Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)Ashton, John
History
Social England under the Regency, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Ashton, John
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century; Regency -- England
"Yesterday being the Centenary of the Accession of the House
of Brunswick, and the Anniversary of the glorious Victory of
the Nile, was selected as the day for a Jubilee in celebration
of the Peace. The plan of the arrangements for the Show in the
Parks, has already been given, together with a description of the
preparations. Considerable uncertainty hung over the public mind
as to the actual day of exhibition, in consequence of the notice
advertised, and posted up, stating, that it would depend upon the
state of the weather; an uncertainty not a little heightened by the
unpromising appearance of the morning. Numbers, however, regardless
of notification, or weather, and determined to have a day of it,
particularly those who lived at a distance from the scene of
operations, set out from home, and were seen flocking, at an early
hour, to the Parks. At length the firing of cannon announced that the
day was considered favourable, and that the Jubilee would commence.
The population of the Metropolis then poured forth in a continued
stream, or, rather flood, to witness the exhibition. Shops were shut,
business was suspended, houses were left to take care of themselves,
and the Strand, Oxford Street, and Piccadilly, were nearly blocked up
by masses of people of all descriptions, including many women with
infants in their arms, all hurrying on to see the Show.
"It had been previously understood, and the public notices posted
up certainly led to that impression, that all the entrances to
St. James's Park, save those leading into the space allotted to
the holders of tickets, would have been opened to the public. It
turned out, however, that counter orders had, in the meantime,
been given, and the passages by the Horse Guards, and the Spring
Garden-gate were alone opened for persons without tickets to enter
the Park. The gate at New Street, although a notice was posted up
at its side, intimating that it had been deemed expedient to open
it to the public, remained shut. This, of course, greatly increased
the pressure; numbers flocked to the Stable-yard; but there, all
admittance to the Park, without tickets, was refused. Some relief,
however, was afforded by allowing an egress by this gate to the
persons in the Park.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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