1 May 2002: The Queen begins her Golden Jubilee tour with a warm South West welcome

The Queen's three-month Golden Jubilee tour of the UK got off to a splash on 1 May when The Queen launched a brand new lifeboat in Falmouth, Cornwall. The engagements in the seaside town were the first on The Queen's two-day visit to the South West, taking in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.

The seafaring tradition has always played an important part in Cornish life. Having arrived at Falmouth Docks Station in the Royal Train, The Queen's first port of call was the site of the new National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

The museum, which will open later in 2002, features a wide range of 'hands-on' displays and a collection of boats - including many in active use on the water. Among the exhibits already in place was the boat 'Bluebottle', a Dragon class keel boa.

The boat was given to the then Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh as a wedding present by the Island Sailing Club, in 1948. It is on permanent loan to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall.

At the museum pontoon, The Queen named the new lifeboat for Falmouth, the RNLBI Richard Cox Scott, pulling a switch to drop a bottle of champagne on to the stern. The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh then boarded the vessel for a tour of the harbour. Local ferries and pleasure boats were full of well-wishers, sounding sirens and foghorns in salute.
 
Having arrived at the Prince of Wales Pier, The Queen travelled on to Trelissick Gardens, owned by the National Trust, for the 'Celebration of Cornish Gardens' show. The Queen toured some of the exhibits and displays, including a display from Cornwall's Eden Project, the National Trust exhibition stand, stalls featuring local produce, and traditional maypole dancing performed by children from Carn Gwaval School, St Mary's, on the Isles of Scilly.

Her Majesty was also introduced to a number of head gardeners from various National Trust gardens including Tony Tregilgas, head gardener of Porthpean, St Austell. The Queen congratulated him on completing 50 years' service.
 
The Duke of Edinburgh in the meantime visited Falmouth College Digital Media Centre, a state-of-the-art new development for the town, which His Royal Highness declared open.

The Queen and Prince Philip met up again to travel by car to Truro, waving to hundreds of well-wishers who had turned out to see the Royal visitors. The destination was Truro Cathedral, which was celebrating the 125th anniversary of the Truro Diocese. At Truro Cathedral Gardens, The Queen and Duke carried out a 'walkabout', meeting children and parents representing the 44 church schools in Cornwall.

10-year-old Kristina Locke, of Launceston Community Primary School, presented the Queen with a poem which had won a prize in a competition organised for primary schools in Cornwall. The Queen told Kristina and her head teacher Jeanette Stenhouse: "This is lovely. I will keep it safe and read it on the train."

After a lunch of local produce - supreme of Cornish chicken, stuffed with Cornish wild mushrooms and bacon, and new Cornish potatoes and vegetables - with diocese representatives, The Queen and Prince Philip viewed an exhibition celebrating the diocese's anniversary, and met representatives of other denominations and faiths. On her departure, The Queen was presented with a gift hamper of Cornish food by the Lord-Lieutenant on behalf of the people of Cornwall.

The final stop of the day was Exeter in Devon, where The Queen and Duke arrived at six o'clock. Outside Exeter Guildhall, The Queen touched a ceremonial sword held by the Mace Sergeant, to acknowledge the City of Exeter's loyalty to the Crown. Inside the Guildhall The Queen saw the Letters Patent conferring the Lord Mayoralty on Exeter, an honour bestowed this year to mark the Golden Jubilee.

After a walkabout to meet well-wishers in the streets of Exeter, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh arrived at Exeter Cathedral. There they watched a performance of Impressions of Devon, a show performed in music, drama and dance by some 200 children.

Some time after 7pm, the Royal party left the cathedral for County Hall to attend a reception, meeting civic representatives of Plymouth, Torbay and Devon County Councils, and signing three commemorative scrolls.

A parting gift was presented to The Queen by a schoolchild - a bound book of pictures by children showing the 76 species of apple trees which are to be given for planting on the Sandringham Estate. Then The Queen and The Duke made their way to the Royal Train for an overnight stay on the way to Somerset for the next day's engagements.

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