The Queen, the Millers, and a Virus

THE QUEEN, THE MILLERS, AND A VIRUS 

In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited WA with the Duke of Edinburgh. They were scheduled to pass along Canning Hwy five times. People bustled around gardening, applying fresh paint and decorating with flags. Although they were to pass along the North of the Swan river too, it was reported that no-one on that side was preparing in any way.

At that time there was also Polio striking the population. A modified itinerary was put in place and all indoor events were cancelled including the Parliamentary Dinner.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh had received their second injection of the anti-poliovirus serum gamma globulin earlier in Adelaide.

The WA Turf Club put on a special race, named The Gothic Stakes after the royal yacht 'Gothic' berthed at Fremantle, where the Queen lived while in port. The Queen was to attend the race and present the trophy but the polio epidemic put paid to that.

Mr Miller (from the family of the Miller Bakehouse Museum, Palmyra) had trained the winner, Alexis, although an injury scare days before the race had threatened her with being scratched. An icon of the Madonna and Child was placed in Alexis' stable. Mr Miller worked on the horse's leg, the family prayed, and all came good.

On one of her journeys, Mr Miller's son, Jimmy, raced Queen Elizabeth's cavalcade up Canning Highway (Road) from North Lake Road to Stock Road to the great delight of the visiting young horse loving monarch.