Saddened by the death of the Queen

Image above: Bus stop in Chiswick on Thursday night; photograph Tim Cole

The country enters a period of mourning

People in Chiswick have been expressing their sadness at the death of Queen. Businesses, political parties, churches and individuals have published formal statements expressing their sorrow and sending their condolences to the royal family. The churches are opening books of condolence.

As the news sunk in on Thursday night organisations running events were trying to work out whether they should continue with their plans.

The Chiswick Book Festival opened with a minute’s silence before the opening session with Eileen Atkins talking about her memoir at Chiswick House. The Chiswick Calendar and our jazz partner Larry Pryce heard the news as we were setting up for Jazz at George IV. Singer Sarah Moule made reference to the Queen’s passing and said how sad we all felt.

Director of the Chiswick Book Festival Torin Douglas told The Chiswick Calendar they were waiting for guidance from the Government on whether events such as the book festival should go ahead as the nation enters a period of mourning.

Simon Randall, who runs Headliners Comedy Club said he was considering cancelling this weekend’s shows. He would see what other people were doing and would make a decision by lunchtime on Friday.

Political meetings have been cancelled. Thursday’s Planning committee meeting was cancelled by Hounslow Council as a mark of respect and other Council meetings next week have also been cancelled. Cllr Ron Mushiso told us next week’s Chiswick Area Forum is likely to be cancelled also.

Brentford Football Club has put up a statement on their website paying tribute to the Queen but has not said yet whether its away match with Southampton will go ahead on Saturday.

Chiswick Rugby Club said they were waiting for guidance. The RFU told them they understood the clubs would have questions around planned fixtures this weekend but the were in communication with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and were expecting guidance from them for sporting organisations on Thursday evening.

They said they would share an update with the game on Friday morning (9 September) to confirm protocols with regards to scheduled fixtures.

Image above: Queen Elizabeth II; photograph Crown copyright; Photographer: Sergeant Adrian Harlen
Her Majesty The Queen, Colonel-in-Chief Grenadier Guards,at a ceremony to present new colours to Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace in June 2013.

Praise, admiration and affection for the Queen … from politicians

Ruth Cadbury MP said:

“At this saddest of times, I send the thoughts, prayers and condolences of my family and my constituents to the Royal Family.

“The Queen was first and foremost devoted to her family; her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and wider family. For over 70 years the Queen has been a constant in all our lives; a beacon of dedication and stability. She served graciously and tirelessly as our monarch and personified just what public service should be.”

Leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, said:

“Our late Sovereign, Queen Elizabeth the Second was the longest serving Monarch in this country’s history.  She visited the Borough on several occasions during her reign and will be remembered with affection and gratitude by residents, as she will be by people across the country and indeed the globe.”

“The Queen’s devotion to public service was truly exemplary. Over a period in history that saw many momentous changes she provided a consistency that was invaluable to all living in our country. We owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude.”

Speaking for Chiswick’s Conservative councilors, Cllr Ron Mushiso told The Chiswick Calendar:

“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. Our thoughts and prayers are with her immedite family and with the community as she was Queen to us all.”

Cllr John Todd added: “I was a great fan of her commitment.”

Cllr Gabriella Giles Tweeted: “Thank you for your service and leadership.”

Nick Rogers, Conservative Assembly Member for South West London wrote:

“We have lost a titanic figure. I can barely conceive of our nation without Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty inspired millions by her dignity, her sense of duty and her patriotism.”

Cllr Gary Malcolm, councillor for Southfield, Leader of the Ealing Liberal Democrats and Leader of the Opposition on Ealing Council commented:

“I am sure that we all feel shocked at the news of The Queen’s death. She was a rock for the country and the Commonwealth regardless of who ran the country. The @EalingLD pass on our condolences, and from the residents of Ealing, to the Royal Family. She will be sorely missed.”

Hounslow Labour Party Tweeted:

“Our condolences, thoughts and prayers to the Royal Family. As we enter a period of mourning, we will be suspending all campaigning activity immediately.”

Image above: Queen Elizabeth II; photograph Adam Gasson, Commonwealth Secretariat
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government lunch hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, London, UK. 6 June 2012.

