FOR the second time in three months, Cirencester has been honoured by a Royal Visit.

On Tuesday afternoon, Her Majesty Queen Mary visited the town and inspected the Central Hospital Supply Service County Depot and the local Surgical Supply Depot of the Gloucestershire branch of the British Red Cross Society. Her Majesty was greeted by cheering crowds as she drove through the streets.

Several hundred people were gathered in the Market Place and many more were watching the scene from the windows of buildings on either side of the road. When the Royal car pulled up to allow Queen Mary to alight, the crowd surged forward and the police experienced the greatest difficulty in restraining them.

Queen Mary first visited the Hospital Supply Service County depot which is situated above Boots, the chemists, in the Market Place. Since the outbreak of war, this firm has generously allowed the first floor of their premises to be used as a depot, without charge.

Her Majesty, who wore a violet coat with a violet fur collar, and a violet hat passed between a guard of honour made up of members of the Cirencester Women’s Voluntary Aid Detachment.

In the depot, Queen Mary was met by Countess Bathurst, Vice-President of the Cirencester and district branch of the British Red Cross Society, Miss Pollard, Commandant VAD, Mrs Turner, Cirencester Hospital’s Librarian, and Miss Julia Gibbon, a despatches packer.

Her Majesty displayed keen interest in the work of the depot. In stock at the time were numerous pairs of pyjamas, pullovers, and many other very necessary articles of clothing. One whole room was stocked with gifts made from free material including 200 pairs of socks, 250 bed jackets, etc. Another room contained gifts supplied by work parties from all over Gloucestershire.

Queen Mary showed particular interest in a number of pairs of slippers made from old felt hats and odd pieces of felt, by members of the working parties of several Women’s Institutes in Gloucestershire. She also glanced through letters received from the Finnish Red Cross Society acknowledging a total of about 6,500 articles sent from that depot.

On one occasion while Her Majesty was examining articles placed by the window overlooking the Market Place she waved to the crowd, who responded eagerly.

Queen Mary next visited the County Hospital Supply Service surgical supply depot, where she was once more greeted by a large crowd. She examined piles of bandages and various surgical dressing and expressed herself well pleased with the work.

Her Majesty then met the voluntary workers and congratulated them on their efforts. As Her Majesty drove away she was loudly cheered by the crowds. (April 1940)