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Celebrations for the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, which took place on 12th May 1937, were held all over the country. Coronation Committees were formed in Alfreton, Somercotes and Leabrooks, Pye Bridge and Lower Somercotes and Riddings in order to organise events in celebration.

Since the last Coronation, for George V in 1911, the country had been through a World War, great economic turbulence and social upheaval, which was reflected in the local area by uncertainties in the iron making and coal mining industries. The Coronation was a welcome distraction and a cause for celebration. There were several newspaper articles published relating to the establishment of the local committees and plans for the festivities, although on the actual day inclement weather curtailed much of the outdoor events in the local area, with sporting fixtures either being postponed, cancelled or reduced in scale.

On 12th February 1937 the Ripley & Heanor News reported extensively on the first meetings held by the Lower Somercotes and Pye Bridge Coronation Committee and the separate Somercotes and Leabrooks Coronation Committee: LOWER SOMERCOTES & PYE BRIDGE - “The preliminary meeting to discuss Coronation festivities for Lower Somercotes and Pye Bridge was held at St. Barnabas Mission Room, Pye Bridge, on Wednesday night, when Mr. J. H. Mountain was appointed chairman, Mr. A. E. Hendey secretary, and Mr. A. White treasurer. Mr. W. Rye stated that the sum of £13 would be available for the festivities, and it was decided to organise house-to-house collections. Mrs. C. Vertigan and Mrs. J. Raynor were appointed for Pye Bridge and Messrs. T. Smith and 0. Stevens for Lower Somercotes. Mr. Harry Oakley, amusement caterer, offered to provide amusements and illumination on Pye Bridge Recreation Ground, and his offer was accepted. Mr. J. H. Mountain promised to submit samples and prices of mugs, and it was decided to approach Stanton Ironworks Company for use of their canteen for catering purposes. Teas will be provided for children, unemployed men and their wives, and old ago pensioners. Each child will receive a mug and sports will be held on the Recreation Ground. A Sports Committee was elected and Mr. T. Smith was requested to arrange the purchase of decorations.” SOMERCOTES & LEABROOKS –“A meeting was held in the Assembly Hall in the Central Schools, Somercotes, on Wednesday to make arrangements for Coronation festivities for Somercotes and Leabrooks. Councillor C. A. M. Oakes was elected chairman; Councillor Walter Cooper vice chairman; Mr. E. Best (headmaster of the Central School) secretary; and Mr. H. Bloxham (headmaster of the Junior School) treasurer. The allocation of the 1d. rate for Somercotes portion of the ward is £87. The meeting decided to make house-to-house collections to augment the above sum. The following ladies and gentlemen volunteered to make the collection: Mesdames Seldon, Burton, Cresswell, Father, Amos, Cockayne, Bales, Gent, Ward, Ball, Smith, Hollingworth, Turton, Messrs. A. Turton, T. Cater, S. Hardwick, J. Parnham, and R. Smith. The meeting decided that tea should be provided for all children over three years and under 15 years and each presented with either beakers or mugs. The question of old people's treats is to be considered at the next meeting. The question of a band and parade also will be decided in a fortnight's time. The committee appointed was as follows: Rev. R. E. Birtwistle, Messrs. W. Townsend, R. Smith, Wheeler, H. Hague, J. Amos, Frank Cater, A. Turton, J. Parnham, Ball, J. Clarke, and S. Riley, Misses Bailey (headmistress of the Central School) and Cauldicott (headmistress of the Infants' School), and Mesdames Seldon, A. Burton, J. Gent, S. Ward, and Hollingworth. Each church is to appoint two representatives.”

A second meeting of the Somercotes & Leabrooks Coronation Committee was also reported in the Ripley & Heanor News on 26th February: “The second meeting of Somercotes Coronation Committee took place on Wednesday. Coun. Walter Cooper presided. It was decided to provide teas for widows and all 65 years and over, and new coins for the children. Teas to be served in the schools and halls in the district. The Somercotes Old Folks' Tea Committee undertook the task of catering. They were allocated £20 for the purpose. The sum realised by a house to house collection amounted to £38 18s. 8d. and an additional £5 was given by Coun. C. A. M. Oakes. It was decided to present each child with a mug to cost 5d. each. The question of a Band is to be decided next week.”

