LIFE in England capital exactly a century ago was affected by similar contrasting emotions to those of today with mourning at the death of the Queen Mother and the pending celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee.

Back in 1902, the nation was emerging from more than a year of official mourning at the death of Queen Victoria while, at the same time, the British public was also preparing for the joyous Coronation of Edward VII in June.

Berrow's Journal's London correspondent, writing her Ladies' Column for this week 100 years ago, described the atmosphere in the capital city:

"Not since Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year has London been so full of strangers as it is at present, a great contrast to the dullness of last year when there was no Court, and people were still wearing the remains of the black dresses that had done duty as Royal mourning.

"The opening up of the streets, which still goes on merrily, is responsible for the difficulties experienced by the police in regulating the traffic," (then, of course, mostly horse-drawn) "and the tribulations of pedestrians who find themselves obliged to struggle through embarrassing situations unaided.

"The number of smart, well-appointed carriages seen in the West End is a change from the dullness of the winter months, showing how greatly the presence of the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace affects life in the community.

"That a great deal of money is changing hands, there can be no question, for the shops are full of attractions - in the windows and on the counters - and the assistants have their hands more than fully employed in serving customers.

"The doleful feature of the situation, however, is the sudden increase in the expenses of everyday life, services rendered being raised in cost, often against people of fixed and therefore limited incomes."

The Journal's London correspondent complained, in particular, that many London clubs were greatly raising the cost to members of their window seats from which to view the 1902 Coronation procession through the streets of the capital.

"The charge for such seats at the 1897 Jubilee was two or three guineas, but this time the demand is to be for 10 or 12 guineas!"