
including providing significant grants of £900 to the church for extra musi-
cians at the Christmas service of Nine Lessons and Carols in December
2022 and more recently a further £750 for the liturgical performance of
Mozart’s Requiem on 12th
March 2023.
Lunchtime concerts: Two series of Friday lunchtime concerts took place
in Spring/Summer and Autumn of 2022 and these proved popular as ever.
The next lunchtime series will commence in May 2023.
For other concerts (normally held on Saturday evenings) we continue to
use TicketSource to make ticket purchases really simple for everyone
coming to our events.
Educational events: UniSound and Unisong events took place throughout
the year. The Unisound String Day in March had gone well, although it
was noted that possibly with lockdown as a factor, there were more
beginners and less advanced children than in previous years and for many
of the children, it was their first opportunity to play in a group. The
Unisound Wind Band event took place in May. In June we held two
Unisong days on 9th
and 16th
and they went well. In September a
Unisound Recorders event took place and in November another Unisound
Strings day. These had been attended less well than previously, largely
because of problems in getting participants released from their schools
whilst teaching was still trying to catch up on pandemic limitations.
Dacorum Music School continue to work closely with us for all of these
events.
The popularity of the WOOFYT day held on 31 March 2022 meant that we
held two consecutive days in March 2023 with 7 sessions in total. The
teachers’ strike on those days only caused one session to be cancelled
which was fortunate. Cont’d…..

- 29 -
The March 2022 event and the March 2023 two-day event were again
largely funded by the Institute of Physics.
The educational events involve many local schools including South Hill,
Boxmoor, Pixies Hill and Great Gaddesden.
Bursary Scheme: During 2022 we had only two applications early in the
year and they were successful. But we have had no further applications in
spite of continuing to promote the scheme at the Education events
hosted at St John’s and with help from the Dacorum Music School.
Other Events: We held a Spring Concert on Sunday 27 March 2022. This
had been poorly advertised and was not well attended, although the feed-
back from the musicians was that they had enjoyed the event. Even
though it had been promoted as a Mother's Day Event it was thought that
this was actually a factor in the poor turnout.
We again held our annual ‘New Year’s 10k Run and 4k Walk’ on
31st December 2022 and this attracted over 100 runners, a larger number
of serious runners than the previous year as well as a good crowd of 30+
walkers. Overall the event was very successful with many participants
staying afterwards to socialise and the event raised a good sum towards
future MaSJ events.
We held our most recent Annual General Meeting on Friday 7th
October
2022. This took place after the lunchtime concert that day (after lunch)
but was not well attended.
Trustees: We bid farewell to Clara Wilmott-Basset who emigrated in
December. We are grateful for all the help she provided to MaSJ both
through liaison with the Music School and taking minutes at our board
meetings.
Please visit our website at www.masj.org.uk for details of future events
and activities promoted by Music at St John’s.
Mark Harbour, Chairman - 25 March 2023

- 30 -
at St John’s
in the month March
HOLY BAPTISM
There were no baptisms in March.
HOLY MATRIMONY
18 March Suzanne Doud and Jamie Tomkins
O God, our Father, whose greatest gift is love, bless those, we ask you,
who within your presence take each other in marriage.
FUNERAL & MEMORIAL SERVICES
27 March Godfrey John Rock River Park
28 March Eva Woodgate The Lodge Nursing Home
May these souls and the souls of all the departed, through the mercy
of God, rest in peace.
BURIAL OF ASHES
5 March Jill Lamb Reading
17 March Keith John Goodyear Harpenden
23 March Linda May Gillespie Wood Lane End
30 March Jennifer Sears Crouchfield

Produced and printed by the Parish of Boxmoor

St. John's Magazine - May 2023

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