The Coronation of King Charles III
MAY 6th 2023
“When all at once I saw a crowd with hands adorned in gloves, O that I were a glove upon those hands”.
Whether a Royalist or a Republican it cannot have escaped anyone’s notice that throughout the King’s Coronation many many people were wearing gloves. It was a true celebration of gloves if nothing else.
How glorious and classless; Police men and women, Service men and women all wearing white cotton or white leather gloves. 'Big Cheeses' in the Army and RAF wearing brown leather gloves. Invited guests wearing day gloves, and long evening gloves – some with good taste and some with no taste at all.
A ceremonial gauntlet worn by The King.
Footmen and members of The King’s Blues and Royals wearing white uniform gauntlets. Hard working support personnel wearing warm gloves and safety gloves and some poor individuals wearing wet gloves.
Such an elicat of gloves is seldom seen. A true wonderment and proof of the importance of gloves in all our lives.
The King decided to break with tradition by not commissioning a new glove for the Coronation. He decided to use the glove made for his Grandfather King George VI. The glove was first presented by the Worshipful Company of Glovers after being made by Dents the glove makers in Warminster and embroidered by Edward Stillwell & Company in 1937.
In 1937 John Pinkham was working in Berlin and his father, Leslie who wrote to him every week mentioned King George VI’s coronation in his letter of May 18th 1937 six days after the coronation.
Sadly no record of the Pinkham Coronation gloves of 1937 can be found.
Or do you have a pair? if so please email nickpinkham@pinkhamgloves.co.uk
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