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The route of the procession |
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Endeavouring to give the reader some idea of the nature of the route
traversed by the Queen, we would recall the fact that the town stands on
a long hill, and from the level of the Great Western rails to St.
Peter's Churchyard, close to the statue is a height of no less than
seventy five feet, whilst from the same level to the bottom of
Darlington Street, right in front of the statue, and length which the
procession had to climb, is a length of some five hundred yards.
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The Low Level Station, the start of the
route.
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The ascent is ninety feet. Hence, the Queen
starting from the Low Level on the eastern side, had to wind upwards
by a circuitous route until she entered Queen Street, then with a
slight rise up Snow Hill had to go downwards to the bottom of Salop
Street, to a lower level than that from which she started, and up
thence to the statue, back down the High Green with a turn to the
left down Cock Street, and by other right angles into Skinner
Street, and School Street. |
Thence straight for some three quarters of a mile, to the junction of
the Stafford Road, and then up again to Queen Street, by Stafford
Street, again to descend by Railway Street, and the Wednesfield Road to
the Low Level Station. This may give an idea of the route of four miles.
Along the whole length strong barricades were fixed about three feet
high between the footpaths and the roadway. Where the width of the route
would admit of it, as on Snow Hill and in one or two other wide streets,
a considerable portion of the carriageway was left for the occupation of
the public, and a moderate calculation gives spaces thus freely allotted
to spectators, capable of holding a quarter of a million persons. In
addition, upon every open space along the route, stands, platforms, and
galleries were erected by the proprietors or by enterprising speculators
who hoped, and did not hope in vain, to secure a large profit out of the
public curiosity.
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