Queen visits East End to see bells cast and umbrellas being made
THE Queen toured factories in London’s East End today. Her tour with Prince Philip included the famous Whitechapel bell foundry and the umbrella factory that holds the Royal warrant
THE Queen toured factories in London’s East End today (Wednesday).
Her tour with Prince Philip included the famous Whitechapel bell foundry and the umbrella factory that holds the Royal warrant.
The excursion east of the City began at the Britvic soft drinks bottling plant and distribution depot at Beckton to see the various stages of the manufacturing process and to meet the workforce.
The next stop on the tour was Fulton Umbrellas, a family-run firm in Preston's Road, Blackwall, on the Thames waterfront, which has been making umbrellas for 50 years.
They toured the warehouse, textile print-shop and umbrella assembly workshop of the company founded by Arnold Fulton in 1959.
ROYAL WARRANT
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Both companies hold the Royal warrant from the Queen for supplying their products to Buckingham Palace.
The final stage of the East London tour this evening was the historic Whitechapel bell foundry which has been in the Whitechapel Road more than four centuries.
Workers at the foundry demonstrated bell tuning, sand crafting and making leather handles for hand bells.
And of course, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh signed the visitors’ book.
