The Lancashire market town of Ormskirk boasts a surprisingly rich royal history, with multiple visits from the British monarchy documented over a sixty-year period. These occasions transformed the town's streets into scenes of patriotic celebration, elaborate decoration, and mass public gatherings.
The First Royal Welcome: A Future King in 1885
In the summer of 1885, the town rolled out the red carpet for Edward, Prince of Wales, who would later become King Edward VII. His short visit to Lathom House was a major civic event. To commemorate the occasion, a special souvenir medal was struck, a common practice of the era.
The town's preparations were meticulous and costly. Around £350 was raised by public subscription to fund an elaborate reception. Ormskirk Station, freshly painted for the event, featured a grand 40ft x 30ft awning on polished pillars. The station approach all the way to Derby Street was adorned with garlands and flowers, paid for by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company.
Nearly 3,000 local school children were assembled to sing 'God Bless The Prince of Wales'. In the evening, the local gas company funded a town-wide illumination. As the Prince departed, Moor Street was packed with well-wishers. Local reports suggest it was during this visit that the Prince and his wife developed a fondness for the famous Ormskirk Gingerbread.
Twentieth Century Royalty: George V and the Future Edward VIII
Decades later, on 8 July 1913, King George V and Queen Mary received a fervent welcome. Their motorcade arrived via St Helens Road at 12.04pm. The streets were a sea of banners and patriotic bunting, with the Disraeli statue at Beaconsfield corner draped in flags.
The royal car, carrying the Earl of Derby and the Chief Constable, passed 150 inmates from the Ormskirk Union workhouse, who cheered from the District Bank on Moor Street. Further along, 1,500 school children waved flags, while the 1st and 2nd Boy Scouts offered a bugle salute at the Clock Tower. There, the 16-year-old 3rd Lord Lathom stood with dignitaries to salute the monarchs. The royal party slowed at the Parish Church to view its unique architecture as the bells rang out, a fleeting five-minute passage that delighted the thousands lining the streets.
In 1921, another Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII, visited. As recorded by the Ormskirk Advertiser, he met with veterans of the World War, accompanied by the Earl of Lathom.
A Post-War Visit: The Parents of a Future Queen
The town's most recent documented royal call came in 1945, in the closing stages of the Second World War. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth—the parents of the late Queen Elizabeth II—drove through Ormskirk along Moor Street. Once again, throngs of people lined the route, maintaining the town's tradition of turning out in force to greet the monarchy.
These visits, spanning from the Victorian era to the post-war period, highlight Ormskirk's place on the royal map and its community's enduring enthusiasm for ceremonial occasions. Each event left a mark on the local historical record, from commemorative medals and newspaper supplements to lasting stories of civic pride and celebration.
