Celebration of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee
On Thursday 2 June 2022, the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators and the Wimbledon Windmill Museum Trustees marked the occasion of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and took part in the nationwide event of the lighting of beacons.
Hundreds of local residents joined our celebration of the national beacon programme - though rather than light a physical beacon, we illuminated the Windmill in red and orange in tribute to the Queen.
The evening began with two "processions" across the Common: the first walk began at the Wimbledon Village War Memorial and was led by Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, and the second walk, led by the Revd Joshua Rey, vicar of Holy Trinity Church, started at the Roehampton War Memorial. On arrival at the Windmill, the processions met with those who had come directly to the Windmill and everyone was handed a candle to be lit for the ceremony.
At 9.30pm, Stephen Hammond MP, on the blacony of the Windmill with all the other participants, began with the Proclamation:
Today in our nation - and throughout the Commonwealth we are celebrating
our glorious Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Elizabeth - the second of that name -
our most beloved Sovereign and Head of the Commonwealth for seventy years.
How apt that this should be the Platinum anniversary of her accession -
Platinum – that most noble of metals, more precious even than gold.
And so it is in honour of this unique occasion
that beacons will be lit this evening
throughout the United Kingdom,
the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the UK Overseas Territories -
and in all the Capital Cities of the Commonwealth.
Let it be known,
in proclaiming this tribute to Her Majesty the Queen on her Platinum Jubilee,
that we are one nation and one Commonwealth.
God Save The Queen
The evening then followed the official order of service for the evening, with several pieces of music commissioned especially for the occasion:
‘Diu Regnare’ a piece for bagpipes and played superbly for us by piper, Robert Williams
‘Majesty’ - a bugle call to fanfare the lighting of the beacon, and played wonderfully for us by trumpeter, Nick Walker, who bravely stood in for our original trumpeter with just 24 hours notice!
Finally, "A Song for the Commonwealth — A Life Lived with Grace" - the Choir of St Mary's Church, Wimbledon performed this beautifully as the Windmill was lit up above them.
We continued with prayers for the Queen, read by Reverend Joshua Rey, and several hymns sung by the Choir of St Mary's. The whole crowd joining in to "I Vow to Thee my Country" was quite something to hear as it rang out across the Commons!
Two further speakers included the Chairman of the Conservators, Diane Neil Mills, who spoke about the link between the Monarchy and the Commmons, and you can find a copy of her words here.
Secondly, the Head Keeper - Putney Lower Common, Bill Rowland spoke, in his own inimitable style, of the links between our Mounted Keepers and the Monarchy. A copy of Bill's words can be found here.
If you would like to see the Order of Service, a copy can be dowloaded here. If you would like to receive a hard copy, do please pop into the Ranger's Office and speak to Angela who will print one for you.
If you have any photographs or video footage of the evening that you would like to share with us, please e-mail them to rangersoffice@wpcc.org.uk and we will include them on this page.
We are grateful to all those who made this evening’s service possible including Stephen Hammond MP, the Revd Joshua Rey, the Wimbledon Windmill Museum Trustees, the Conservators and staff of Wimbledon and Putney Commons, Mr Mark Roberts, family and staff at the Windmill Tea Rooms and the London Scottish Golf Club and, of course, to you, our local community for your continued support of the Commons.
The event was free of charge with a suggested donation of £10 per family - all donations made will help fund the ongoing upkeep of Wimbledon and Putney Commons and the Wimbledon Windmill. If you'd like to make a donation, please click here: Donations
