The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-12-31 00:00:00

THE YEAR
1887.

_...-
HOME EVENTS: SOCIAL AND GENERAL.

The weather was exceptionally severe all over the
British Isles at the beginning ot January, particularly
heavy snowfalls occurring between the 4th and 6th,
and again on the 17th. Many sheep perished from
eold in exposed places, and there was great distress
among the poor and unemployed. In February there
was much fine frosty weather, and anothertremendous
snowfall was experienced on March 15th, accompanied
in London by a dense fog. On the Ist of April
snow again fell hoavily, and great gales and storms,
doing much havoc, succeeded. Snow and hail visited
several Yorkshire districts on the 13th, and another
violent snowstorm prevailed over the northern and
midland counties on the 26th. A thick fog turned
day into night on May 3rd, in London and suburbs;
and snow and hail were once more experienced
throughout the country on May 20th. Yet another
phenomenally dense fog shrouded the Channel from
the Bth to the 11th of June, greatly impeding the mail
and other boats; but from the latter date glorious
weather set in, the summer being as dry and enjoy-
able as the winter and cold spring were severe and
Protracted. The lengthy spell of powerful sunshine
and comparative absence of rain brought about a
drought in many places, and a good deal of in-
convenience was caused by the scarcity of water ;
while moorland and mountain fires were freouent and
often seriously destructive.
The shockingly sudden death of the Earl of
Iddesleigh at the official residence in London of the
First Lord of the Treasury, on the 12th of January,
was the first social sensation of the year. His lordship
had resigned his office of Foreign Minister a few
days earlier, and was about to confer with the Prime
Minister when seized with an attack of illness which
proved immediately fatal. Tbe unemployed in London
began to be demonstrative early in the new year, and
on January 1& ha number of them attended the morn-
ing service in Battersea Church, and created an un-
seemly disturbance during the prayer for the Royal
Family, The Lanarkshire miners then out on strike
created a riot on the 7th of the month, and on the
19th there was a Socialist gathering, in East London
which caused considerable alarm,
The Bank of England rate of discount was reduced
to 31 per cent. on the 10th of March, to 3 per cent.
on the 24th, to 21, per cent. on.the 14th of April, and
to 2 per cent, on the 28th ; on the 4th of August,
however, the rate wan raised again to 3 per cent.
The Queen visited Birmingham on March 23rd,
and laid the foundation atone of the new Law Courts.
On the 29th, her Majesty left England for the
Continent, returning a month later. Cambridge won
the 'Varsity Boat Race, rowed on the 26th of the same
month, by 3i lengths.
Sir Henry Holland presided at the opening meet-
ing of the important Colonial Conference, held in.
London, on the 4th of April, and the delegates con-
tinued their discussions until the 10th of May, having
meanwhile visited most of the important and
industrial centres and "show-places" of the country,
besides being received by her Majesty at Windsor
Castle. The various Volunteer Reviews held on
Easter Monday, passed off most successfully, the
weather being bright and favourable, a cold coat wind
notwithstanding. On the 18th of April, Carrell, the
Horton murderer, whose crime created a great
sensation, was executed. The Prince and Ptincess of
Wales opened the Manchester Jubilee Exhibition on
the 3rd of May, Princess Beatrice that at Saltaire on
the 6th, and Princess Louise one at Liverpool ten days
later. On the 9th there was a State Reception of the
Lord Mayor and Corporation of London at Bucking-
ham Palace, next day the Queen held a Drawing-
Room, and also visited Buffalo Bill's Wild West
Show at the American Exhibition, while on the 14th
Her Majesty went in State to the East End of London
to open the People's Palace. The Court removed to
Balmoral on the 20th, remaining in Scotland a month,
until the commencement of the Jubilee festivities. A
Royal proclamation was issued on May 17th directing
the issue of the Jubilee coinage, amongst which was a
new double florin. The 22nd witnessed the State visit
of the Speaker and 450 members of Parliament to St.
Margaret's Church, Westminster, where a special
service was held in celebration of the Queen's Jubilee.
Next day the Report of the Royal Commission on the
Ordnance Department, against which some serious
allegations of inefficiency bad been made, was pub-
lished. On May the 28th the Co-operative Congress
at Carlisle commenced its sittings.
June 20th was the first day of the Jubilee
week proper, when a round of rejoicings in
commemoration of the completion of 50 years
of Queen Victoria's rule was commenced all over
the realm. The 21st was a national holiday, the chief
feature of which was the magnificent Thanksgiving
Service at Westminster Abbey, attended by her Majesty
and many other Royal personages, British and foreign.
The sacred building was packed with an imposing
array of distinguished worshippers, representing every
class in the community, and including envoys bear-
ing congratulatory messages from almost all the
nations in Europe and the rest of the civilised world.
The Royal procession to and from the abbey was wit-
nessed by enormous and enthusiastic crowds. All
London was brilliantly illuminated at night, and there
were fetes and festivities throughout the country on a
scale of splendour which will be vividly remembered
for years to come. Next day the Women's Jubilee
offering to the Queen was presented; and in the
afternocn an enormous assemblage of children
in Hyde Park was visited _by - her Majesty
_ _ _

