westminster

Why so many uniformed men in that crowd? What kind of occasion was that?

@Aldis Putelis. That will be the crowd celebrating the Armistice at the end of WW1, almost all able bodied men were in the services, and therefore in uniform.

It doesn't appear to be Armistice celebrations. The crowd is standing quietly (and still) behind police lines and everyone's looking into Trafalgar Square. Waiting for someone or for something to happen? Interesting to see the press of people on the wall at Charing Cross Station in the background. They seem much keener to see whatever's going on than the people standing on the Strand.

Likely at the visit of President Wilson. ""President Wilson's journey was a triumphal procession from the moment he landed," says the Mail, "and it was real sincere affection and no mere curiosity that brought to his ears the acclamation of the people of London. There have been more excited crowds here, but never crowds that so impressively expressed their warmhearted hospitality."" The Barre daily times., December 27, 1918, Image 1, col. 2 chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn91066782/1918-12-27/ed-...

The police officers would be attached to Cannon Row Police Station (Alpha Delta). Search above for 'Cannon Row Police Station' for more information about this famous Central London police station. Or here: www.flickr.com/groups/884772@N20/

Is that a stone under the seat?

This is amazing: King Edward's Chair, sometimes known as St Edward's Chair or The Coronation Chair, is the throne on which the British monarch sits for the coronation. It was commissioned in 1296 by King Edward I to contain the coronation stone of Scotland — known as the Stone of Scone — which he had captured from the Scots who had kept it at Scone Abbey. The chair was named after England's only canonized king, Edward the Confessor, and was kept in his shrine of St Edward's Chapel at Westminster Abbey. This article can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Edward's_Chair

Yes, amazing. Nowadays, the Stone of Scone is no longer there, having been repatriated to Scotland: www.royal.gov.uk/output/page2015.asp The rest of the chair can be seen in Westminster Abbey, and will surely feature during the next Coronation.

Returned to Scotland in 1996. And if you think it will be returned to England for the next Coronation ... hmm...

Nah, I didn't mean the Stone of Scone, I meant that the chair will be used for the Coronation.

The wallpaper could have been changed for such an occassion, nearly as dreary as the moustaches!!!!!

It looks like a scene from a musical, excellent.

Christine Curtin And have you spotted the rather random cello/double bass perched up in the left hand corner?

The man with the white beard could possibly be E.P. O'Kelly as he looks very similar to the photo in Paul Gorry's 'Baltinglass Chronicles'. He was the Wicklow MP in Redmond's Home Rule party. Does anyone know who's who in this photo