Royal River Pageants In 1919 & 1953

On 3 June, the Diamond Jubilee Pageant for Queen Elizabeth II will be held on the River Thames, which HTBS has written about earlier. I guess, a lot of the crews of the boats and vessels which are going to take part in this Pageant for the Queen have been practicing ‘tossing the oars’. If you do not know what that means, take a look at the following film clip from 1919 from, I think, the ‘Peace Pageant’ with the Royal Barge on the Thames. Coming in to dock, the Royal Watermen are tossing their oars.

ROYAL BARGE ON THAMES IN 1919

 Queen Elizabeth had her first River Pageant as the Sovereign in 1953, and of course the Royal Watermen where present. It is said that the oars the Watermen are holding have not been used since 1919 for the ‘Peace Pageant’.

 ROYAL RIVER PAGEANT IN 1953



Good luck to all you 'Oar Tossers' on the 3rd!