More Info →Letter of thanks from the Palmerston North City Council to Miss Shirley Cleland, regarding the Royal visit

Shirley Cleland (now Welch) was one of the many women who helped with the floral arrangements for the Royal Civic Dinner, held in the C M Ross tearooms, for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, when they visited Palmerston North 7-8 January 1954. Shirley and others spent all of 6 January arranging the flowers. She also helped to pick the required roses from the Trial Rose Gardens at the Esplanade. At the time she was on the Horticultural staff of Massey Agricultural College.