EXACTLY 70 years ago Southampton was all set to celebrate. It was time for a party as the whole country toasted the Silver Jubilee of King George V.

According to the Daily Echo of May 1935 the town, as it was then, was crowded with visitors, with many people taking advantage of the national holiday to visit the coast.

"They came by road and rail, by air and by boat for the start of the celebrations,'' said the Daily Echo under the headline, Southampton Ready For Gay Week.

"In its carnival dress the town has seldom looked brighter than now and the holiday spirit is in evidence everywhere.''

The town council and the mayor, Councillor GA Waller, sent this loyal greeting to the King on behalf of all Sotonians:

"On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of his gracious Majesty the King, the mayoress and I desire to join very heartily and sincerely with our fellow townspeople in an expression of affectionate loyalty and devotion to the Crown in recognition of the unselfish and strenuous efforts of his Majesty and our gracious Queen through their long reign.

"We join with all those who made so ample an expression of their feelings in the sincere wish that long life and health may be granted to their Majesties for the benefit of the Kingdom and the Empire.

"May all our fellow townspeople ever cause to remember Silver Jubilee week as a happy epoch in the history of their lives.''

It seems no expense was spared in decorating the streets, with the council's transport department using three and a half miles of streamers and three miles of bunting to decorate the local tram routes and a special illuminated vehicle was put into service.

There were services of thanksgiving in local churches, while a funfair and a 21-gun salute was held on the Common in Southampton.

The Common was also the venue for an athletics meeting, boxing bouts, a gymkhana, fireworks display and bonfire.

A team of cyclists arrived in the town carrying a message of good wishes and congratulations to the King that was being taken around the country by members of the Cyclists' Touring Club.

By the time the message reached Buckingham Palace it would have travelled 2,215 miles around Great Britain and took a total of 500 cyclists 15 days to make the delivery.

George, born in 1865, was the second son of King Edward VII. His older brother, Prince Albert, was due to become king but he died in 1892.

George succeeded his father as king on May 6, 1910 and was crowned King George V on June 22, 1911. Despite persistent rain, thousands of people lined the route to watch his coronation procession.

King George lived through the First World War and visited the troops in France and the wounded in hospitals.

Life was difficult after the war but gradually standards of living improved as food, clothes and general goods became easier to buy. Women received the vote, and more people enjoyed the cinema and use of the car, aeroplane, telephone and wireless.