King George V

King George V chats to a policeman at the 1921 Royal Show

George V came to Derby to visit the Royal Agricultural Show in Osmaston Park on June 29, 1921. This was the fourth time that the Royal Show had been held in Derby. The King drove straight to the showground from the railway station and straight back four hours later. The show lasted five days and had an attendance of 125,000.

Reporting of the King's visit in the Derby Evening Telegraph made much of the "never-ending procession" of cars and other motor vehicles which poured through Derby's streets that day. "Such a variety of cars has certainly never been seen in our midst" said the newspaper's reporter.

Despite a cooling breeze, ambulance men were called on to deal with two or three cases of fainting as crowds gathered at the railway station.

It was a day of intense heat when King George V again visited the show on July 5, 1933. This time he was accompanied by Queen Mary.

On that occasion, the Telegraph was moved to report in prosaic style: "The old borough of Derby lived today a story which might have been lifted straight out of a book of fairy tales, when beneath a canopy of blue skies, amid a blaze of colour, and with stately pageantry and splendour, the King and Queen paid their official visit to the Royal Show at Osmaston. "

In fact, three hens and several pigs died at the showground as temperatures soared into the 80s.

But crowds 20 and 30 deep still lined the route of the Royal procession as the King and Queen drove to the showground which years later was to become the site of the Ascot Drive Industrial Estate.

The Telegraph observed that many onlookers donned bathing costumes! But the Queen maintained her cool in a powder-blue gown and matching sunshade. The King's suit and top hat were silver grey.

The King and Queen tour the showground in the company of Agriculture Minister Major Walter Elliott

Derby paint firm Joseph Mason gets the honour of a Royal visit

The King doffs his top hat to cheering crowds at the Royal showground

A Royal walkabout in 1933-style by King George V and Queen Mary on their visit to Derby.

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