| Main Performers | Madame Albani - vocal,
HRH The Prince of Wales,
Archbishop of Canterbury - speakers |
| Orchestra or Band | Her Majesty's State Trumpeters |
| Choirs | Royal Albert Hall Choral Society (Royal Choral Society) |
| Conductors | Sir Arthur Sullivan,
Joseph Barnby |
| Set List | Opening Ceremony
Entrance of the Royal Party to the Dias,
'God Save the Queen' (The National Anthem - 2nd verse in Sanskrit, trans. Prof: M Müll),
'An Ode', Lord Tennyson, arr. Sir A Sullivan (Madame Albani),
Address (HRH The Prince of Wales),
Answer (HM Queen Victoria),
Presentation to HM The Queen of the Exhibition Catalogue and key (HRH The Prince of Wales),
Prayer (Archbishop of Caterbury),
'Hallelujah Chorus' from Messiah, Handel (Royal Albert Hall Choral Society),
'Home Sweet Home' (Madame Albani),
'Rule Brittania' (Royal Albert Hall Choral Society),
Departure of the Royal Party |
| Royal Presence | HM Queen Victoria,
HRH The Prince of Wales,
HRH The Princess of Wales
HH The Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein,
HRH The Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn,
HRH The Duchess of Connaught and Strathearn,
HRH The Duke of Cambridge,
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh,
HRH The Prince Alfred of Edinburgh,
HRH The Prince Christian,
HRH The Princess Christian,
HRH The Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne,
Marquis of Lorne,
HRH The Princess Beatrice,
HRH The Prince Henry of Battenberg,
HRH The Princess Mary, Duchess of Teck,
HRH The Duke of Teck,
HRH The Princess Victoria May of Teck,
HRH The Princess Frederica of Hanover,
Baron von Pawel Ramingen,
Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg,
Hereditary Grand Duchess of Oldenburg
HRH The Prince of Leningen,
HRH The Princess of Leiningen,
HRH The Princess Alberta of Leiningen |
| Performance Notes | The Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 was a very substantial exhibition held in South Kensington in London, and intended (in the words of the then Prince of Wales) "...to stimulate commerce and strengthen the bonds of union now existing in every portion of her Majesty's Empire". The exhibition was opened by Queen Victoria, and when it closed had received 5,559,745 visitors. It was housed in a collection of purpose-built buildings designed in an Indian style built in the South Kensington Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Gardens, to the south of the Hall, connected to it via a large conservatory.
The basement of the Royal Albert Hall was used for exhibits of wine and the main auditorium was used for daily organ recitals (except Sundays) during the duration of the Exhibition.
Queen Victoria returned to the Exhibition on at least two further occasions in order visit the displays under more normal conditions.
'India' took up roughly one third of the exhibition space in 1886 amounting to 103,000 square feet. The Indian Government contributed £10,000 to this, with the rest of the money coming from the Royal Commission and various grants. Apart from the financial contributions needed, exhibits had to be procured, and in this the Indian princes and Indian states were intimately involved, donating a range of goods.
The Indian exhibits included art, architecture, economic goods, silks and anthropological studies. Art-wares were organized by Indian provinces - marking a break from previous exhibitions where displays had been ordered by juries on their rankings. The Indian Court was received well by the press and the Royal Family. The Gateways in particular attracted much attention (the Jaipur Gate, paid for by the Maharaja of Jaipur, has stood in the grounds of the Hove Museum and Art Gallery since 1926). The exhibition included a display of 'native artisans' - thirty-four men from Agra demonstrating various crafts and professions, from sweetmeat maker to potter to carpet weaver. These men were in fact inmates from Agra Jail who had arrived in Britain on 20 April 1886 with Dr J W Tyler, superintendent of Agra Jail. They were all invited to a reception at Windsor Castle to meet Queen Victoria in July 1886.
