Main Performers | Sir Cyril Hinshelwood OM - President, Prof. D Graffi, Prof. J Lecomte, Sir John Eccles, King Gustaf VI of Sweden, HM Queen Elizabeth II - speakers, Dr G Thalben-Ball - organ |
Orchestra or Band | Royal Military School of Music Trumpeters and Band |
Conductors | Lt.-Colonel David McBain, Sir Arthur Bliss (Master of the Queen's Musick) |
Set List | Procession of Fellows, 'Welcome The Queen', Bliss (Thalben-Ball, Royal Military School of Music Band and Trumpeters), Speech (King Gustaf VI Of Sweden) Speech (HM Queen Elizabeth II), Presentation of a silver bell to the Society's President, Address (President), 'Salute to the Royal Society', Bliss, (Thalben-Ball, Royal Military School of Music Band and Trumpeters), Congratulatory Address (delegates from Italy, France and Australia), King Gustaf VI of Sweden formally admitted to the Society, King Gustaf VI of Sweden signs Charter Book and speech of thanks, 'Overture from 'Giustino'', Handel, 'Fugue in E Flat' (St. Anne), J S Bach, 'Academic Festival Overture', Brahms, 'God Save The Queen', (National Anthem) 'Imperial March', Elgar, 'Crown Imperial', Walton |
Royal Presence | HM Queen Elizabeth II, HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, HM King Gustaf VI of Sweden, HRH Queen Louise of Sweden |
Performance Notes | The event was broadcast on BBC Television from 15:10-16:00.
Film footage of this event is available from British Pathe (Film ID 2970.25) running time 1min 51secs. Associated Press Archives holds B&W British Movietone footage of the event (BM80719).
The event brought together scientists from over 50 Commonwealth and foreign countries. The event was recorded and broadcast by the BBC television with narrative by Richard Dimbleby at 15:10 and again at 22:45.
The Queen attended the event as Patron of the Royal Society and in her speech drew special attention to the increasing role of women in science.
The silver bell presented to the Society's President was cast in Edinburgh by Charles Creswick (a city silversmith and bronze founder), weighed 30 ounces and was seven inches high. The Queen had ordered the bell from the Scottish Craft Centre and took two months to create. On one side of the bell was the Royal cypher and on the other the dates 1660-1960. The handle was made of ivory and had the crest of the Society mounted on its top embossed and chased in silver. The Queen announced that it would allow the Society, '...to ring in the fourth century of your history'. The Society's President announced it would be rung at all future meetings.
Later in the day the Duke of Edinburgh introduced a special tercentenary programme for television recorded in Burlington House, London, recalling the advance of science over the past 300 years.
King Gustav of Sweden was formally admitted as an F.R.S. at the event for his archaeological work in Greece, Cyprus and Italy.
The Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, Lt-Colonel the Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Adeane, Mr James Orr and Lt-Commander Peter Campbell RN were in attendance. |
Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1960/79) |