TRAVEL back to the 1970s and experience meeting Her Majesty the Queen with an account detailing a couple’s meeting with the Monarch aboard the Royal Yacht in 1977.

The account, written by Pam Down and only discovered after her death, details a reception given by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh aboard Her Majesty’s Royal Yacht Britannia in August of 1977 which Pam and husband Colin attended.

Colin and Pam, who lived in Kingsteignton for all their maried life, arrived at the Civic Centre in Plymouth at 8.30pm where more than 200 people had gathered, eagerly awaiting to be shown onto a bus destined for Devonport.

Arriving in the district at 9pm, the couple boarded the Royal Yacht via a red carpet and canopy on the gangway.

‘We queued around the yacht, which was very large, on the far side and passed our coats to the naval officers.

‘We entered through large double doors into a large foyer with red carpets – the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were waiting inside to receive their guests,’ Pam said.

The nature of the occasion necessitated the couple wore their finest threads: Colin sported a black dinner jacket and trousers, black shoes, white shirt, which had pin tucks down the front, and a black bow tie whereas Pam wore a lilac satin dress, which she made herself, with white trimmings, long white gloves, white shoes, white shawl and topped off with a white sequinned handbag.

‘We then handed our presentation cards to the attendants, your names were called and you shook hands with the Queen, Duke and Princes Andrew and Edward.

‘There were two rooms on board where the guests were then shown into. Inside there were waiters with trays of drinks – brandy, gin, champagne and soft drinks along with trays of sausage rolls, scampi and hors d’oeuvres – we had champagne which was first class!’

Colin and Pam were invited to the soiree off the back of Colin’s work with the National Union of Agricultural Workers – he received the nomination from Sir Brian Bailey, South-West regional secretary of the TUC.

Colin served on that council and worked as a full-time officer for the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers as South East Devon district organiser.

‘Colin and I were lucky, the Queen visited the room we were in and she talked with the different groups present and Prince Andrew was talking to Angela Rippon who was beside us.

‘We were with two young swimmers from Devon, Angela Rippon knew the girl from Plymouth and introduced her to Prince Andrew.

‘He spent 15 minutes talking to our group – he was a very friendly boy and quite a character.’

The couple then watched the ceremonial beating retreat, which was playing on the flood-lit upper deck, until around 11pm when the Royal Yacht was ready to set sail and head toward its next destination.

Pam said: ‘The setting was beautiful and the Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew came out to wave to the people on the quayside.

‘This was really a most beautiful and emotional sight – The Royal Yacht just drifted out to mid-stream and sailed past.

‘This is a scene I shall never forget and the end to a very unforgettable and perfect day.’

Pam worked as housewife but later was invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Queen’s 80th birthday.

She was recommended by the Industrial Tribunal on her retirement at the age of 70 and in recognition of being the longest serving woman on the Exeter and District Board.