THE visit by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in October 1957 was quite extensive and felt like a tour of Harlow.

As the Harlow Gazette reported, there was a great welcome for the royal couple. The largest crowds were at the Market Square in the Town Centre.

The photo above shows the Head Girl of Netteswell School being presented to the royal couple. We think this is in the Market Square.

There was a guard of honour by the 4th Battalion of the Essex Regiment (Territorial Army) which the Duke of Edinburgh inspected outside the Revertex Factory, suitably enough on Edinburgh Way.

Much of the tour seemed to concentrate on the Revertex factory as well as the new Glebelands common room.

There is a picture of ten year old Anne Wells, presenting two gifts to the Duke for Prince Charles and Princess Anne in the Glebelands playground.

There was also a tour of Hughs Tower, next to the town centre. With the royal couple being accompanied Sir Frederick Gibberd and Chairman of the Harlow Development Corporation, Sir Richard Costain, much of the tour seems to focus on the merits of the new town, ten years on from its beginnings.

Photos and documents courtesy of a number of contributors from the Facebook page, Photos of Harlow, Old and New.

Many of the images referred to are in the film below.