The day Northampton General Hospital had a special visitor

On Tuesday, July 30^th, 1946 at 11:30am, Her Royal Highness Princess Elizabeth visited Northampton General Hospital to show appreciation to the people of Northamptonshire who collected over £19,000 to build a new Outpatient Department in memory of those who died in World War 2.

HRH The Princess Elizabeth was received by a Guard of Honour by the Northamptonshire Regiment in Spencer Parade, near the gate of the hospital, under the command of Major Watts.

While the Northampton Borough Silver Prize Band played the National Anthem, she then went on to be received  by the Earl and Countess Spencer and welcomed by the Mayor and Mayoress, Civic Dignitaries and Senior Hospital Staff.

After a short interval, when Princess Elizabeth was invited to sign the visitor’s book, she proceeded to the Nurses’ Home.

It was remarked on that the Princess looked resplendent in a periwinkle-blue woollen dress.

After a short ceremony where Her Royal Highness presented a souvenir card of appreciation to the representative of each local committee who had subscribed to the War Memorial Appeal Fund, the Princess visited the children outside their ward, accompanied by Matron Nelson, before moving on to the Barratt Maternity Home which she had expressed a desire to visit.

During her tour of the post-natal ward  Princess  Elizabeth paused to admire the baby of Mrs C Copson. The new mother afterwards expressed surprise on discovering the Princess displayed a well above average knowledge of infant welfare.

The last views of the Princess Elizabeth as she left the Barratt Maternity Home to continue her visit to Northampton:

After the death of her father, King George VI in 1952, we were so lucky to have Queen Elizabeth II reign over us for 70 glorious years.

Julia Corps, Sue Longworth and Fred O’Dell, volunteers at NGH Museum and Archive