QUEEN Elizabeth the II will later today pass the record set by her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, to become the longest serving British Monarch and during that time she has visited Warrington four times.
Her first visit was in May 1968, when she visited Bridge Street, which had undergone a facelift.
In this rare colour photograph of the Queen’s visit, captured by local photographer Eddie Whitham, the Queen is pictured with Warrington’s Mayor at the time, Arthur Boyle and Raymond Broadbent, who ran Broadbents shop on Bridge Street.
The Queen’s next visit came in November 1979 when she toured the newly opened Golden Square with prince Phillip.
In August 1998 the Queen visited the newly opened Hollins Park Hospital at Winwick and most recently the Queen and Prince Phillip officially opened the Orford Park Jubilee Hub in May 2012.
Later today her Majesty will break the record set by Queen Victoria who reigned for 63 years and 216 days between 1837 and 1901.
The Queen pictured at Orford Park with Council leader Cllr Terry O’Neill.
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Although 16 at the time I have no recollection of the Queen visiting Warrington in 1979 – even though I had been doing a bit of newspaper work while I was still at school.
Must have destroyed a few memory cells over the years!