THIS week we’d like to share Adrian Sleeman's cuttings of the visit of Princess Margaret to Bridport and the magnificent four-day pageant put on in June 1953 - events that many will remember.

This is part of how the News reported it at the time:

GLORIOUS, hot June sunshine greeted Princess Margaret when she visited Bridport on Wednesday to attend the opening performance of the Borough’s Royal Charter Pageant commemorating the 700th anniversary of the granting of the fist Charter by King Henry III in 1253.

Thousands of people from many parts of the West Country thronged the streets of Bridport on this, the fist official visit by a member of the Royal Family to the Borough.

About 10,000 people, it is estimated, were in the town centre for the occasion.

The Princess spent five hours in the town, arriving by car shortly after midday from a West Country airport, and re-tuning to Clarence House in the early evening.

As she passed through Beaminster on her journey to Bridport Princes Margaret was given a great welcome. The town was gaily decorated and crowds lined the route form Tunnel Road Corner to Southgate.

Several hours before the Royal party were due, cores began to collecting along East Street, Barrack Street and St Andrew’s Road. Outside the Grammar School the road was lined with children, the majority of whom carried Union Jacks.

One of the earliest arrivals was 81-year-old Mrs Vincent of Yetminster, who had made the journey in her invalid chair that morning.

“I have never been so excited in my life,” said the old lady as she waited for the arrival of the Princess. She commented on the kindness of the police, who gave her a vantage point beside one of the flower-decked pillars at the entrance to the school.

THE ARRIVAL

ROUSING cheers greeted Princess Margaret a slight figure in blue, as she stepped from her car, which bore her personal standard. She walked up the carpeted steps to the lawn in front of the school where the Lord Lieutenant of Dorset Lord Digby, presented they Mayor of Bridport, Ald, .R.C Palmer, daughter-in-law of the Mayor, and Ald, S.J Gale, deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Royal Charter Celebrations Committee, with Mrs Gale and the Town Clerk, Mr A. E. Slack

PRINCESS’S OUTFIT

BRILLIANT sunshine added to the colour of the scene as Princes Margaret, wearing a full-skirted coat of pastel blue gross-grain with double collar and three-quarter length sleeves, chatted for some moments to the officials. She wore a close-fitting white feather hat, long white gloves and white sling-back shoes.

A diamond brooch gleamed on the left lapel of her coat and she had a double rope of pearls. Worn on the outside of her glove was a narrow gold bracelet.

Both Mrs Palmer and Mrs Gale were in shades of blue, and further colour was added to the scene by the rich red robes of Ald. Palmer and the black of the two mace-bearers, Mr A.C. Ackerman and Mr J. H Norman, who stood at the gateway.

The grey school building was banked with summer flowers in pastel shades, and over the entrance hung a banner in red, blue and gold, bearing the words “Welcome to Bridport.”

Sweet williams and marguerites, arranged by the pupils, lined the hallway to one of the inner rooms where the Princess, attended by Lady Jean Rankin and Capt. Oliver Dawney, was guest at a sherry party.