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Royal Visits to Simcoe County

February 6, 2017 marks the 65th Anniversary of the death of King George VI and the ascension to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II.  Beginning in 1860, many members of the British Royal Family have travelled through Simcoe County.

On September 10, 1860, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales’ Train stopped at the Barrie Station.  In Simcoe County Council’s Address to His Royal Highness, read by Warden T.D. McConkey, they prayed him “to accept a hearty welcome to the Loyal County of Simcoe, as the worthy scion of [his] royal Mother, long may she be preserved, a pattern to other rulers, and a blessing to the land!”  See:  Barrie Northern Advance, 12 September 1860 p.2   Barrie Public Library Newspaper Index

Forty-one years later, on October 10, 1901, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York – later King George V and Queen Mary – travelled through the County.  They stopped briefly at the Barrie Station, where a large crowd had assembled, before travelling on to Allandale.

1901--961-732 Duke of York visit to Barrie Station 1 1901 E5 B1 R4A S1 Sh3
Crowds gathered to see the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, October 10, 1901 Image copyright: Public domain

Edward, Prince of Wales, passed through several points on the GTR line through Simcoe County.  The Royal Train was scheduled to stop at Allandale at 10:50 a.m. on October 17, 1919.

GTR Employee Schedule, 1919
GTR Employees Schedule for running of HRH The Prince of Wale’s special train, October 17,1919 Image copyright: Public domain

On May 17, 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth embarked on a cross-country tour of Canada.  It was the first time a reigning monarch had set foot on Canadian soil and large crowds greeted them wherever they went.  

CNR Schedule 1939
Bargain fares and special train service to Toronto on account of the visit of the King and Queen, 1939 Image copyright: Public domain

Midland and Penetanguishene welcomed Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip to their communities on July 8, 1959.  

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip 1959
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, July 8, 1959 Image copyright: Public domain

In recent years, there have been two royal visits to Simcoe County.  Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, toured Ste-Marie among the Hurons and St. James on-the-Lines Church in September 2012. 

St James on-the-Lines Church
St. James on the Lines, ca. 1990s Image copyright: Eileen Murdoch, used by permission

Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, stopped in Barrie and CFB Borden on October 22, 2013.  During her visit she visited the Grey & Simcoe Foresters Regiment, of which she is Colonel-in-Chief, and dedicated the Military Heritage Park on Kempenfelt Bay.

CB2013-0372 22 October, 2013 The City of Barrie welcomes Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Princess Royal Princess Anne to the dedication of the proposed Military Heritage Park. The park is envisioned to be created within the eastern section of Allandale Station Park, next to the Southshore Community Centre. HRH The Princess Royal was in Barrie to visit her Regiment, The Grey and Simcoe Foresters. This is the first time in over 100 years that a member of The Royal Family has visited the city. The last visit was in 1901 from the Duke and Duchess of York (later King George V and Queen Mary). The City of Barrie and The Grey & Simcoe Foresters each presented an engraved bench, and the Rotary Club of Barrie unveiled a special monument, in honour of HRH The Princess Royal’s visit to the city. Both benches and the monument will be installed in the completed park to commemorate the occasion. Canadian Armed Forces Photo by Sgt Paul MacGregor
Princess Anne inspects the Grey and Simcoe Foresters Regiment, 2013 Image taken by Sgt. Paul MacGregor, Copyright 2013 DND/MND Used by permission of Grey and Simcoe Foresters

Images:

Images on this page marked as public domain are free to re-use. If you do re-use public domain images, please credit the Simcoe County Archives as the source and link back.