The 369th Anniversary of the King's execution took place on Tuesday 30th January from 2 pm for 2:30 pm in the King Charles I Room, Kidderminster Town Hall, hosted by President Dave Laverty.
With television programmes concerning the King's Art Collection, especially with the excellent Alexander Graham Dixon, and with the current exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts, it seemed appropriate to be acknowledging the Anniversary of the Execution. The portrait of the King dominated the King Charles Room in the Town Hall as a large gathering of Old Carolians and their friends met there. They were accompanied by the Rev Rose Lawley, Team Rector of Kidderminster, and by Cllr Martin Stooke, Deputy Mayor and Old Carolian.
President Dave Laverty welcomed everyone and asked Rose to start the proceedings. She began by passing on the good wishes of our old friend the Rev Canon Owain Bell, who is sorely missed, as indeed will be Rose when she retires. We have been most fortunate to have had these two colleagues working with us over the past decade.
Rose summarised the life of Charles I. Brought up as a genuine and devout Church of England monarch, he had a very personal, strongly willed Calvinistic faith, which sadly clashed with a Puritan Parliament. Charles was no statesman and it was almost inevitable that there would be a schism and breakdown with the opposition. Noble and fearless to the end, the verdict of historians does not place all the blame for this on the King; indeed, the executioner on the scaffold did not repeat the usual words, 'Behold the head of a traitor'. Rose ended her speech with the Prayer Book Collect for King Charles I, Martyr of the Church.
President Dave Laverty said that it would be good if we all learned the lessons of 1649. He quoted the words of Philip Henry, aged 18 at the time of the execution at Whitehall: 'At the instant when the blow was given, there was a dismal groan among the thousands of people that were within sight of it'. It seems as if there were shock and numbness among them and no cheers. Two companies of troops were sent to disperse the crowd. Dave reminded us that latest estimates suggest that around 180 000 perished between 1642 and 1651: around 5% of the population of this country. When we compare this with the 2.6% that perished in the First World War, we can see how badly the Civil War generation suffered. Dave stressed that the King was a steadfast family man, a devoted husband and father, and a brave man. He was a lover of art and his wonderful collection is still available as a legacy for all to see.
Dave ended by saying that both Cromwell and the King had their strengths and weaknesses as men. There was no total right on either side and that clash of two incompatible philosophies is echoed in some aspects of our politics today: for example, the division between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, between Remainers and Brexiteers, between the right wing and the left wing. We should remember that others often have a different perspective and compromise is always preferable. The ceremony closed with Dave placing the wreath under the King's portrait and with photographs being taken of those present.
'Captain' Peter Vaughan, Home Affairs Correspondent