I WRITE to endorse the memories of those that spoke to you of their memories of that splendid day of sunshine on April 19, 1984 when HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother opened Elizabeth House, the new offices of the Stratford-on-Avon District Councils.

I am the widow of Rear Admiral Rupert Wainwright CB DSC who was chairman of the district council at that time.

I am sure Her Majesty was happy to come to Stratford. She told me that she had been here before and she thought it "a very pretty little town."

We had of course met HM before, my husband in his naval career had been a ADO to Her Majesty the Queen.

It is unusual I believe for Royalty to accept presents, but Her Majesty honoured Mrs W McFarland by accepting her book on Old Picture Postcards of Stratford-upon-Avon, and myself by accepting the little book of stories of Stratford's beautiful parish church, Holy Trinity Trinity Tales that I myself had written. I received a delightful note of thanks as I am sure Mrs McFarland did.

My husband had asked HM if the vicar of Stratford the late Rev Dennis Spiller could bless the new council buildings, we were told HM gave her happy consent as Mr T Cox said, "She visited everywhere" and would not even use the lift. She was very taken by the two pretty little sisters dressed in sailor type matching dresses, who gave her a basket of pink roses, and lily of the valley. All of us who took part on that day will never forget it. As my husband said in his speech "Ma'am you bring joy where ever you go".

These are only a few of my memories, I have so many, no doubt you well have others, and I will cut them out and put them in my special albums. Oh, the picture in the foyer of Elizabeth House was one of two we were given to choose from, we thought this was the best. I also have a painting by Mr John Corvin, the local artist of HM outside the council building a she was about to go and inspect the troops.

PATRICIA WAINWRIGHT, Regency Cottage, Maidenhead Road,

Stratford.