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=== 29th April 1953: His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh opened Coronation Playing Field===
[[File:15CR1 Prince Philip.jpg|thumb|324x324px|''<small>Chairman of the Society, Ralph Earlam, being quizzed by Prince Philip 29 April 1953</small>'']]▼
Chester City Council registered the Title Plan to the land at the Land Registry in 1999. It shows the Pavilion and the original footpaths of Coronation Playing Field.
The gateposts to the playing field still carry commemorative plaques.
==== History of the Playing Field ====
The land occupied by the Playing Field was originally a part of the Hoole House Estate and after sections of the Royal Agricultural Show were held on it in 1893, it was used for sporting activities. The Hon. Claude Hamilton Vivian who had inherited the Hamilton family estates, played for Hoole Cricket Club and in addition to providing the pitch on his land, also built a cricket pavilion complete with flagpole at the southern end of the field. We know that the flag was flown at half-mast following the death of Charles Brown (of Browns of Chester) in 1900. Interestingly when the Hoole House Estate was advertised for sale in 1896 it was suggested "being a mile in length a portion of it was admirably and peculiarly adapted and situated for a RECREATION GROUND or SPORTS CLUB in connection with which the House would make an excellent CLUBHOUSE".
Hoole Urban District Council eventually acquired the field and plans approved in 1930 included three football grounds, three tennis courts, three cricket pitches and a green for clock-golf, the tender of Messrs. E. Brassey & Sons for laying out the land being accepted. In 1931 the Council agreed that Hoole & Newton Football Club could play their home matches there. The tennis courts were built adjacent to Park Drive South and the other sports were fitted in according to season. The Chester Ladies Hockey Club Field which had been purchased by J.E.Varley in 1926 so that the Club could continue to play there was purchased by the U.D.C in 1939.
Over the years carnivals and festivals had been held on the playing field and the three schools in Hoole used it for sports activities. The first carnival appears to have been in 1924 when the Boys Brigade organised a fancy-dress parade, one third of the funds raised going to the Hoole & Newton Nursing Association. Carnivals often included horticultural shows, and parades were headed by a Carnival Queen, with her retinue on decorated floats. V.E. Day celebrations saw a large bonfire lit, and funds raised by events at that time went to the Hoole ‘Welcome Home’ Fund. Hoole's Festival of Britain Week in 1951 was based there. Motorcycle meetings were held in the late 1940s and 1950 and 1951, which probably contributed to the deterioration of the grounds.
By the 1950s the field was becoming in need of refurbishment, the tennis courts were closed, and a new changing pavilion was erected, named after William Brown who at the age of 91 had been a Councillor for 30 years and also three times Chairman of the Council – the grand old man of Hoole. The improved playing field was opened during Festival of Britain Week but the opportunity of a royal visit in 1953 could not be ignored for a much grander official opening ceremony, and the name 'Coronation Playing Field'.
==== The Duke's Visit ====
[[File:5LRBA 1 Prince Phillip 1953.jpg|left|thumb|''<small>Photograph of Prince Phillip taken from the programme issued for the visit</small>'']]
The following extracts are taken from the Cheshire Observer 2nd May 1953:
“Three minutes before the Duke was scheduled to arrive at Hoole Playing Field a roar of applause went up from the crowds along the streets, but it was only for the fire engine which had been called out to Canadian Avenue on a false alarm.”
“The next roar of applause though was the real thing, and flags waved, and voices shouted as His Royal Highness walked up the road to the new gates of the playing field. The civic party included the Lord Lieutenant and the High Sheriff of Cheshire, the Chairmen of Hoole Urban District Council and of Cheshire County Council, local dignitaries and the Chairman and Secretary of the National Playing Field Association.”
“The Duke was presented with a silver-plated key on a red and gold cushion with which to open the gates. The presentation was made by Miss K. Edmundson, the only woman member of Hoole Urban District Council. The Duke, smiling broadly, unlocked the gates and walked up the path to the pavilion.”
