Don Talbot, from Gravesend, reminds me in an email of the Queen’s visit to Gravesend, Erith and Belvedere in the wake of the 1953 tidal surge, which left hundreds of people homeless.

It was an act of kindness which provided a little bit of sunshine to the lives of many desperate people.

He writes: “The purpose of her visit was to chat to flood victims and offer encouragement.

“The Queen stepped off a launch from Tilbury on Friday, February 13, 1953, and drove from the car ferry in West Street, Gravesend, through streets packed with cheering people waving Union Jacks.

“It was the first time many Gravesenders had seen their new young Queen, who was uncrowned at the time.

“Having chatted to the mayor, Ald A.G. Ramsay and the deputy Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Lord Harris she then drove through Dartford to Erith.

“Children off school for the afternoon lined the route together with hundreds of housewives and workmen.

“At Erith council offices, all work stopped.

“The Queen signed the visitors’ book, chatted to officials and drove to the rest centre in West Street where 73 men, women and children were accommodated.

“From them the Queen learned at first-hand of the courage and spirit of the people of Erith and Belvedere who had lost their homes.”

Thank you Don for your memories.

I know the Queen chatted to a small boy, Barry Staggs, of Norman Road, Belvedere, who had been rescued from seven feet of flood water.

He told her he wanted to go home again.

The Queen also visited the civic restaurant in Corinthian Road and drove to Crabtree Manor Way, Belvedere, one of the worst-hit streets in the area.

At number 5 she talked to Mr and Mrs Angus Stevens, who invited her to play the piano.

She did. No sound came from it, apart from the gurgle of flood water.