A Rare Kiss, An Underground Tour: Sudbury Memories of Queen Elizabeth II
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As Canada prepares for a period of official mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, people in northern Ontario reflect on the legacy of the British monarch.
Queen Elizabeth made several visits to Northern Ontario during her 70-year reign. In 1959, she visited the Frood Mine in Sudbury with her husband, Prince Philip.
Margaret Kosmerly was just a teenager when she stood with a sea of eager Sudburians on Regent Street to catch a glimpse of the Queen after her visit to the Frood Mine where her father worked.
Morning North5:55In memory of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Sudbury in 1959
Queen Elizabeth made many visits to Canada during her 70-year reign. In 1959, the Royal Family visited Sudbury’s Frood Mine. We have audio archives of this visit. We also heard from a woman from Sudbury who was there.
In 1984, the Queen traveled to Sudbury again, this time to attend the opening of Science North. David Pearson was the manager of the establishment at the time.
« Queen Elizabeth was Princess Elizabeth until she was about nine years old, » he said.
We felt that we were in the presence of someone, someone who had the stature that was unique.— David Pearson, former director of Science North
Pearson remembers being in the schoolyard, while at the same time, thousands of miles away, Queen Elizabeth became queen on a royal tour of Africa. « She’s been a staple of my entire life. »
« I still remember very well, in fact I can close my eyes and I can see exactly where I was when I heard the news that she was becoming Queen Elizabeth. »
Pearson said having Queen Elizabeth at Science North’s opening really helped put it on the map and legitimize it.
« She was graceful and she was smiling. And you felt that you were in the presence of someone, someone who had the stature that was unique. I met a lot of high-ranking politicians and so on, and people. people who were elected to their positions, but the queen was totally, totally different, » Pearson said.
« The Queen has been a sign of stability and she will be missed for that, » he said.
The Queen, who died at her Balmoral estate in Scotland on Thursday, made 22 official visits to Canada after ascending the throne in 1952.
Her first time in Canada as Queen was in 1957, the last in 2010. During those years, she visited every province and territory.
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