Spine slightly faded, internally fine.
A fine and elegant manuscript by Thomas Swindlehurst, recording the speech given by the Archbishop of York on the Sunday immediately preceding the coronation of Elizabeth II. The Archbishop, Cyrill Garbett, outlines the form of the coronation procedure by highlighting four ‘great episodes’: ‘the acceptance by the people of their new Queen’, the anointing ‘with oil, the ancient form of setting a person apart for some special work’, ‘the presentation of the regalia, the sword, the orb, the sceptre, with the crowning as the climax’, and, finally, ‘kneeling before the altar (the Queen) will offer herself to the service of God’. He concludes:
’We already know that our Queen has graciousness and charm, ready sympathy and unfailing kindliness, but she will need also wisdom in dealing with great problems, a swift and accurate judgement of the men and women with whom she comes into contact, the courage and cheerfulness which will enable her to overcome difficulties and to face disappointments, and, not least, the physical health required for the performance of strenuous and exacting duties.
We pray that our Queen may be given most abundantly those qualities in which we should like our nation to excel, and which most of us would like to possess ourselves’
Swindlehurst (1900-1965) studied under Edward Johnston at the Royal College of Art, whose ‘teaching and example created a whole school of calligraphy in Britain’ (ODNB), going on to become a member of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators in 1933, with whom his work was regularly exhibited over the following years. He taught calligraphy at the Leeds college of art, influencing a number of scribes and illuminators who continue working today. The occasion for the creation of this manuscript in 1958 is unclear, perhaps for a competition or exhibition, but the association with the Archbishop of York is not surprising given that other works by Swindlehurst are recorded in York Minster and Ripon Cathedral.