“God Save the Queen" was played by the Band of the Hoole Army Cadet Force and lining the route was a guard of honour from the Hoole & Newton British Legion and detachments from many organisations including the Red Cross and the Boys Brigade.”
“From the platform of the pavilion which contained nearly one hundred invited guests, Mr. T.L. Trelfa, Chairman of the U.D.C. extended to the Duke a most loyal and warm-hearted expression of welcome. "Today" he said "is unique in the history of our District in that we are for the first time receiving a visit from a member of our well-beloved royal family. It is proper in this Coronation year that we have been able to make some finishing touches to the playing field, for the Duke of Edinburgh is so deeply interested in the activities of the National Playing Fields Association.”
==== The Duke's Speech ====
“The Duke replied that he was delighted to take this opportunity to open yet another field and that they had chosen the name of Hoole Coronation Playing Field. These outdoor facilities are not just important. They are essential especially for children who have not got gardens, and also for people nowadays who spend such a lot of time in offices and factories. It is immaterial whether as a result of these fields the standard of games went up or not. If it did, so much the better but if didn’t, it didn’t make any difference. This particular field has taken a certain amount of time to achieve this state, but it is the result of the combined efforts of a great many people.”
“The Council had originally bought the field and there had been grants from the Ministry of Education, the National Playing Fields Association, the Don Bradman Fund and the Taverners’ Association and they had all helped to create this field. At this point the Duke’s speech was interrupted by two dogs tearing around and around chasing each other in front of him. The Duke stopped his speech, laughed and said “Anyway they have got the right idea”.
▲[[File:15CR1 Prince Philip.jpg|thumb|
==== The Duke walks through the crowds ====
He then moved off to declare the ‘Bituturf’ cricket pitch open, cutting the tape across it and then walked to the other end with Mr. Trelfa. As he was leaving the cricket pitch His Royal Highness paused several times and spoke informally to several people in the crowd. He called to 14 years old Anthony Readdy of 6 Park Drive “Have you ever played on here?”. The reply was in the affirmative. To James Bull of 7 Park Drive south he said “Do they come up and bump you?”. This time the response was in the negative.
A little further on the Duke asked Mr. T.H. Thomas of Flat 10 Hoole House, acting captain of the All Saints Church Boys Brigade, if any of his boys were going to the big Boys Brigade meeting to be held in London at which the Duke would be guest of honour. Mr. Thomas said not this year but last year 30 of his boys had gone to a similar event. “God Bless the Duke” called a voice in the crowd and he walked across to have a word with Mrs. Catherine Smith, shaking by the hand and congratulating her on reaching a fine old age.
Hundreds of boys and girls, ignoring formality, surged around the Duke who appeared to enjoy the experience. It was with the utmost difficulty that he made his way through the cheering crowd. As he was leaving the Duke spoke to the Drum Major of the Army Cadet Force Band, Ralph Earlam, and spotted that the insignia on his sash had been changed from GviR to EiiR and asked “Have you been cheating” “Yes Sir” came the hesitant reply.
==== The Duke's Itinerary ====
The opening of the playing field was part of a six-hour tour, the Duke arriving at Hawarden RAF Airport, visiting John Summers Hawarden Bridge Steelworks, and then naming Chester Sea Cadets new training ship “DEVA”.
==== The Nation's loss ====
From these original reports it is clear that the Duke’s ability to be interested in people and to make appropriate comments and astute remarks which have been widely reported during tributes to him, and which have brought about the Nation's highest regard, were evident in Hoole on that day, 68 years ago.
This photograph shows the current Chairman of Hoole History and Heritage Society, Ralph Earlam (then the drum major of Hoole Army Cadet Force Band), being quizzed by Prince Philip when he opened Hoole Coronation Playing Field on 29th April 1953. Ralph led the Pipe and Drum Band which played the National Anthem.
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