Royal visit to mark the 50th anniversary of Falmouth's Queen Elizabeth Dock

3:10pm Thursday 12th June 2008

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Crowds gathered at Falmouth docks this morning as HRH Prince Philip arrived to unveil a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth Dock.

Workers downed tools to watch as the Duke of Edinburgh chatted with crowds of well-wishers and spoke to long serving staff, who were young men when he officially opened the dock in 1958.

Prince Phillip arrived in Cornwall by helicopter at 11.15am on Thursday, June 12 to be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Lady Mary Holborow before travelling to the A&P Falmouth docks.

Accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant's cadet, leading cadet Ben Cheetham, the Duke was presented to High Sheriff, Sir Ferrers Vyvyan who was waiting by the dockside alongside local dignitaries and the senior management of A&P Falmouth.

Prince Philip then boarded the MV Harefield, which is currently in the dock, to meet members of the crew.

A plaque shrouded in a Cornish flag was then unveiled by the Prince during a short ceremony.

A prayer to bless the dock was read by Reverend Andy Phillips, the chaplaincy team leader from RNAS Culdrose.

The engineering workshops were next on the agenda as Prince Philip spoke to members of staff who were working in the docks when he first visited 50 years ago.

Among the men he chatted to were Douglas Terrell and the longest serving employee Geoffrey Evans, who has 48 years of unbroken service.

Mr Terrell who retired from the docks on the same day as the Dukes birthday this year said: "I was working as an office boy when he first came and he asked was I still making a good cup of tea."

The Duke also spoke to the youngest employee, 19-year-old Mark Heath and took time to chat with young apprentices at the company who have been involved in Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Ken Jones, in charge of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme at A&P Falmouth said: "I have meet him five times now and I find him a forthright and humorous man who always seems to have time to speak to people and find out about them."

Taking his time to laugh and joke with the staff the Duke moved on to talk with the British flag waving crowd that had gathered outside the Mission to Seafarers building at the docks.

The mission supplies spiritual and practical welfare to all seafarers regardless of nationality or faith, Accompanied by Commodore John Hance, the deputy secretary general of the Mission to Seafarers, he spoke to volunteers about their work and unveiled a small plaque to mark his visit before being presented with a painting by Penny Philips the chair of the mission in Falmouth.

Secretary for the mission in Cornwall, Maureen Hartley, said: "It went very well, he spoke to everyone and he seemed very interested in what we do."

The Duke then left the docks to visit the Falmouth Hotel for lunch and to view a display of images of Falmouth docks past and present.

The royal visit ended at 2.15pm when the Duke bade farewell to Lady Mary and departed by helicopter.