The Colours of The Second or Queen’s Royal Regiment
Painting, Colour Party The Queen's Royal Regiment
29th September 1945
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| The Painting hangs in the Town Hall, Guildford. (Click to enlarge) |
Painting
The painting dates from 1946 and Mr. Graham Brown was Mayor of Guildford from November 1945 to 1947. The painting, however, depicts Alderman Mr. Wykeham Price as mayor. This is correct, as the following story explains.
Pride
In September 1944, the Freedom of the Borough was conferred on the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), to mark the town's pride in its close association with a regiment which had distinguished itself in so many famous campaigns. However, as the Queen's were then busy fighting overseas. the ceremony was postponed until after the war.
The march past took place on September 29, 1945, "with bayonets fixed, colours flying, and the bands playing". The mayor at that date was Alderman Mr. Wykeham Price.
Photographs
The Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Sir Makolm Frazer, was also present and in the following year he gave a picture of the scene to the borough, painted by the London artist, R. Lewis. The work was done from photographs taken at the time, but naturally the painting would be dated 1946. This explains the confusion.
Guildford's connection with the Queen's ended in 1959 when the regiment left Stoughton Barracks. Amalgamations of several units produced the present Queen's Regiment in 1966, to which the Freedom of the Borough of Guildford was transferred.
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