ONE person in particular has good reason to remember events that took place throughout Weymouth in 1971, the year the borough celebrated its quatercentenary.

Tony Biles was mayor that year and the opening of the council offices on North Quay by Princess Anne was one of his first official engagements.

The princess arrived by helicopter at Redlands on June 1 and spent much of the day in the town, opening the municipal offices and visiting some of the other attractions laid on, including an exhibition of photographs and slides in Weymouth Arts Centre and the opening of the Tudor House in Trinity Street.

She also visited the Pavilion theatre and afterwards met several groups of people including a number of St John Ambulance cadets and some disabled people.

She was accompanied by Tony Biles and his wife Marion as well as other local dignitaries including the Lord Lieutenant, Joseph Weld.

Tony said: “Many years later I was in Boots in Dorchester, standing in the queue, and there was a woman there with two young children.

“She came up to me and said ‘you don’t recognise me, do you?’ and I had to admit I didn’t. It turns out she was one of the 14-year-old St John Ambulance girls who met the princess when she came to Weymouth.”

The former mayor, who is now an Honorary Alderman of the borough, also recalls attending a Tudor banquet where the menu included suckling pig and flagons of mead.

Afterwards, Tony had to go down to the harbour to meet the Milk Race cyclists who presented him with a pint of milk that he was expected to down in one.

“I’d just had a vast Tudor meal and some mead so the last thing I wanted to do was drink the milk!” he laughed. “I had a sip of it but the photographers kept asking me to drink more so they could get their shot. I wasn’t happy!”

During his time as mayor, Tony also worked closely with Dorset’s Chief Constable Arthur Hambleton and the MP Evelyn King.

If you took part in Princess Anne’s visit or have photos and memories to chare, please get in touch.

More photos from Tony’s archive next week.