Evening star., 1952-02-12
Common Folk
File Past Coffin
To Honor King
Body to Lie in State
IA Hours q Day
For Three Days
By the Associated Press

SANDS4NS = W. &Ss = 44@ SS~E0~ -
the hushed dignity of great West
minister Hall, the somberly clad
people of Britain shufded softly
in. reverent homage today past
the body of King George vi.
Silent men bowed before the
closed coffin and passed on. Silent
women curtSied to the sovereign
in death as they would in life.
High in the towers of the Palace
of Westminster, Big Ben chimed
its resounding notes marking the
passing of each quarter hour.
AS 8 am. tolled, the heavy IRON
studded doors of the hall swung
slowly open.
The first to bare his head in the
freezing wind and walk solemnly
into the big stone hall was A. A.
Pugh of Liverpool. He had waited
on the steps for 13 hours to lead
the mourning procession.
1000 in Line at Start.
This 47-year-old citizen said he
was lone of his majesty's loyal
subjects of the old type-not one
of the moderns."
BY the time the doors opened
more than 1000 were waiting in
patient line to pay respect to the
King who walked among them In
wartime and encouraged them to
stand fast against the troubles OF
uneasy peace.
The throng that stood for hours
was a mixture of the common
folk Of England. There were
early workmen wrapped in
trench coats against London's
ever-present damp. There were
professional men in bowler hats.
carrying umbrellas and brief
cases. Here and there stood a
woman in mink. Most others, in
cluding charwomen who stayed
their home-going from nightly
cleaning work in offices, were
dressed in the threadbare coats
that mark Britain's austere life.
Mrs. Charlotte Threlfall. a tel
ephone operator, joined the pa
tient line at 6 am, as she did 16
years ago, when George V lay IN
state in the same cold hall.
ST would have stayed all night
II it had been necessary" she said.
Line stretches to 800 Yards.
One of the quiet London
boobies, on duty at the door, SAID
the mourning subjects were being
admitted at the rate OF 1900
every IS minutes. The 2OO-yard
line outside the door stretched
later in the day to as much as
900 yards along the north side OF
the Parliament Buildings. It in
cluded sailors on shore leave,
school children in groups led by
teachers and nuns and visitors
from the colonies and dominions,
some in Oriental attire. The sun
shone today. after yesterdays
dismal rain.
The public entered at the top
of a wide flight of steps. They
first saw the catafalque from
above, and approached it by slowly
descending the steps.
The coffin containing the body
they came to bow to lay on a
purple catafalque reached
by four scarlet-carpeted steps.
Tall candles in golden holders
flickered at the movements OF
passing mourners.
On the closed coffin the imperial
crown returned the candles flicker
with flashes of fire from the vast
wealth of diamonds, rubies, emer-
aids and sapphires.
Widows Flowers on Coffin.
The oak coffin was draped In
the red and gold royal standard.
On it, at the head, was a single
wreath of snow white flowers
from the dead monarch'S widow,
the Queen Mother Elizabeth.
A yeoman of the guard, wearing
the Tudor robes of the first Eliza
beth's reign, stood just of each
corner of the catafalque.
Their gold embroider scarlet
(See KING, Page A-40