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Queen Elizabeth II: Tyne Valley's 'enduring' memories of visits

BBC Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip officially opening Kielder Water, Northumberland, May 26, 1982BBC
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh officially opened Kielder Water in 1982

Visits by the Queen to the Tyne Valley in Northumberland have left "vivid" memories for those who saw her, the area's MP has said.

She came to Hexham in 1974, returned in 1982 to open Kielder Reservoir and went to Prudhoe and Bardon Mill in 1998.

Hexham Conservative MP Guy Opperman said the monarch was "the best of us and a constant in a changing world".

"The memories of these visits have endured for the many who attended them," he said.

The monarch's visit to Hexham to celebrate the abbey's 1,300th anniversary was the first by a reigning monarch for more than 750 years, he added.

Anne Ball/Hexham Courant Photograph of the Queen outside Anne Ball's parents' fish and chip shopAnne Ball/Hexham Courant
The Queen's visit to Prudhoe is immortalised on place mats

When the Queen came to Prudhoe she was photographed near a fish and chip shop on Front Street.

Anne Ball, who took over the shop from her parents, said the monarch's car "pulled up out right outside".

She said the local paper, the Hexham Courant, later called and said they had taken a picture "and you would think the Queen was coming to the chip shop".

Mrs Ball says they had the photograph printed on place mats which they often give to visitors from other countries.

When people ask whether the Queen had fish and chips, she always tells them "no, she had spam fritter and chips", she said.

Prudhoe Local History Society Queen Elizabeth II meeting pupils at Prudhoe High School, May 1998, with the Prudhoe West School Years 3 and 4 choir singing and accompanied by their teacher Anne WalkerPrudhoe Local History Society
Pupils from Prudhoe West School sang for the Queen at Prudhoe High School on her visit in 1998

Mr Opperman said he had recently spoken at Henshaw Primary School in Bardon Mill and, when asked if he had met the Queen, said he had.

"At that moment the whole atmosphere changed," he said.

"A sea of hands went up and we continued exclusively to talk about Her Majesty, her public duty, beloved corgis and her recent meeting with Paddington Bear, for the rest of the session."

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Mr Opperman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service he was pleased the country had come together since the Queen's death at Balmoral last Thursday, with politicians from all parties speaking highly of her impact.

"The tributes from my colleagues across the House of Commons have shown her powerful ability to bring us together," he said.

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