Riddings too had its own Committee and plans were put in place to illuminate the Riddings Mills, which had become a local landmark. Extensive events were to be held in Riddings Park. The Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald printed an article on 9th April 1937 regarding the arrangements being made for Riddings: “RIDDINGS MILLS - Arrangements for Floodlighting at Coronation - At a meeting of Riddings Coronation Committee, Friday, the secretary (Coun. A. Lee, J.P.) read a letter from the Derbyshire and Notts. Electric Power Company stating that they had selected Riddings Mills as one of the prominent landmarks which they would illuminate for about three weeks free of cost. The Committee, however, had previously approached Riddings District Gas Company with a view to the mills being lit by lamps from the top gallery and a letter from the company stated that they proposed to place six high powered lamps round the gallery for four weeks during May without charge. The Committee decided to accept the Gas Company’s offer, and to thank the Electric Power Company for their offer The secretary reported that the Somercotes Coronation Committee had inadvertently collected in the Riddings area, and handed over 8s. when the Riddings Committee pointed out the matter to them. The question of display of fireworks aroused discussion, and eventually it was decided to have a display at a cost of about £20. Messrs. J. Richardson, A. Staniland and M. Ogden promised to assist with the display. It was agreed to set aside £20 for the presentation of a new florin to all old people of 70 and over, and to allocate £6 for prizes for children’s sports. Mrs. A. Else, Mrs, Stevens and Mrs, H. Southgate undertook to organise a whist drive to augment the committees' funds. Questions of a united service and relay of the Coronation broadcast in the Park were deferred, and a suggested harmonica contest was defeated. Mr. M. Ogden (vice-chairman) presided.”

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in their Coronation Robes, by Sir Gerald Festus Kelly (1879-1972)

By the end of April most local Committees had their plans in place, which included processions, teas for children and senior citizens, various sporting events and dancing. Once again the Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald published a comprehensive list for both the Somercotes & Leabrooks and Riddings festivities on 30th April 1937: “ARRANGEMENTS FOR MAY 12th - Riddings, Somercotes and Leabrooks - Both Riddings and Somercotes and Leabrooks Coronation Festivities Committees have completed arrangements for the rejoicings. Each village will have its May Queen, to be crowned before the processions begin, and for the rest of the day teas and outdoor entertainments are arranged. The Riddings programme is as follows —10.30 a.m., united service in Riddings Park (by permission of Coun. C. A. M. Oakes, Felley Priory), to be conducted by the Vicar (the Rev, H. Simmons), assisted by Free Church ministers and leaders; 1 p.m., assembly of all persons taking part in a procession on Riddings Park, Crowning of the May  Queen (Betty Ball) by Mrs. C. H. Oakes. Procession, headed by Somercotes S.A. Band, will return to Riddings Park. Prizes will be given for the best decorated drays, topical character, etc. 3.30 p.m., teas for children between the ages of three and 14; 5 p.m., tea for old people, widows and unemployed; 4.30 p.m., childrens sports; 7.30 p.m., dancing on the Park; 9.30 p.m., fireworks display in the Park. Prizes will be presented by Coun. A. Lee, J.P. Procession judges: Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Emmerson, Mr. and Mrs. A. Dawes, Mrs. E. Cox, Mrs. G. A. Ellis, Mr. G. H. Brentnall and Mr. J. Richardson. During the day Somercotes S.A. Band will play selections. Riddings Mills will be illuminated by the Gas Company. Children will receive souvenir mugs and, if the funds allow, old people will receive a new florin. The first baby born in the village on the day will have a guinea placed to its name in the bank. Somercotes and Leabrooks Coronation festivities provide for souvenir mugs to all children under 15; teas at 4.30, to children from 3 to 15; teas for the old folks at 4 p m. in the Church Hall. The programme of events is as follows; 9.30 a.m. Service at the Parish Church; 12.30 p.m. assemble in Market Place for judging of procession entries, 1.0 p.m., fanfare and crowning of Carnival Queen: 3 p.m., Youths' six-a-side football match (Mr Armstrong’s field); 3 p.m., girls netball match (Cricket ground); 3.30 pm., Somercotes gymnastic Troupe; 5.30 p.m. sports; 6.30 pm., fancy dress parade; 7 p.m., schoolboys’ six-a-side football match; 5.30 p.m., Carnival Band entertainment; 6 p.m., conjurer, 6.30 p.m., juvenile dancers: 6,45 p.m., entertainer; 7.0 p.m., Newlands Quartette Party; 7.30 p m., talent competition; 8.15 p.m., ventriloquist; 8.30 p.m., Somercotes gymnastic troupe; 8.30 p.m., dancing: 9 p.m., community singing; 9.15 p.m., presentation of prizes; 9.30 p.m., torchlight tattoo and fireworks, Carnival Band.”

