Mayor Receives Letter of Thanks from Buckingham Palace

Harry Browning, Mayor of Bedford

Tuesday 2nd July 1918: Following the King and Queen’s visit to Bedford  last week Mr. Harry Browning, the Mayor of Bedford, has received this letter from Buckingham Palace:

“Dear Mr. Mayor, I am commanded to assure you how much pleased the King and Queen were to visit Bedford, and to show their appreciation of the part played by its citizens in the war. Their Majesties were glad to have this opportunity of seeing for themselves the work that is being carried on by all classes in the various war organisations, in the Schools, and in the workshops, and they were much gratified by the loyal welcome with which they were received everywhere and on all sides. It was especially interesting to the King and Queen to become associated with the Schools, which by worthily maintaining the name of their benefactor and founder, have given your town the prominent place it occupies today in the educational life of the country. In thanking you for all that was done to ensure the success of today’s proceedings, I am to add that their Majesties will ever cherish happy recollections of their visit to your Borough. Yours sincerely, Clive Wigram.”

 Source: Bedfordshire Standard, 5th July 1918