Our own Queen has not been the
only monarch to have nationwide events to celebrate her long reign.
October 1809 saw the start of George III's fiftieth year as king, It is interesting to note that many of
the activities both in Britain and the Colonies were not that dissimilar to how
we have celebrated the long reign of Queen Elizabeth II. An
account of the celebration of the jubilee on the 25th October 1809 (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZgAHAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false)
states that the “day’s solemnity [originated] in the best feelings of our
common nature” p xii.
Pomp and circumstance was widespread. The
Scottish Chronicle lists the activities which were planned by the
Magistrates of Edinburgh:
“The morning to be ushered in by the ringing of the
bells of the city and Leith, from eight to ten o’clock. The Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council,
at eight o’clock, to go in carriages to the Assembly Rooms, Leith, to meet the
masonic procession, and proceed to the place in the dock fixed on the by the
engineer, and, in proper style, to lay the foundation of the military works,
which out of regard to our beloved Monarch, are to be dominated King George III’s
Bastion and Military Works, for the defence of the docks, harbour, and town of
Leith. After the stone is laid, a royal
salute to be fired from the dock, and his Majesty’s ships in the Roads of Leith
to Return it. This solemnity being gone
through, the procession to return, reversed, to the Assembly Rooms. To the procession are to be invited all the
nobility and gentry in and about the town and neighbourhood, Leith, &c.
with the office bearers of the Grand Lodge, are to breakfast with the Lord
Provost and Magistrates in the Assembly Rooms, Leith.
At twelve o’clock noon, the great guns in the Castle
to fire, and the music bells, and those of St Andrew’s Church are to be set
a-ringing, and continue till half past one o’clock. The volunteers to be drawn out in line in
Prince’s Street to fire a feu de joye,
and his Majesty’s ships in the Roads also to fire.
At two o’clock, sermons, suitable to the occasion, to
be preached in all the churches, chapels &c, in this city and
vicinity. The collections at the doors
to be applied for the relief of prisoners for debt in the jails of Edinburgh
and Canongate.
At four o’clock, the music and St Andrew’s Church
bells begin, and ring till six o’clock.
At five o’clock, a grand public dinner in the Assembly
Rooms, George Street. Tickets 1l. 5s.
each.
From six to eight o’clock the great bells to ring.
At seven o’clock, a superb display of fireworks to be
exhibited on the centre of the Earthern Mound, which is to complete the
festival.”
(taken from Scots
Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany, (Oct 1809) pp 783-798 held by
British Periodicals)
Whilst in London The Literary Panorama reported after the event. There were military parades, possessions,
speeches and public worship (Christian and non-Christian celebrating in their
own religious buildings) but at
“one o’clock, the Tower guns fired, and the guards
assembled on the parade in St James’s Park, and fired a feu de joie, in honour of the event. After church hours, the streets were crowded
with the population of the metropolis, in decent or in lively attire; the number of well-dressed persons , and the
display of genuine beauty in the sex, individuals who do not constantly shine
at “midnight dances, and the public shew”, but whom this celebration brought
into view, exceeded any former example.
Most of them wore ribbons of garter blue, and many wore medals with a
profile of the King. The magnificent
preparations for the evening were the general objects of notice, which the
serenity of such a day, as October does not often see, gave them full
opportunity of observing; while the
volunteer corps, returning from their respective parades, enlivened the scene
with a martial as well as a patriotic and festive feature. As the evening approached, the corporation of
London were hastening to the Mansion-House and various other bodies to their
different halls, taverns, and places of meeting, to celebrate, in a more
mirthful way, the fiftieth year of the reign of a British King. Numerous other
parties also met at various places in public or private entertainment.”
(taken from The
Literary Panorama (Nov 1809) pp 353-379 held by British Periodicals)
It is noticeable that inhabitants
of many towns and villages raised “a public subscription [which] enabled a
committee to distribute to every man, woman and child, who would accept it, one
pound of beef or mutton, and a half-quartern loaf, which were most gratefully
received by upwards of 1350 persons” (Olney).
In other places members of Society provided entertainment such as the “Earl
of Hardwicke gave a handsome entertainment to the labourers and other
inhabitants of Wimple and the adjoining parishes”
(May 8, 1793)
