Shoreham resident recalls royal wave as port marks 68th anniversary of Prince Philip lock

A Shoreham woman has shared her memories of bank holiday crowds and a personal wave from the Duke of Edinburgh, as Shoreham Port marks the 68th anniversary of the opening of the lock that bears his name.

Christine Bull was 13 when she joined the flag-waving crowds lining the streets to watch Prince Philip open the lock in May 1960. Shut out of the official ceremony along with most of the public, she and two friends ran alongside the canal as the royal party sailed past - and caught the Duke's attention.

"He pointed and waved to us," she said. "We were absolutely thrilled."

Christine's account came to light through the work of Port Archivist Sue Royal, who met her during a tour arranged for the Shoreham and Southwick U3A in April. As well as the lock opening itself, Christine recalled a gymnastics performance for the prince that she likens to "Diversity with chairs," and a childhood spent within earshot of the harbour.

"We used to like to look at the ships in the dry dock," she said.

Katie MacAllister, CSR and Governance Manager at Shoreham Port, said: "As a Trust Port, this is an important occasion to celebrate our long history of collaboration with neighbouring communities. It was wonderful to hear Christine's account - not only of the events around the lock, but the wider community celebrations too. It really brought to life how the Port and the local area must have felt over 65 years ago." You can read the full story here: https://www.shoreham-port.co.uk/news-events/news/article/memories-of-the-prince-philip-lock-opening/