A smiling Duchess of York wowed the crowds on a visit to Pudsey – the first Royal visit to the town.

Accompanied by hr husband King George VI, the Duke of York, she smiled broadly as she walked between the awaiting crowds.

Part of a West Riding tour, the visit took place on April 24, 1928, when the Duchess, who we remember fondly as Elizabeth the Queen Mother, was just 27-years-old.

Newspaper reports of the day commented on how few Royal visits to the North of England had created so much public interest.

The town was decorated with bunting and flags, occupiers of houses and public buildings vied with one another in displays to honour the special guests who were visiting Pusdey Town Hall.

The public squares were resplendent with decorations, with posts and archways lending a splash of colour to the scene.

‘Pudseyites’, as they were referred to in the local newspaper, flocked in their thousands to see the couple and their numbers were added to later that morning when the factories declared a general holiday. Hundreds of excited female operatives from the production lines thronged through the streets, reports declared.

By 11 that morning, the streets were practically impassable and great crowds of schoolchildren, ex-servicemen and other official participants gathered around the ceremonial points.

A special force of West Riding police who has been drafted into the town were under the command of a Superintendent Woodcock. They dealt expertly and good-humouredly with the situation and soon had the crowds in order, as well as the streams of cars which has been pouring into the town all morning. These were snugly parked away.

The Royal party entered Pudsey at Hill Foot, where thousands lined the roads near a streamer bearing the words ‘Welcome to the Boro.’

For some time before the arrival of the Royal car the Mayor of Pudsey, Mrs E.Lund - wearing scarlet and sable robes and a cocked hat - awaited the guests. She was accompanied by a group including the town clerk Alfred Evans, the Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayoress Mr and Mrs Procter Naylor, Mr and Mrs JB Ward and the mace bearer.

One of those noticed in the crown was Herbert Sutcliffe, the popular Yorkshire and England cricketer, who was carrying his daughter Barbara.

Before the laying of the foundation stone a child, Jean Ward, presented a bouquet of flowers to the duchess.