Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Ever seen one of these?


snailybailey

Recommended Posts

Hi, read this thread with great interest and wondered if any member had ever seen an invite like the one attached? It appears to be an invitation to attend the ceremony for the unveiling of the tomb of the Unknown Warrior but I am uncertain if it was to attend the ceremony INSIDE the Abbey? I have seen a similar invite once which was pink in colour and appeared to be an invitation to view the ceremony from outside from a particular vantage point (by invitation only I presume). Also I know that the recipient of the attached invitation was the mother of a casualty and wondered what the criteria for the invitation may have been?

Any info would be enlightening

Cheers

GB

post-5325-1241687724.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the invitation bears the words "South Nave", I'm pretty certain that the invitee would have been seated in that part of Westminster Abbey, rather than outside. I am afraid I can't say what the criteria would have been to receive an invitation such as this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...
As the invitation bears the words "South Nave", I'm pretty certain that the invitee would have been seated in that part of Westminster Abbey, rather than outside. I am afraid I can't say what the criteria would have been to receive an invitation such as this.

fortheFallen

Hello. This is entirely lateral thinking but given the process of selection of the Unknown Soldier and the random nature of that, is it not natural to assume that the same process might have applied to the selection of the people invited to attend the entombment?

I suppose a prerequisite might have been that an invitee had a relation serving in the armed forces but that does then tend to do away with the randomness element.

I may be totally wrong on this and apologies if so.

Peridot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The issue of who was to get seats is discussed in Susan R. Grayzel's book Women's Identities at War, pp.229-30. Apart from the official procession, only certain categories of women were considered for seats (men were not invited). The categories were: 1) women who had lost their husbands and all their sons; 2) women who had lost all their sons; and 3) widows (nb) who had lost their only son. The government estimated that about 3000 women would fall under these categories. About 15000 people applied and the choice was made on the basis of the above categories.

Mike

Hi, read this thread with great interest and wondered if any member had ever seen an invite like the one attached? It appears to be an invitation to attend the ceremony for the unveiling of the tomb of the Unknown Warrior but I am uncertain if it was to attend the ceremony INSIDE the Abbey? I have seen a similar invite once which was pink in colour and appeared to be an invitation to view the ceremony from outside from a particular vantage point (by invitation only I presume). Also I know that the recipient of the attached invitation was the mother of a casualty and wondered what the criteria for the invitation may have been?

Any info would be enlightening

Cheers

GB

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
As the invitation bears the words "South Nave"...

It also says that "the holder of this ticker must approch on foot by Dean's Yard by West Coister Door ..." and "Admit to Westminster Abbey." So, if she used the ticket, she entered the door and was admitted inside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...