on tier way to Windsor, *bare the -Court rejoiciiig3-
were resumed. There was a review of volunteer fire-
brigades in Windsor Park on the 23rd, and an enter-
tainment, taken part in by the Queen, to 6000
children on the North Terrace at the Castle. The
same day a Review took place at Aldershot, and was
witnessed by many of the foreign princes and other
distinguished visitors; while a children's fête was held
in the afternoon at the People's Palace in East
London. A Royal Party took place at Buckingham
Palace on the 24th, another on the 29th, while the
Indian princes and deputations were received by the
Queen at Windsor on the 30th. A thanksgiving
Service for the City of London was largely attended,
at St. Paul's Cathedral on the 23rd, and there was a
Jubilee Ball at Guildhall on the 27th. On this date
also, the Jubilee Yacht race round the British Isles,
began on the 14th, was won by the Genesta, and
Princes Albert Victor and George of Wales paid a
visit to Dublin. Her Majesty witnessed a march past
of nearly 30,000 London volunteers on July 2nd,
and on the 4th laid the foundation stone
of the new Imperial Institute in the presence of a
brilliant assembly. One of the most magnificent
military reviews of the reign took place on the 10th
before the Queen at Aldershot, 60,000 cavalry and
infantry, including volunteers, took part in the evolu-
tions. The Prime Minister gave a garden party at
Hatfield on the 13th, at which her Majesty was
present; and on the 23rd the national fixtures in con-
nection with the Jubilee celebrations were brought to
a conclusion with a grand naval review at Spithead,
the Queen sailing between the lines of her ships, and
the whole of the massed fleet being beautifully
illuminated at night. Subsequently there were some
interesting and extensive naval manoeuvres off the
coast. The Prince of Wales paid a visit to N ewcastle-
on-Tyne on the 12th of July. On the 19th Lieut.
Warren, of the Victoria Rifles, carried off the Queen's
Prize at Wimbledon, and on the 21st the Elcho
Shield was won by the English team. The August
Bank Holiday was brilliantly fine. A great strike of
engine-drivers and firemen began on the Midland
Railway on August sth, ending in the defeat of the
men, who had declined to accept new rules im-
posed by the directors. The usual scientific
and kindred congresses were held in September, and
the Tercentenary of Shorthand and Jubilee of Phono-
graphy were jointly celebrated in London at the end
of the month. The Church Congress opened at
Wolverhampton on October 3rd. Mr. Henry Irving
unveiled a Shakespeare memorial at Stratford, given
by Mr. G. W. Childs, an American admirer of the poet,
on the 17th of the same month; and on the day
following Prince Albert Victor of Wales paid a visit
to Northampton. On the Ist of November, P.C.
Endacott, whose action in arresting Miss Cass on a
charge of disorderly conduct in Regent-street had
produced one of the sensational trials of the year,
was acquitted on the accusation of perjury brought
against him, and re-instated in the Metropolitan
Police force. The Princess Beatrice's infant daughter,
born at Balmoral on:October 24th, was christened inthe
castle drawing-room on November 23rd. October went
out with a violent and destructive gale, causing 104 ship-
wrecks and the loss of nearly 100 lives. Lord Mayor's
Day in London was miserably wet, the Civic! Show being
entirely spoiled. On November 19th the three young
Princesses of Wales, who had been attacked
with measles at Fredenborg Castle, the palace of their
royal grandfather in Deneiark, returned to England
on their recovery. On the 2nd of December the
Gaik war of Baroda was received at Windsor Castle by
the Queen, and invested with the Grand Commander-
ship of the Star of India, The best show ever held
by the Smithfield Cattle Club opened on December
sth, at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, the Queen
being the largest exhibitor and a principal prize
winner.