The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-05-19 00:00:00

BANQUET AT FISHMONGERS' HALT.

Tn the evening a grand banquet was given by the
Fishmongers' Company at their hall, London Bridge,
to celebrate the ooning of the Fisheries Exhibition.
The chair was taken by the Prime Warden, Mr. J.
Hampden Fordham, who was supported on the right
by the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Connaught, and
the Duke or Cambridge, and on the left by the Duke
of Edinburgh, the Duke of Albany, Prince Edward of
Saxe•Weimar, and the Duke of Teck.
After the banquet, the Chairman proposed "The
Health of Her Majesty," oxpres-ing the general regret
which was felt that accident should have prevented her
carrying out her intention of opening the Fisheries
Exhibition. The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.
In giving the toast of "The Prince and Princess of
Wales and the other members of the Royal Family,"
the Chairman referred to the part taken by his Royal
H•ghness in opening the exhibition which they had
met to celebrate, and to the admirably efficient way in
which he had represented her Majesty. He alluded
with pride to the four members of the Royal Family
the company had the honour of entertaining, and to
the fact that three of them—The Prince of Wales, the
Duke of Edinburgh, and the Duke of Connaught—were
members of the Company. (Cheers.)
The toast was heartily received, the guests rising
while the band of the City of London Artillery and a
choir rendered "God bless the Prince of Wales."

The Prince of Wales who was loudly cheered,
said, —Mr. Prime Warden, your Royal Highnesses,
my Lords, and Gentlemen—For the very kind way
in which this toast has been proposed by the Prime
Warden and received by you all I beg to tender
you my warmest thanks. The Prime Warden has
alluded to the opening of the International Fishfries
Exhibition this day, and I fully endorse the words
which fell from him as to the great regret, not only of
all the members of my own family, but also, I am
sure of those who are present here, and the public
generally, that the Queen was unable to open the
Exhibition in person. (Cheers.) All I can say is that
I know it was Her Majesty's warmest wish to have
done so, and had it not been for the unavoidable
cause, with which you are acquainted, she would most
certainly have been present among you to•day. (Cheers.)
I am grateful for the kind allusion to my name by the
Prime Warden, and I beg toassure him that I feel very
glad to be once more present in this hall, as a member
of the Fishmongers Company, more especially when
I consider the reason of the entertainment to•night.
(Hear.) It is now upwards of twenty years since I
became a member of this ancient company, and I can
assure you I have always felt it both a privilege and a
pleasure to belong to so celebrated a guild. (Cheers.)
I thank you once more for the kind way in which you
have drunk the toast, and in the name of the Princess
and the members of the Royal Family I return you
my wannest th3nks. (Cheers,)

The Prime Warden next proposed "The Navy, the
Army, and the Reserve Forces," coupled with the
names of the Commander-in• Chief and the Admiral
of the Fleet.

The Duke of Cambridge responded for the Army,
and Admiral Sir H. Keppel replied on behalf of the
Navy.
The Prince of Wales then proposed " Prosperity to
the International Fisheries Exhibition," expressing a
hope that the Exhibition would produce permanent
beneficial results. All nations had, he said, cordially
co-operated in the undertaking, and he specially nom-
mended the contributions from Norway, Sweden, and
the United States, adding that the Chinese exhibits
were not the least interesting.

The toast was appropriately acknowledged by Mr.
Birkbcck.

The Duke of Edinburgh, ia proposing the toast of
"The Foreign Ambassadors," stated that when the,
Russian exhibits arrived they would be found to in-
clude innumerable freshwater fish which might he
acclimatised in this country.
The toast having been honoured,

Count Mtinster, in briefly replying, said he felt sure
that the exhibition which had been opened that day
would do much for the benefit of the community
generally. (Clic ei s.)
Mr. Russell Lowell also briefly replied, and re-
marked that he thought he might claim to be regarded
less as representing a foreign country than as the re-
presentative of the eldest daughter of England.
(Cheers.)
The Duke of Albany, who was cheered on rising,
said,—l have now the honour to propose one of the
most important toasts which has been submitted to
you this evening, and I only regret it has not been
placed in hands more fitted to do it justice than I
can. In giving you "The Health of the Prime
Warden of the Fishmongers' Company," I feel that
I am asking you to do honour to the personal ecip
bodimeut of the magnificent undertaking which has
been inaugurated this day, and which cannot but shed
lustre on the ancient Company of Fishmongers and
upon our recognised head. I invite you to show by
your cordial acceptance of the toast our warm
appreciation of the splendid hospitality which has
been accorded to us this evening. (Cheers.) The Prime
Warden has received us according to the traditions for
which these ancient City Companies are so justly
famous, and through which, as well as through the
liberality with which they have always helped to for
ward every cause that had for its objvct the welfare of
this country, they have justly earned the respect of the
, British nation. (Cheers.) The evening is growing late,
and you have listened to many speeches, so I will not
trouble you with any more words of mine, further than
to ask you to join with me in drinking most heartily
the health of our host of this evening. (Cheers.)
The toast having been drunk with acclamation, the

Prime Warden briefly acknowledged the compliment,
and the company immediately separated.

