SHOPS closed, signs went up and a subdued air embraced the sun-bathed centre of Tavistock. The hands on the parish church clock inched towards 11.30am. No bell tolled but, in Bedford Square for those two minutes silence, knots of people remembered the Queen Mother on the morning of her funeral.

Then, beneath the flag of St George fluttering at half-mast, the town slowly picked up its usual Tuesday morning momentum. Premises chose to close for anything from two minutes to several hours.

Some, including Patty's Florist and Crebers, had photographs of the Queen Mother and tributes in their windows.

At Rollings Bakery and Café, off Bedford Square, staff closed the doors at 11.25am for the two-minute silence.

'It was very peaceful, we were just sitting here watching out the window and it went very quiet,' said Diane Mortimer. 'It's been very quiet all day,' she added.

'You have to pay your respects to a grand old lady, don't you?' said fellow-worker Jan Sly.

Tavistock's Pannier Market opened as normal, but felt it was important to mark the occasion. And so at 11.30am, a horn was sounded to signal the start of the two-minute silence.

People milling around the market stopped what they were doing and only the faint tick of antique clocks and the sound of a spitting frier shattered the hushed calm.

Tavistock resident Frank Honey, 72, one of many people sat in Bedford Square at 11.30am, was 'rather surprised' at the reaction, or lack of it.

'I was expecting all the cars and people to stop for two minutes, but it didn't happen. There were quite a few people in the Square, who all expected everyone would have stopped,' he said.

Mr Honey was of the same age group as the Queen Mother's children and had 'grown up with them'. 'I thought she was a wonderful lady,' he said.

Preb John Rawlings said they had decided not to do anything special at the parish church on Tuesday as they thought people would be home watching television.

'But we have had prayers for the Queen Mother every day since she died and the church was open for people to sit and reflect, light candles and sign the book of remembrance,' he said.

Town mayor Cllr Norma Woodcock said she had not expected there to be a great demonstration 'outside'.

'I suspect if people were not working they were at home watching TV,' she said. This was what she had opted to do.

'It's a big occasion for the nation and the royal family and I felt I wanted to be a part of that and share in the the nation's experience,' she said.

Cllr Woodcock felt that people had also shown their respect for the Queen Mother by signing the books of condolence.

Three generations of a family from Gunnislake, stopped what they were doing to take part in the two-minute silence.

Barbara Sleep and her daughter, Julie, had taken grandson Jack, 7, to play in the park, but when it reached 11.30am, they sat quietly in the sun and reflected on the life of the nation's oldest royal.

'It was quite moving. It was nice to be in the park. It was fairly quiet, although some children were running around and making a noise,' said Julie Sleep.

At Harewood House, Tavistock, some chose to watch the Queen Mother's funeral service on televisions in their own rooms, while others gathered in the communal day room to watch the service together.

One of those watching the service was Ethel Scott, 90, who was born in London but later lived in South Zeal and has been at Harewood House for the past three years.

She said she admired the way the Queen Mother rallied people's spirits during the Blitz.

'She didn't leave London during the war, even though she could have,' she said.

Mrs Scott, who shares her birth date, April 21, with the Queen, fondly remembers standing outside Buckingham Palace on VE Day in 1945.

'I don't think there is enough respect for the Royal Family today. I wouldn't want to be without them,' she said.

Mrs Scott said she had enjoyed watching the funeral service and felt it was a fitting tribute to the Queen Mother's life.

West Devon and Torridge MP John Burnett attended the Queen Mother's funeral and described it as 'extremely moving'.

'It was done with great dignity. Although it was an occasion tinged with sadness it was effectively a celebration for a great life of service,' he said.

'The Queen Mother had served the country and was at the heart of some of the most difficult and traumatic events in the past century — and the people came to thank her and pay tribute to her life.'