1839—SEPTEMBER 10—Sermon by the Rev. W. H. Woodgate, Rector of Bellbroughton. _The Messiah_, _Creation_, and _Palestine_ performed in their entirety. The concerts were all made up of miscellanea. Principal performers—Miss Hawes, Miss Clara Novello, Madame Persiani, Miss Woodyatt, Miss Beale; Messrs. Phillips, Vaughan, Bennett, Machin, Edmunds, &c. The receipts for the charity this year were £932, and for admissions £2,820, which was an increase upon the sum realised at the previous meeting, though the prices of tickets were this year reduced to the sums at which they have ever since remained. The expenses, however, reached £4,089, so that there was a deficiency of £1,270. 1842—SEPTEMBER 20—The sermon was preached by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese. This festival was marked by an entire change of system and the great success attending upon it. There were no foreign “stars” engaged in the vocal department, and, consequently, a great deal of expense was saved. The oratorios were conducted, not by the organist of the cathedral, Mr. Clarke, but by Mr. Surman of Exeter Hall, and the performances were held in the nave and not in the choir. The only previous occasion on which the festival had been held in the nave was at the visit of George III, sixty years before. The arrangement of orchestra and seats was that which has been ever since observed. The principal singers were—Miss Birch, Miss Marshall, Miss Dolby, Mrs. Loder, and Miss Davis, our own young townswoman; Mr. Phillips, Mr. Leffler, and Mr. Hobbs. The oratorios performed were—_The Messiah_, _Judas Maccabeus_, and _Engedi_. At the evening concerts _Alexander’s Feast_, Haydn’s _Seasons_, and Schiller’s _Song of __the Bell_ were performed entire. The chorus consisted of 218 singers, and there were 82 instruments in the orchestra. The organ was in the course of being renewed by Hill. The collections for the charity amounted to £1,059. 16s. 1845—Sermon by Canon Wood. Only three morning performances this year, which, for the first time, were under the conduct of Mr. Done. _The Last Judgment_ and a collection of anthems were performed on the Wednesday morning, and _The Messiah_ on the Thursday. In the evenings _Acis and Galatea_ and Mendelssohn’s _Walpurgis Nacht_ were performed entire. The principal vocalists were—the Misses Williams, Miss Rainforth, Miss Whitnall; Herr Staudigl, Mr. Pearsall, Mr. Hobbs, Mr. Machin, and Mr. Young. The amount collected for the charity was £850. 14s.