… from businesses and organisations

Among those businesses and organisations in Chiswick and west London to give their shocked reaction on Thursday night:

Chiswick School – “Our @ChiswickSchool community is deeply saddened by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.”

John D Wood – “Her Majesty the Queen’s passing is a great loss to the world. She will be missed by so many.”

West London College – “We are all deeply saddened to learn of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Our thoughts are with the royal family at this time.”

Chiswick Cinema – “Throughout her long life and historic reign, the Queen became one of the greatest icons of the modern age, inspiring generations of families and uniting the country during times of trouble or celebration. Her unique appeal was truly global.”

Chiswick House – “The staff, trustees and volunteers at Chiswick House & Gardens are saddened to hear of the passing of Her Majesty the Queen. Our thoughts are with the Royal Family at this time.”

The Polish Centre hung flags at half mast.

… from individuals

Journalist Peter Oborne, whose wife Martine is the vicar of St Michael’s Church Elwood Rd, described the Queen as ‘quiet force for national stability.’

Writing in Middle East Eye he says:

‘I believe the greatest moment of her magnificent reign was her remarkable act of reconciliation when in May 2011 she made the first British state visit to Ireland since its independence, dressed in bright republican green. She visited Croke Park, where British forces had massacred 14 Irishmen in 1920.

‘It was a visit that could so easily have gone terribly wrong. But Queen Elizabeth II was pitch perfect, winning the hearts of millions of Irish men and women who had every reason to hate the British state.’

He describes the news of her death as sending a ‘shattering psychic blow across the United Kingdom.’

Torin Douglas MBE, former BBC correspondent and Director of the Chiswick Book Festival, remembered meeting the Queen when she awarded him his MBE.

“It was a great honour to receive my MBE from the Queen” he told The Chiswick Calendar – “an increasingly rare thing to happen in recent years. She was very warm, friendly, smiley.”

Chiswick based author and TV presenter Richard Osman just commented: “What a sad, sad day.”

Belmont School had just received a card from the Queen

Belmont School shared news about receiving a card from the Queen less than two hours before the news of her death was announced.

“Back in June the children and staff in The Hive celebrated The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by colouring pictures of the queen. We sent them off to Buckingham Palace and today we received a card from Buckingham Palace and The Queen!

Images above: Tweet by Belmont School; Princess Elizabeth during World War II

RMT calls off next week’s rail strikes

The RMT announced immediately the news broke that they would call off next week’s rail strikes. Mick Lynch said:

“RMT joins the whole nation in paying its respects to Queen Elizabeth.

“The planned railway strike action on 15 and 17 September is suspended.

“We express our deepest condolences to her family, friends and the country.”

Churches open books of condolence

Nicola Moy, vicar of Christ Church, Turnham Green emailed The Chiswick Calendar to say:

“Joining a nation in gratitude for a life well lived and in prayer this evening.

“HRH Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been an inspiration to us all. Along with churches around the country we will be opening Christ Church Turnham Green in the coming days for those who wish to sign our book of condolences or mark the occasion in another way. We will begin by being open from 8am – 5pm tomorrow [Friday 9 September].

“May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

“Please look at our website: www.christchurchw4.com for details of services.”

Fr Simon Brandes, who is currently away on holiday, told us he would be put something on St Nicholas Church website “ASAP telling people home we are going to remember and pray for the late queen.”

St Michael & All Angels Church will also have condolence books for people to sign and will be inviting people into the church to light a candle.

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar

See also: Chiswick’s new sculpture sparkles in the rain as Rowan Williams declares it “definitively there”

See also: Interview with Conrad Shawcross, designer of Chiswick’s new sculpture Enwrought Light

See all the latest stories: Chiswick Calendar News & Features

Support The Chiswick Calendar

The Chiswick Calendar CIC is a community resource. Please support us by buying us the equivalent of a monthly cup of coffee (or more, if you insist). Click here to support us.

We publish a weekly newsletter and update the website with local news and information daily. We are editorially independent.

To subscribe to the weekly newsletter, go here.