The earliest royal birthday greeting.
It has long
been a tradition that anyone reaching the age of 100 years receives a greeting
card from the Monarchy.
George V
sent out the first formal greeting in 1917 via his Private Secretary.[1]
Before that other greetings had been sent, but not in an organised way. In 1908
Edward VII’s secretary sent a greeting to the Reverend Thomas Lord of
Horncastle congratulating him on his 100th birthday. This is thought
to have been the first official Royal greeting sent to a centenarian. However I
have found evidence of an earlier occasion. A verbal congratulatory
conversations with a man on his 100th birthday.
The reason
for extra recognition for those individuals reaching 100 years of age is
because it was so rare. Prior to the 20th Century, reaching the age
of 100 was almost unknown. Poor diets, hard physical occupations, and limited
medical science meant that few people survived into old age. There was no such thing
as enjoying a restful retirement. Unless people had managed to save money to
keep themselves in later years they either had to continue working, live with a
relative, or go into the Workhouse. State pensions did not exist before January
1909. The first pensions were paid to
people over the age of 70. A single person received five shillings a week (25p)
and a couple seven shillings and sixpence (37p). This was just enough to pay
for basic food.
In my
recent researches I have found what I believe to be the earliest example of a
Royal Birthday Greeting to a Centenarian. On 23 April 1832 [Easter Monday] King
William IV and Queen Adelaide were in Staines, Middlesex, for the official
opening of the Staines Bridge across the Thames. Staines had been a main
crossing point on the Thames since Roman times and ever since then a series of
wooden and iron bridges had been built to carry the main road from London to Berkshire.
One by one the bridges failed until the fifth and final bridge, now built of
granite, was finally opened in 1832. After the opening ceremony the assembled
citizens noticed “two men of unequal size making way through the crowd towards
the presence of their majesties. These apparent intruders were Colonel Wood of
Littleton and William Goring , tailor of Chertsey.”[2]
Colonel Wood was a prominent landowner in the area and a member of the Staines
Bridge Commission. He stood five foot eleven inches high and William Goring was
five foot four inches. The two men stood before the royal couple and Colonel
Wood introduced the Mr Goring to them and added that the tailor wished to speak
to them. The tailor told the king that he had walked from Chertsey to Staines
that morning [about four miles] especially to shake hands with the King as that
day was his hundredth birthday. He received hearty congratulations from the
King and Queen.
At first
hearing this the security for the royal couple appears to be lax until I read
that the area immediately around the area were for ticketed guests only and
there were two military contingents in attendance. The members of the Staines
Bridge commission, which included Colonel Wood, had greeted the King and Queen
on arrival so his face was known to them.[3]
After an
official address by the Rector of Staines the Royal Party proceeded to the
Saracen’s head to partake of a cold collation. The meeting of Mr Goring with
the King and Queen was an event that was still being talked about four years
later when Mr Goring died at the age of 104, and in a later retelling of the
story by the North London News, twenty-six years, later did we learn of the
disparity in height between Colonel Wood and Mr Goring.
This story
humanises history. It links the common people with the otherwise inaccessible
royalty. It demonstrates praise and recognition for those lucky enough to have
reached a great age. Thirdly it describes an occasion of great rejoicing for
the town of Staines who had finally built a sturdy and much needed legacy
bridge across the Thames.
[2] A story retold in the North London News, Sunday 31 October
1868.
[3] "Opening of the New
Bridge at Staines." Times [London, England] 24 Apr. 1832:
2+. The Times Digital Archive. Web. 5 Oct. 2016.
[4] [4]1832: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and
Instruction. SATURDAY, MAY 26 - From http://thames.me.uk/s00490.htm
accessed 3/10/16
