The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-11-14 00:00:00

The ROYAL VISIT to WARWICKSHIRE,

The festivities at Paekington in honour of the visit
of the Prince and Princess of Wales were wound up on
Friday evening by a grand ball, to which some 400 had
been invited. The preparations for the event were on
a scale of great magnificence. A temporary ball-room,
84 feet long by 3.`3 feet hi width, had been erected on
the terrace at the south side of the hall, immediately
adjoining the great library, which served as the ante-
room. The walls and ceihno were covered with white
cloth tightly strained, and divided into bays and panels
by means of crimsons pilasters and narrow gilt
mouldings, lit up by Innumerable brackets and
giracdoles bearing wax candles. At one end of
the room, in a recess richly upholstered with lace
and leno curtains, stood the dais, and at the opposite
extremity wax the orchestra. Upon the floor of the
ball-room, which was of polished pine, were placed at
intervals near the walls a number of semi-circular
stands, covered with crimson, upon which were
arranged large masses of choice exotica, and a grotto,
decorated in rustic style with virgin cork and ferns,
and a central fountain, and illuminated with coloured
lanterns, served to connect the ballroom with the
library. The park, house, and grounds were illumi-
nated in the Name way as on the arrival of the Prince
and Princess on Monday last, and presented a very
beautiful appearance. At a quarter to eleven o'clock
the ball was opened by a quadrille, in which the Royal
and Imperial guests took Dart The Princess of
Wales, who wore a dress of while silk, heavily trimmed
with black velvet and diamond ornaments, gave her
hand to the Earl of Aylesford. The Prince of Wales
danced with the Duchess of Manchester, the Cesare-
witch with the Countess of Aylesford, who wore •
dress of rich white satin, profusely trimmed with
Brussels lace and diamond ornaments, and the Mar-
quis of Hartington with Lady Westmoreland. Dancing
continued uninterruptedly until two o'clock, when
supper was served in the dining-room and smaller
library. After this the company again flocked to the
ball-room until the completion of the programme.

Saturday was the day fixed for the Royal visit to
Coventry. The notice given to the authorities of the
city was short, but they displayed the most commend.
able zeal and energy in making the necessary pre-
parations. It was not possible to carry out any
general scheme of decoration, but the enthusiastic
efforts of individuals were not wisnting. The principal
'treats were way with bunting, and in the older parts
of the town the narrow thoroughfares were a perfegt
forest of flags. On the boundary of the borough
an octagonal pavilion spanned the roadway, neneath
which were arranged specimens of the staple
trades of Coventry. Venetian masts were erected
on each side of the street, bearing alternately the
red cross of St. George and the badge of the Prince of
Wales. Near the base of each mast was placed a boy
in the dress of one of the charity schools of the city,
who saluted the procession as it pawed, At Wearden
the road was spanned by a double arch adorned with
flags and mottoes ; and at Allesley, two miles from
Coventry, a similar arch had been constructed. The
London and North - Western Railway station,
from which the Prince and Princess departed, was
also decorated. The front of the pavilion under which
the Prince and Princess entered Coventry bore ex-
pressions of welcome, while the archway under which
they passed into the station yard was strmounted by
the word "Farewell."

At the hour fixed for the entrance into the city, a
uarter to twelve, the Mayor (Mr. H. Soden) and the
Mayoress met the Royal visitors under the spacious
pavilion erected on the Holyhead-road, and bade them
welcome to Coventry. The Mayoress presented the
Princess of Wales with an elegant bouquet of flowers,
secured by a ribbon, on the ends of which was woven
in colours, 'Presented by the ladies of Coventry."
The Princess graciously accepted the gift, and retained
it throughout tho day a proceedings. The procession
entered the city in the following order :—Detachment
of Royal Horse Artillery; Police Force; carriage—
Mayor and Mayoress, with City Mambearers and
Yeomen-at-Arms; escort of 12th Lancers ,• carriage--
their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales and Lord and Lady Aylesford ; carriage con-
taining the suite; detachment of let Administrative
Battalion Warwickshire Rifle Volunteeers.

