| Main Performers | Sir C Arthur Pearson - speaker,
Warrilow - organ |
| Set List | Opening of the Bazaar (Sir C. Arthur Pearson)
Organ Recital (Warrilow)
15:30 Afternoon Mannequin Parade ('dresses by all the leading costumier of the day')
17:00 Auction Sale,
Art Exhibition: The Chelsea Art Union [in the Gallery] |
| Royal Presence | HRH Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll,
HRH Princess Victoria,
HRH Princess Christian,
HRH The Princess Royal |
| Performance Notes | A British Pathe film of the event (Film ID 1874.45) is available (duration 1min 46 secs).
Additional event, The 'Candian Matinee', was held on 11 May 1917 at His Majesty's Theatre.
"ALBERT HALL BAZAAR
SALES ON THE LAST DAY
The bazaar at the Albert Hall in aid of St Dunstan's Hosetl for Soldiers and Sailors Blinded in the War concluded yesterday. Sir Arthur Pearson performed the opening ceremony.
The attendance was very large and at many of the stalls beautifu things were much reduced in price and sold very freely. Princess Louise Duchess of Argyll came in the afternoon. The Ducgess of Abercorn, Lady Philipps, the Hon. Lady Keppel, the Hon. Mrs Sinclair, Miss Louise Stuart-Wortley, and Miss Sybil Corkran were busy at Princess Christian's stall and sold off the remainder of her umbrellas. At Princess Victoria's stall the Hon. Lady Keppel, Lady John Mulholland, and Miss Joan Astley were selling from the hour the bazaar opened, and at the Princess Royal's stall, Lady Bradford, Lady Guilford, Lady Sondes, the Hon. Mrs Wildrid James, Mrs Brinton, and Mrs Hardwick found a rapid sale for the remainder of their stick. Miss Lily Elsie sold a horseshoe of Ballymaead, the winner of the War Grand National at Gatwick, for £100, and the nails from his shows at £3 3s each. The buyer of the horseshoe returned it, and hoped that Miss Elsie would sell it again for a similar sum.
Many firms contributed generously to the bazaar. All the decorations, including a painted back-cloth of St. Dunstan's Hostel, prepared as a surprise for Sir Arthur Pearson, were given by Messrs' John Barker. The names of Messrs. Debenham ad Freebody, Marshall and Snelgrove, Wollands, D H Evans, Peter Robinson;s, Liberty, and other great London firms were to be seen over the stalls. Thousands of pounds' worth of goods were given by these firms, and in many cases they sent down a further stock gratuitously when there had been a run on any one article. Private generosity was equally conspicious. The name of St. Dunstan's and the record of the splendid work done there accounted for a response as spontaneous as it was lavish."
(The Times, 11 May 1917)
"At the recent Albert Hall Bazaar in aid of St Dunstan's, the Duchess of Somerset raffled a damask table cloth which belonged to Napoleon the Great, being authenticated by Lady Harlech, in whose family it was kept, and by the Countess of Bessborough."
(The Times, 14 July 1917)
At the auction goods for sale included a Stradivarious violin, a Daimler or Ford car, rare chemicals given by the British Cyanide Co., and the Cross of the Legion of Honour worn by Prince Lucien Bonaparte. |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1917/19),
Digital Poster |