| Main Performers | HRH The Duke of Cambridge,
HRH The Prince of Wales,
HRH Prince Albert Victor,
HRH The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos - speakers
Madame Patey,
Miss Ambler,
Mr Vernon Rigby,
Signor Folli - vocals |
| Secondary Performers | Sir James Paget,
Sir Lyon Playfair MP,
Lord ReayThe French Ambassador,
Lord Mayor,
Mr Trendell (Superintendent of the Literary Department) |
| Orchestra or Band | Grenadier Guards,
Coldstream Guards |
| Set List | 8 May 1884:
Opening (HRH The Duke of Cambridge),
Reading of Telegraph from HRH The Prince of Wales, Albert Edward apologising for absence and wishing the Exhibition success, and Address (HRH The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos),
Speech (HRH The Duke of Cambridge),
Presentation of Bound Copy of the Catalogue to the Exhibition to HRH The Duke of Cambridge (Mr A J R Trendell),
Procession of HRH The Duke of Cambridge and party through the RHS Conservatory and West galleries of the Exhibition buildings to the Siemens Borthers dynamo machines and engines for illuminating the grouds, the American court, Historical and Military Dress Collection, aquarium,
Presentation of Foreign Commissioners,
Deaprture of HRH The Duke of Cambridge,
Opening to the Public
---
Evening Concert (Madame Patey, Miss Ambler, Mr Vernon Rigby, Signor Folli, Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards),
Lighting of Exhibition grounds by electric lamps, oil lamps and Chinese lanterns
17 June 1884:
Speech (HRH The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos),
Speech (Sir James Paget),
Speech (Sir Lyon Playfair MP),
Speech (Lord Reay),
Formal presentation to HRH The Prince of Wales,
Inauguration of the work of the international juries (HRH The Prince of Wales),
Vote of Thanks to HRH The Prince of Wales (The French Ambassador),
Motion Seconded (Lord Mayor),
Thanks and Closing Remarks (HRH The Prince of Wales) |
| Royal Presence | HRH The Duke of Cambridge,
HRH The Prince of Wales,
HRH Prince Albert Victor,
HRH The Duke of Buckingham and Chandos,
Maharajah of Johore,
HRH The Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz |
| Performance Notes | The International Health Exhibition was the second in the series of international exhibitions held in South Kensington which were started by the Prince of Wales in 1883. The purpose of the Health Exhibition was to illustrated health in its relation to food, dress, the dwelling, the school, and the workshop. The exhibition was housed not only in the Royal Albert Hall but across the RHS South Kensington gardens and buildings that has been contructed for the previous International Exhibition (Fisheries) totalling two and a half acres in size.
Exhibition sections:
- Fruit and Vegetable Show (RHS Conservatory),
- Lessons on Cheap Cookery (RAH Lecture [West] Theatre),
- Board Cookery School Class (City and Guilds Institute Annexe),
- Lesson on High Class Cookery (RAH Lecture [West] Theatre),
- Demonstrations on the Analysis of Milk and Butter (Hygienic Laboratory, Exhibition buildings),
- Organ Recitals (RAH Main Auidtorium),
- Concerts by the Band of the Grenadier Guards (Western Kiosk, Exhibition buildings),
- Concerts by the Band of the Scots' Guards (Eastern Kiosk, Exhibition buildings),
- Illuminated Fountains (RHS Gardens),
- Exhibition of Gymnastics by pupils of the Royal Normal College and Academy of Music for the Blind (RAH Main Auditorium)
- Anthropometric Laboratory arranged by Francis Galton (East Corridor Annexe, Exhibition buildings),
- Library and Reading Room was open to the public daily 10:00-18:00 (RAH),.
- Hygienic Laboratory under the direction of Professor Corfield (City and Guild's Institute Annexe),
Additionally at the RAH there were:
- From 4 June 1884 onwards a series of lectures on the 'Dwellings of the Poor' (RAH Lecture [West] Theatre),
- On 20 July 1884, a Temperance fete, organised by the Church of England Temperance Society (RAH Main Auditorium).