In Somercotes and Leabrooks a “Coronation Queen” was chosen and “crowned” on the day. The float carrying the Queen, with her attendants, was the centrepiece of a parade which travelled through the village. The Coronation Queen, Lilian Morris, was daughter of Albert Morris, the newsagent and was 12 years old at the time. The Queen was crowned by Mrs Beastall.

The weather caused cancellations and changes to some of the outdoor events in many towns and villages. The outdoor sporting events originally planned by the Somercotes & Leabrooks Committee were sadly cancelled, but many of the festivities went ahead, particularly the Church services and evening entertainment and dancing. The Ripley & Heanor News, published two days after the Coronation on 14th May 1937, reported on the day: “SOMERCOTES - At Somercotes the proceedings started off with service in the Church, conducted by the Vicar (Rev. R. E. Birtwistle) assisted by his brother (Rev. H. Birtwistle), and Mr. E. Richmond was organist. At midday the May Queen (Lilian Morris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Morris of Nottingham Road) was crowned in the Market Place by Mrs. G. Beastall. The Queen was heralded to her position on a decorated dray by a fanfare of trumpets by the Birchwood Toreador Carnival Band. The attendant maids of honour were Vera Gaunt, Jean Parkin, Joyce Smith, Freda Gibson, Kathleen Gibson, and Alan Steeples (page-of-honour). A procession was headed by Mr. S. Riley, Mr. John Hall, Coun. Walter Cooper and Coun. John Clark, along with the Birchwood Toreadors Carnival Band and paraded the village. Children had tea in the various schools, and in the Church Hall, Sleetmoor, over 400 old age pensioners, widows, and unemployed were catered for by the Somercotes Old People's Tea Committee (the Somercotes Church Council). The sports programme, with the exception of a football six-a-side contest, was postponed. After tea the celebrated Newlands Quartette Party, together with Mr. Geo. Bullock (banjoist), gave selections, and the Toreador bandsmen a sketch entitled “Will Hay and his Scholars." Mr. Ralph Smith and Mr. Reg Bull gave humorous items, and Mr. Maurice Bond was ventriloquist. At the Central Schools Mr. E. Best presided over a crowded gathering. Over 50 competitors presented themselves for a fancy and comic dress parade, which was followed by an entertainment by the above artistes. The judges for the fancy dress parade and also for the procession were Mrs. Seldon, Mr. John Amos and Mr. Fred Ball, assisted by Mr. A. Turton (competition secretary). At the close of the entertainment in the Central Schools Mrs. Se!don presented the prizes and was supported by Coun. Cooper (chairman of the committee) and the energetic secretary (Mr. E. Best), and their awards were as follows: Decorated drays or cars: 1 Mrs. Rossington and Mrs. Miles; 2. Somercotes Church; 3 Mrs Steeples; 4. Mrs. Greatorex; 5. Mrs. Burnes, Courland Place. Prams and cycles: 1. Mrs. Rossington and Mrs. Miles; 2. Mrs. Connor; 3. Doris Elliott; 4. Irene Guest. Maypole: Mrs. Greatorex. Groups: 1. (Mother of Empire) Mrs. Toseland 2. Mrs. Rossington and Mrs. Miles; 3. Hilda Buckley. Other prize-winners in the procession were: J. Bettison, Winnie Atter, Margaret Taylor, Geo. Toseland, Norah Parkin, Derek White, Daphne White, Phyllis Kitts, Stella Parkin, Sheila Dean, Graham and Roy Johnson, J. Barker, Betty Atter, Roy Morton, Marjorie Parkin, Jas. O'Connor, Marjorie and Edna Smith, Bessie Wright., Violet Smith, Betty Brook, Mary Lowe, Hazel Cockayne, Alb. Booth, Doris Carrier, Evelyn Riley, Sheila Bailey, Betty and Alfred Bradshaw, Keith Hoyland, Raymond Wilkinson, and the Dutch Boy. There were over 50 competitors in the fancy and comic parade, and most of them received prizes. A torchlight parade by the Carnival Band and fireworks followed, and the day was brought to a close by a grand Coronation Ball in the Church Hall, Sleetmoor. Al Stevens' Band was in attendance and the M.C.'s were Messrs. G. Hollingworth and W. Stead.”