The route was down the Holyhead-road into Fleet-
street, and then up Smithford-street, along High.
street, and through Hay-lane and Bayley-lane to St.
Mary's•hall, where it had been arranged that the
address to their Royal Highnesses should be presented.
Near the entrance to Stnithford street the children of
St. Michael's Church Schools were stationed, and, as
their Royal Highnesses passed them, sang " God bless
the Prince of Wales !" and at the top f the Broad-
gate the band of the Riwged School played the same
air. The throng f spectators was immense, but
although the streets are very narrow, there was no
crushing.
__ _

The hall was beautifully decorated. The seat pre-
pared for the Prince and Princess was of carved oak,
in which it is said Henry VI. was wont to sit. It was
placed on the raised platform at the north end of the
hall, immediately in front of the tapestry, which
forms one of its most costly ornaments. The oriel
window immediately on the right of the Royal dais
contained a sculptured figure of Lady Godly& when
she made her memorable ride through the streets of
the city, and freed the burgesses from the taxes that
"oppressed them sore.'

The bells of St. Mary's Church were rung at ten
minutes past one, and directly afterwards the Mayor
conducted the Princess of 'Wales up the room, and the
Prince of Wales escorted the Mayoress, followed by
Lcrd and Lady Aylesford and the ladies and gentle-
men in waiting. The city officials followed. The
audience rose as the procession passed down the centre
of the hall, and saluted their Royal Highnesses, who
graciously bowed in acknowledgment. Their Royal
Highnesses having been conducted to their seats, the
Town Clerk (Mr. Browett) read the following ad-
dress :
"To their Royal Ilighnerees the Prince and Princess of
Wales. May it please your Royal Highnesses,— We, the
mayor, aldermen, and citizen, of the city of Coventry, in
council assembled, desire with the voice of the whole city
to welcome your Royal Highnesses to Coventry. The gracious
visit of sour Royal Highness is a general joy to the citizens,
who yield to none in their long-cherished and enthusiastic
loyalty. The reign of our beloved Queen, so matchless in
personal and political lustre, has knit to the throne the
hearts of all her people in a willing and proud allegiance.
It is our happiness to believe that the hopes of this great
kingdom, which in so important a degree are centred in
your Royal Highnesses, are well reposed and that the suc-
cession to the Crown of England, the world's greatest heri-
tage, will be maintained in a manner worthy of this glorious
heritage. We humbly pray Almighty God for His choicest
blessings upon your Royal Highness and all the Royal
Pamily. Given under our common seal this 30th day of
October, in the year of Our Lord, 1874."

The Prince of Wales replied: Mr. Mayor and
Gentlemen,—The Princess of Wales unites with me in
thanking you for your address, and for the cordial ex-
pressions of goodwill with which you have welcomed
us to your city. You refer with great truth to the
anxiety which the Queen has throughout her reign
shown for the prosperity and happiness of her people;
and it wit be, I am sure, a matter of satisfaction to
Her Majesty to hear that the citizens of Coventry
i speak of her n terms of so much loyalty and affection.
It is a source of [Feat pleasure to us to have had the
opportunity of visiting a town so full of interest as
Coventry, and, above all, am I glad to have been able
to receive your address in your ancient hall, where so
many of my ancestors have stood before me.
The procession was then re-formed, and left the hall
in the order in which it entered. The Prince and
Princess visited the Church of St. Michael. After
taking a hurried survey of the spacious building the
Prince and Princess were conveyed to their carriages,
and directly afterwards the procession moved round
the square, in order to give their Royal Highnesses a
view of the Churches of St. Michael and Holy
I Trinity. The drive thence to the station in the
I Warwick.road, occupied only a few minutes, and,
as along the other parts of the route, their
Royal Highnesses were received with the most
gratifying evidences of loyalty. At the station the Royal
train was in waiting, and in the saloon prepared for
their Royal Highnesses were the Cesarewitch, Prince
Dolgoruky, and Prince Wallowsky. The Cesarwitch
was recognised just as the train was leaving, and re-
ceived a cheer, which was soon drowned by the part-
ing cheers for the Prince and Princess. The city was
illuminated at night.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, attended by the
Hon. Mrs. Stonor, Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis, and Mr.
F. Knollys, arrived at Sandringham on Saturday night
from Packington-hall.
The Cesarewitch of Russia, attended by Prince
Wolkowsky, Prince W. A. Bariatinskv, and Lieut.-
Colonel H. Byng, also arrived at Sandringham from
Packington-hall, on a visit to the Prince and Princess
of Wales; as did also a select circle of guests, to be
present at the celebration of the Prince of Wales's
thirty-third birthday. The arrival of the Prince and
Princess of Wales was made the occasion of opening
the new Royal station, which has been erected at
Wolferton, the nearest station to the Royal residence
on the Lynn and Hunstanten Railway.