"At 12 o'clock Her Majesty will enter the Exhibition by the principal entrance in Exhibition Road. There she will be received by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, who himself will already have been received by the Royal Commissioners. The Royal procession, including Her Majesty, The Prince of Wales, and other members of the Royal Family, the commissioners of the various colonies, and other functionaries connected with the Exhibition will proceed half way down the principal Indian Gallery as far as the beautifully carved Indian pigeon house to which we have already referred. Turning to the right, the procession will pass between Old London and the Indian palace up to the Central Avenue, between the Australasian Courts, across the Canadian Gallery into the gardens, then along a broad covered pathway to the Conservatory, and thence into the [Royal] Albert Hall, where the ceremony itself will take place."
(The Times, 29 April 1886)
"Yesterday the Colonial and Indian Exhibition was opened in state by Her Majesty the Queen. It is probable that since 1851, when that is always remembered as the Great Exhibition was opened in Hyde Park by his Royal Highness the Prince Consort, no public ceremonial honoured by the presence of Her Majesty has been surrounded by so much of pomp or by such gorgeous accessories of State pageantry as that witnessed yesterday at South Kensington."
(The Times, 5 May 1886)
"The Albert Hall is said to contain nearly 12,000 persons, and the number assembled in it yesterday cannot have fallen very far short of this total. From the monument that the doors of the different blocks were opened up to half-past 11 o'clock, when they were closed to the general public, a continuous stream of eager sightseers poured into the vast building."
(The Times, 5 May 1886)
"Everything seemed beautifully arranged, and the people all looked much pleased. Bands, stationed at different points, played as we walked along. How pleased my darling Husband would have been at the whole thing, and who knows but that his pure bright spirit looks down upon his poor little Wife, his children and children's children, with pleasure, on the development of his work! The walk was very long and fatiguing, though very interesting. Bertie kindly helped me up and down the steps, whenever we came to any. The Albert Hall was immensely full. We stood upon a large dais under the organ, where there was an Indian chair of state, standing on an Indian carpet. The national anthem was sung, the 2nd verse, in Sanskrit, translated by Prof: Max Müller, and there was much cheering a cheer for the "Union" being called for, which was warmly responded to. Then followed an Ode for the occasion, with beautiful words by Tennyson, the music by Sullivan, the solo being sung by Albani. Bertie read a very long address, to which I read an answer. Dear Bertie, who was most kind throughout then kissed my hand. What thoughts of my darling Husband came into my mind, who was the Originator of the idea of an exhibition, an idea fraught with such fearful difficulties and carried through against such fearful odds! There were many allusions in the Address, as well as answer, which were full of the dearest and saddest memories, and very agitating to me. Thus sad thoughts mingled with proud and grateful ones. Bertie presented me with the catalogue of the Exhibition, and a beautiful key. Then the Archbishop offered up a prayer, during which, as well as during the reading of the Address and answer. I stood, which was very tiring. This was followed by the singing of the "Hallelujah" Chorus, which was beautifully rendered, "Home Sweet Home" sung by Albani, and "Rule Britannia", after the first verse of which, we left, I curtsied on all occasions when they cheered, which they did tremendously, and proceeded straight up the Hall, going up some steps to the level of the boxes. Here I turned round and curtseyed again, before leaving." (Queen Victoria's Diary, 4 May 1886)
The key presented to Queen Victoria at the opening ceremony was featured in the Exhibition's catalogue and controlled nearly 500 of Chubb's New Patent Push and Pull Locks, affixed to the entrance of the Exhibition and all internal doors. The key was decorated with rubies, emeralds and turquoise and elephants' heads, bleu enamel, lion's head, Indian anaimals, sheep for the Cape, beaver for Canada, kangaroo for Australia, ox for New Zealand, and tiger for Ceylon.
A catalogue was published by William Clowes and Sons Ltd (London, 1886). |
| Related Archival Material | Illustration (RAHE/9/1886/1/OS) (RAHE/9/1886/2) |