- On the 23 July 1884, a Grand Floral Fete and Bazaar was held to raise money for the Hospitals of London (RAH Main Auditorium),
- A Conference by the Epidemiological Society of London (RAH Main Auditorium)
8 May 1884 - Opening Ceremony (North Gallery, Exhibition buildings):
12:00
Attended by the Prime Minister, Mr Gladstone, Home Secretary, President and the Vice-President of the Committee of Council on Education, the President of the Local Government Board, and various politicans and society figures including Sir Charles Freake, Lord Aberdare, Sir Henry Rawlinson, Professor Huxley, Sir James Paget, the Marquis of Hamilton, Mr Birkbeck MP, Sir Cunliffe-Owen, Sir Frederick Abel, Sir Joseph Fayrer, Captain Douglas Galton, Mr Samuel Morely MP, Mr Ernet Hurt, Mr Edward Cunliffe-Owen, Mr H Trueman Wood, Mr J R Somes Vine, Mr W Oldham Chambers. There was also a delegation of foreign of representatives from Italy, Austria-Hungary, Siam, Brazil, and China. Additionally HRH the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Lady Caroline Cust and Colonel Greville were present.
"For nearly two hours before the time fixed for the opening ceremony, ticket holders began to stream into the building, those having cards of admission to the north gallery where the Royal dais was placed proceeding at once to their seats, while others strolled about awaiting the passage of the procession and studying meantime the contents of the attractivetly set out show cases in the south gallery, familiarly known as the 'High-street' last year, and the special exhibits of the adjoining courts, and annexes with their varied exhibits of bread-making machinery, bee-keeping appliances, or water supply, and particularly the great model of the old Roman baths and hot mineral springs at Bath, here guarded by a pair of antique-costumed mac-bearing beadles representing the corporation of that ancient city!"
(The Times, 9 May 1884)
17 June 1884:
At the event were Colonel Teesdale, the Duke of Buckingham and Chandos, Sir James Paget, the Marquis of Hamilton, Lord Reny, Mr E Borkbeck MP, Mr Samuel Morley MP, Sir Philip Cunliffe-Owen, the Lord Mayor Mr Alderman Fowler, Sir Jospeh Fayrer, Sir Frederick Abel, Captain Douglas Galton, Mr Ernest Hart, Mr Edward Cunliffe-Owen, the Home Secretary, the French Ambassador, the Austro-Hungarian Ambassador, the Turkish Ambassador, the Merican, Belgian, Brazilian, Danish, Italian, Persian, Siamese, SPanish, and Swedish ministers, Sir Lyon Playfair MP, Viscount Bury, Viscount Ebrington MP, Lord Alvester, Lord Alfred Churchill, Mr Sclater-Booth MP, Professor Huxley (President of the Royal Society), Sir Richard Temple, Sir Henry Acland, Sir Frederick Bramwell, Sir Spencer Wells, Sir William M'Cormac, the Hon. and Rev. F Byng, Sir Charles Freake, Alderman Sir W M'Arthur MP, the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, General Cotton, Colonel Sir Francis Bolton, Captain Eyre M Shaw, Sir Arthur Blyth, Sir Saul Samuel, Mr George Godwin, Professor Marshall, Professor Chandler Reberis, Mr H Trueman Wood, and Mr A J R Trendel.
"As being the first occassion on which his Royal Highness has taken part in public affairs aince the death of his borther, the ceremony was not without a certain melancholy interest, since the objects which the exhibition is held to promote were among those in which Prince Leopold took a deep interest."
(The Times, 18 June 1884)
Queen Victoria didn't visit the exhibition, however she commanded the Chinese exhibitors to visit her at Windsor Castle and cook authentic chinese cuisine for her. Thirty Chinese shopkeepers, cooks and musicans from Peking arrived in June to exhibit in their own dedicated court within the Exhbition buildings.
A catalogue for the Library and Reading Room at the Royal Albert Hall was published. The Reading Room and Library consisted of two rooms and was comprised of a collection of books voluntarily contributed. |
| Related Archival Material | Programme (RAHE/1/1884/5),
Illustration (RAHE/9/1884/1/OS) |