YESTERDAY I noted that this morning's Echo Memories was so jam-packed with fascinating diamond jubilee malarky, that there was no room for the brilliant Blackwell Bridge anniversary.

There was also no room for this little diamond jubilee snippet, but as I've typed it out, I thought I could share it in this space.

It is from The Northern Echo of June 23, 1897, and tells how Darlington was bedecked for the previous day's celebrations of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The really weird it bit is that French flags were fluttering over Darlington as well as red, white and blue Union flags. The Echo comments on it as unusual, but doesn't seem to think that it is downright ridiculous:

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THE town was gaily bedecked with flags, bannerets, and other bunting arranged in the most picturesque and artistic manner. The main streets were the most conspicuous in this respect, prominent tradesmen vying with each other in their gorgeous display of flags.

The small householder in the bystreets showed his loyalty - even if it was with less material and a walk through the town discovered there was not a single street in which some commemorative token was not hanging out of an upper story window, tacked to a pole or strung across from house to house, in recognition of the glorious reign of Her Majesty and the grand accomplishments of the Victorian epoque.

It mattered not whether the flag was British or French - for we found the Union Jack hanging side-by-side to the tricoloeur - the people were only anxious to demonstrate their respect for the sovereign by doing something, and in Union Street this was done by hanging out a banner bearing the inscription 'Success to Darlington, Birthplace of the Railways of the world'.

The application of this emblem to the celebration of the longest reign is difficult to be seen, but nevertheless it may be taken as being well meant.