IN the coming week of June exactly a century ago, Worcester and the rest of the nation was supposed to be holding a right Royal celebration, similar, though on an even grander scale, to this month's festivities marking the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

On June 26, 1902, Britain was to have been enjoying a nationwide holiday and joyous celebrations on the occasion that day of the Coronation of Edward VII in Westminster Abbey.

But just two days before the scheduled historic ceremony, the King was suddenly taken seriously ill and had to undergo an emergency operation. There was no choice therefore but to postpone the Coronation indefinitely and, though the national holiday went ahead on June 26, festivities were either called off or very muted.

Berrow's Journal of June 28, 1902, carried news of all the latest developments under these headings: "The King's Illness," "National Anxiety" and "Postponed Celebrations".

"General consternation and anxiety were caused on Tuesday morning by the unexpected announcement that the King was suffering from serious illness, necessitating an immediate surgical operation and that, in consequence, the Coronation ceremonies and festivities, for which such immense preparations have been going forward for months past, must be indefinitely postponed.

"The first official announcement came in the shape of a bulletin, issued from Buckingham Palace at 11.15 a.m., stating that the King was suffering from perityphlitis (inflammation of the intestine). A further bulletin at 2pm said an operation had been successfully performed and a large abscess had been evacuated.

"By His Majesty's command, the Earl Marshal then issued a notice expressing the King's deep sorrow that owing to his serious illness the Coronation must be postponed. All celebrations in London were in consequence postponed, but it was the King's earnest hope that the celebrations in the country should be held as already arranged.

"Reports from many provincial centres, however, indicate that the local authorities and people, while fully appreciating the characteristic thoughtfulness which has led his Majesty to express this wish, felt unable to take part in rejoicings in such distressing circumstances."

The repercussions on Worcester were reported by the Journal under the headlines: "Civic Festivities Abandoned", "Half-Hearted Holiday in Worcester" and "No Cause for Rejoicing."

"A special meeting of the City Council was called at 8.30 on Tuesday evening, and there was much anxious debate about the unseemliness of civic festivities to celebrate a Coronation which was indefinitely postponed."

After intense debate, the council voted overwhelming to abandon civic festivities such as sports and dancing on Pitchcroft, military parades, a Guildhall lunch for children, and the handing out of commemorative medals and souvenirs to local elderly people and school pupils.

As for the national holiday, the Journal explained: "There was no cause for rejoicing on Thursday - it was more a day of anxiety at the King's grave illness than a time for merry-making. However, offices, shops and schools throughout the city were closed, and crowds wandered around the streets, but there was nothing to do and, at best, it was half-hearted holiday which would have been better deferred altogether.

"Half the decorations and bunting seemed to have disappeared, and the rest looked to have no purpose nor justification. 'Like a Sunday' was the police comment on the behaviour of the would-be sightseers who thronged the streets on Thursday.

"The proposed Service of Thanksgiving in Worcester Cathedral was changed to one of Intercession for the King's recovery to health.

"In the evening, when the illuminations were on, there was a constant stream of people up and down High Street, and thousands also assembled on Pitchcroft where the holiday spirit, in subdued fashion, found partial vent. Roundabouts and other fairground attractions were well patronised, but there was no disposition to disorder.

"Long before midnight, the streets were cleared, and not a single case of drunkenness nor disorderly conduct was heard at the City Police Court the following morning. None of the extensions of hours granted to local public houses before the postponement of the Coronation were taken up."

As we know with the benefit of hindsight, the King made a full recovery within weeks, and his Coronation went ahead amid nationwide rejoicing on August 9, 1902.