Celebrations Fit for a King

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 25^th 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”