ALTHOUGH she could see Penn from her private rooms at Windsor Castle (albeit through binoculars!), Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II never officially visited Penn and Tylers Green.
But that has never stopped our community praising and celebrating her at every opportunity.
Her death on Thursday 8 September still came as a shock despite her recent frailty and great age.
Books of condolence in the council offices in High Wycombe and Amersham will be available for the public to sign and to express their thoughts until Tuesday 20 September. A virtual book of condolence is available on the Royal Family website, https://www.royal.uk/send-message-condolence
A book of condolence in Tylers Green Village Hall is available every morning ( 9am to noon) except Monday until Tuesday 20 September. This book will not be sent to Buckingham Palace but kept in the village archive for future generations to view. A book of condolence is also available at Holy Trinity Church, Hazlemereand Holy Trinity, Penn Street.
Penn Fair, which was due to open on Friday 9 September, closed for the day as a mark of respect. Many local shops adorned their windows in black and included respectful messages.
Friday 9 September
Members of Windsor Castle staff in mourning at the castle’s main entrance, and some of the thousands of floral tributes. Flowers placed at the Long Walk entrance to the castle are being removed at the end of each day and placed alongside St George’s Chapel inside the castle grounds in preparation for the Queen’s funeral
Saturday 10 September
The accession of King Charles III was formally confirmed today at a meeting of the Accession Council, which was due to be attended by Earl Howe, of Penn House, a member of the Privy Council. Tomorrow his wife, Countess Howe, in her role as Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, the king’s official representative in the county, will host a ceremony in Aylesbury which will include the Proclamation of the new king. It begins at 1pm and is being streamed on https://www.facebook.com/BucksCouncil/ The Proclamation will also be read from the balcony of High Wycombe council offices in Queen Victoria Road at 3.30pm
MP’s tribute – In a special sitting of the House of Commons today, Penn’s MP Sarah Green said the Queen was well loved in her Chesham and Amersham constituency and recalled how when she visited the Epilepsy Centre in Chalfont St Peter she was greeted by 1,200 schoolchildren.
Matches called off – Penn and Tylers Green Football Club called off all its planned weekend matches and training sessions as a mark of respect.
Sunday 11 September
With the Beaconsfield Town Crier summoning the people, the deputy mayor of Beaconsfield, Jackson Ng, read the official proclamation of the new King Charles III. Similar ceremonies took place in communities throughout the country today, including High Wycombe and Amersham and in Hazlemere, below, where the proclamation was read by the chairwoman of Hazlemere Parish Council, Catherine Oliver (picture: Alan Cecil).
Celebrating Her Majesty
Although this is a moment of sadness, when we look back on the impact the Queen had on our community, we will smile. Her reign brought great moments of joy and happiness. Here’s a few examples.
1953 – children dress up to celebrate the Queen’s coronation1953 -Residents of Tylers Road celebrate the Coronation1977 – The village comes together again to celebrate the Silver Jubilee1977 – Some of the Silver Jubilee headlines2012 – The Diamond Jubilee once again brought a packed programme of events2012 – Hundreds packed the common for a Diamond Jubilee celebration2016 – To celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday a Big Weekend was organised2016 – Part of the Big Weekend celebrations included an open air cinema on the back common with people singing along to Mama Mia. But the torrential downpours that occurred in the week of the Queen’s death also happened at this event leaving, at the end, a handful of drenched but happy cinema-goers still singing along to Abba.2022 – The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and yet another Penn and Tylers Green get-together2022 – The back common was the venue for the lighting of the Platinum Jubilee beacon
