SPECIAL SOUVENIR EDITIONS OF
THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS 1873-1981
by Robin S. Hunt and John Weedy
PART TWO — 1902-1920
For over a Century the Illustrated London News
has issued special souvenir editions for special events. In this, the
second of four articles, we record these publications which make a fascinating
catalogue of British and Foreign history.
The Coronation of Edward VII was scheduled to take
place on June 26th 1902 and three special numbers of the ILN were envisaged.
The Record Number of the Coronation (the fourth in sequence of these
sumptuous publications) had been available since May; a two shilling
Coronation Procession and Naval Review number was due out on July 2nd
and a shilling double number illustrating the Coronation, the Naval
Review and the Illuminations was to be issued on July 5th. However,
to the consternation of the nation, came the announcement on June 24th
that owing to the illness of the King, the Coronation ceremony had been
indefinitely postponed. The ordinary weekly number of June 28th contains
the official bulletin: “The King is undergoing a surgical operation.
The King is suffering from perityphlitis. His condition on Saturday
was so satisfactory that it was hoped that with care His Majesty will
be able to go through the Coronation Ceremony. On Monday evening a recrudescence
became manifest, rendering a surgical operation necessary today.” The
operation for appendicitis was a complete success and the Coronation
took place on August 9th.