RECEPTION OF FISHERWOMEN AT MARLBOROUGH HOUSE.

On Sunday the hsherwomen from Scotland and
various places abroad who so materially assisted by
their costumes on Saturday to add to the picturesque
surroundings of the opening of the Fisheries Exhibi-
tion, had the honour of being personally received by
the Prince and Princess of Wales at Marlborough
House. Altogether there are forty-eight of these
visitor., of whom ten are Belgian and Flemish, fifteen
are Boulonnaise, eight are Dutch, and fifteen
Scotch. At a quarter to three the whole party
arrived at the side entrance of Marlborough House,
their advent creating some excitement, owing to
their peculiar costumes. On alighting the party
were escorted into the grounds, where the Prince
of Wales, attended by Sir Dighton Probyn and
Colonel Teesda!e, was in waiting. All the women
wore their Sunday or holiday attire, needless to say
perfectly ww, while exact uniformity was observed
amongnt those from Boulogne, even to the patterns of
the massive earrings and chains with which they love to
adorn themselves. With them, too, were a solemn.
looking patrone de Oche, with his son, a smart-looking
little lad who acts as mousse or cabin boy, in a
neat uniform. The Belgian and iFlemish women,
who come respectively from Ostend, Blenken-
burgh, and Heyst, and represent shrimpers,
fishermen's daughters, and fish sellers, each wore the
particular garb of their calling, while the eight
Dutch women, all hailing from different villages,
were attired in the costumes of their native
place. The head-gear of all the foreigners was the
white cap of more or less pronounced patterns, from
the earnette, of the Boulonnais to the close-fitting
" mob " of the Dutch ; but the Scotch women, in
accordance with tradition and usage, wore a
scarf, twisted round the neck so as to make a
hood. That a good representative selection
had been made was evident, as the ladies
ranged in age from girls of eighteen or nineteen to
dames of sixty and seventy summers. The whole
party were speedily ranged in line along the lawn
opposite the doors leading to the drawing-rooms, from
which the Prince of Walesiftescorted the Princess,
together with their two sonk, the Princes Albert
Victor and George, and the three Princesses of
Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught,
Princess Henry of the Netherlands, and their
attendant suites, Mr. Somers-Vine, who, as
agent for the Fisheries Exhibition, has had charge
of the whole of the organisation and arrange-
ment of these visits, had the honour of conducting
their Royal Highnesses, and introducing the ladies
and gentlemen in charge of the various groups. Both
the Prince and Princess were muoh interested, and
conversed freely with the fisherwomen, who seemed
equally delighted and astonished at their reception.
After a few minutes the Royal party retired, and the
fieherwomen were shown through the drawing-rooms
of Marlborough House, and entertained at luncheon
before leaving.

On Sunday afternoon, after their visit to Marl-
borough House, the fisherwomen proceeded to the
Zoological Gardens, where they were received by the
Baroness Burdett-Coutts, Mr. A. B. Burdett-Ooutts,
and Mr. Bartlett, the Superintendent of the Gardens,
who conducted the visitors over the grounds to all
the special points of interest. Before leaving they
were entertained to refreshment by Mr. Trotman, and
afterwards proceeded to the house of the Baroness
Burdett-Coutts at Stratton-place, Piccadilly, over
which they were shown. Here the Scotch women
especially evinced great enthusiam at the place of
honour given to the portrait of the poet Burns. This
visit concluded, the visitors returned to the several
places where they were staying.
The Baroness Burdett-Coutts, who shows the
greatest interest in their welfare, has offered to defray
the expense of carriage wherever the party may be
taken.

In addition to the fisherwomen, the whole of the
Irish fishermen then in London were on Sunday
entertained at the Zoological Gardens by Mr. Bolster,
the Secretary, being accompanied by Mr. Brady, the
Government Inspector of Irish Fisheries, Father
Denis, of Skibbereen, and Mr. John Lapsford, the
agent of the Baroness.