As the nation mourns the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, an interesting sidelight has been brought to our attention by the esteemed BGS History Teacher, Mr Mark Hone.

Seventy years ago, one of the eight Grenadier Guard pallbearers of Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, was a BGS Old Boy, John Schofield 1930-2009, (Class of 1947).

The Clavian reported in 1952: J. Schofield, King's 1st Company Grenadier Guards, who was chosen to be one of the eight pall bearers at the Royal Funeral, February 15th, 1952. He has received, personally, from the Queen Mother, a photograph of the Guardsmen carrying the Royal Coffin.

After the Queen Mother’s death in 2002, John spoke to the Bolton Evening News and the article can be found here.

John was selected to be a pallbearer whilst serving with the Grenader Guards during his national service. He later went on to spend much of his career as a technical representative for a steel panels firm, and was heavily involved in both Radcliffe Cricket Club and Radcliffe Masonic Lodge.

John’s full obituary in The Bury Times at the time of his passing can be read here.