WATCH: Lossiemouth senior citizens come together for tea party to celebrate Queen's Platinum Jubilee
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MEMORIES of the Queen's Coronation in 1952 and her 70 years on the throne came flooding back for senior citizens in Lossiemouth at a special Platinum Jubilee tea party.
Organised by local councillor James Allan and friends, 140 invited guests, all aged over 70, enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea and some reminiscing at the Lossie FC social club on Saturday afternoon.
Lillian Nicoll (91) remembers watching the coronation far from home.
"I was on holiday in Forfar at the time and watched it on a TV in a shop window," she recalled.
"The Queen has done so well."
Sylvia Riddell (74) was too young to remember the coronation but she is a big fan of the Queen.
"I think she is brilliant and she has done a lot for the country. It is remarkable and we will never see this again.
"I used to work as a steward at RAF Kinloss and I served her once when she visited with Prince Philip."
Sylvia's husband Abbie (80), from Aberdeen originally, joined the RAF as a boy and served from 1958-1997, as an aircraft technician and a bus diver. His first posting was to RAF Kinloss in 1960.
"I have served her (the Queen) all my life and it will be a sad day for this country – north, east, south and west – when she goes. It is a big thing for her to reach 70 years."
Friends Margie Cameron (80) and Frances Burton (82) were dressed in red, white and blue and proudly waving their Union flags.
Margie said: "I remember watching the coronation on a black and white TV and I just loved it. She is so lovely and I don't know anyone who doesn't like the Queen."
Frances added: "I think she is marvellous. I remember getting a red pencil with a crown on it at school for her coronation."
Lewis Hogg (22), a member of Elgin and District Pipe Band, had played the senior citizens into the social club.
Local businesses supported the event with donations of food, equipment and decorations – Twenty Nineteen Coffee, Deli-cious, Franny's Creations, Stotfield Hotel, the Steamboat pub, Hythehill School, Lossie FC social club, a venue where Cllr Allan holds regular bingo sessions for senior citizens.
May McLeod (83) said of the Queen: "She has done exceptionally well over the years for the country. It is good that we are celebrating the jubilee as we will never see this again."
Aside from their afternoon tea, the guests were treated to some classic tunes by Elgin performer Dougie Sim, who has just released a new album Precious Memories.
At 93, Eleanor Simpson was the closest in age to Her Majesty.
"I watched the coronation at my granny's house in Kineddar Street and I remember the square having lots of flags.
"She is beautiful and so lovely. She has done her job very well.
"I have seen her but never met her, Even though she is regal, she always seems so modest at the same time. She is worth it (celebration)."
Cllr Allan said: "I run bingo every Tuesday for the pensioners and I usually take them on different trips as well. "Lossie is having a family fun day on Sunday for the jubilee but a lot of older people couldn't manage to go to that, so I decided to do something for the pensioners, and make it really special because they were all around when she came to the throne.
"There will be a lot of memories today. These people have grown up with the Queen and royalty."
