This is one of many films made by Sheffield cutler and amateur filmmaker “Billy” Ibberson over a period of 60 years.  As well as making films related to his work, the majority of Ibberson’s films were made of his family.  Born in 1902, William Ibberson was the son of a wealthy Sheffield steel maker, George Ibberson.  The original company of which Ibberson was the owner went back to the 17th century, and was the first company to manufacture stainless steel knife blades in 1913.  George...

This is one of many films made by Sheffield cutler and amateur filmmaker “Billy” Ibberson over a period of 60 years.  As well as making films related to his work, the majority of Ibberson’s films were made of his family.  Born in 1902, William Ibberson was the son of a wealthy Sheffield steel maker, George Ibberson.  The original company of which Ibberson was the owner went back to the 17th century, and was the first company to manufacture stainless steel knife blades in 1913.  George Ibberson are still producing  specialist knives in Sheffield, now based on Garden Street, and now part of the Egginton Group.  For more on Ibberson see the Context for Yorkshire Beaches (1945), which features his family on holiday in Filey and Whitby.  

Billy Ibberson would have been able to get the amazingly close shots of the Queen, as well as filming whilst riding in the Royal entourage, as he was elected as the Master Cutler for that year, 1954. This undoubtedly put him in a privileged position for filming which few others would have, especially as the Queen was a guest at the Cutlers' Hall.  The film provides a good chance to see many of Sheffield’s dignitaries for that time, including the Lord Mayor, John Henry Bingham.  The two boys that can be seen towards the end of the film are possibly two of Ibberson’s three sons –  Robert, the eldest, John, the middle child, and Charles, the youngest (b. 1941).  Apparently Billy Ibberson presented the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh with a pair of pocket knives, and, as is customary, received back from the Royal couple a penny for each in return. Billy's son Henry gives an account of the day and of his father's film on the Yorkshire Post website (References).  For more on Ibberson as the Master Cutler see the Context for another film he made in the same year, Made in Sheffield. 

As well as the close-up filming, it is notable that he filmed from a high position looking down Fargate and Leopold Street, from a place that others have also filmed from on other occasions: the building on the corner of Pinstone Street and Barker’s Pool (possibly the Public Health Dept., now Gap) – for example, Town Hall Square (1929).  The arrival of the Queen’s car entourage (at about 3 mins in) at the Town Hall, which he films from here, is worth comparing with the beginning of Tickhill Coronation Celebrations, as this may show the Queen passing through the village of Tickhill on the way to Rotherham on the same day – see the Context for that film. 

By this time the Queen was of course already two years into her reign, and she appears very relaxed – now, some 58 years later, the Queen only has to last until September 2015 to overtake Queen Victoria as the longest reigning monarch.  The difference in attire, from the informal wear of the day, to the formal wear of the evening, is very noticeable.  Royal protocol is very precise, and for formal functions the Queen wears a tiara.  Here it can be seen glittering even in the dim light, although it isn’t easy to tell which one it is: most probably Queen Mary's ‘Girls of Great Britain & Ireland’ tiara.

The first part of the film, with the bunting in the streets, might well have been of the area around Attercliffe or Brightside, which would have been the direction that the Royal entourage would have taken coming from along Sheffield Road, Tinsley – as evidenced by passing W. T. Flather Ltd.  The filming at Hillsborough football ground is probably from the South Stand, before the construction of the new North Stand in 1961 – at the time the largest cantilever stand in Britain.  Hillsborough had already hosted quite a few FA Cup semi-finals even before this visit in 1954; but will now, unfortunately, forever be remembered for the terrible tragedy of 15th April 1989, when 96 Liverpool fans were crushed to death at a FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.  An article on the day in The Times states that 40,000 school children took part in the parade – which seems a rather excessive estimate.   The girls got a commemorative mug and the boys got a penknife – which apparently broke very easily (and although it was the 'city of steel', they were reportedly made in Hong Kong!).  For some stories from Sheffield by those participating in the coronation celebrations see the thread on the Sheffield Forum (References).

In general the early 1950s, when Churchill was back as Prime Minister, has been considered by historians as being a time of political consensus.  Yet the cracks that would lead to a prolonged period of industrial unrest were beginning to show.  On this same day, a three week strike by dockers against compulsory overtime in London, Hull and Birkenhead led to the TUC suspending the National Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers, after they recruited members from the Transport and General Workers Union (whose leadership opposed the strike action). 

This wasn’t the first Royal visit, as the Firth Court Building on Western Bank was opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra in 1905. The tram that can be seen coming up Western Bank, would have been the Crookes-Handsworth line abandoned three years later on 4th May 1957.  The new Sheffield Supertram route now turns off when it reaches the University at Western Bank, going down Netherthorpe.  Although the Queen has visited Sheffield several times since 1954, it wasn't until 2010 that she returned again to the University.

In 1954 Britain, along with most industrialised nations, was at the start of a long period of boom coming in the wake of the war.  Expectations and morale was high, and Sheffield had an expanding steel and engineering industry.  Today, in the age of austerity, it would be fair to say that Royal enthusiasm has declined (References) – see also the Context for Fearby Silver Jubilee.  Especially in the time of severe hardship for some, questions are raised about the legitimacy of having a monarchy: the republican website the Centre for Citizenship presents figures on Royal expenditure for its side of the case. The republican writer
Tom Nairn opines that, “The United Kingdom's population inhabits a country where since the mid-nineteenth century an extensive, important zone of popular imagination had been over-concentrated upon royalty.”  But whatever the merits of this view, there is no sign that the Royal family is going anywhere soon.

References

Henry Ibberson, 'How my dad filmed the Queen in Sheffield in 1954', Yorkshire Post

Tom Nairn, ‘Tom Nairn on 'The Queen' as prophetic elegy.’ Arena Magazine Dec. 2006
The History of George Ibberson
Sheffield Forum
Centre for Citizenship

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