The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-21 00:00:00

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'SATURDAY, AUG, 21, 1875,
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His goodness, and to make this acknowledgment • in a form
that should bo serviceable throughout all time to as large a
number of my fellow-townsmen as possible. Feeling a sincere
interest in.the welfare o I my native town, and wishing to make
some contribution to the means of recreation and enjoyinent
of its large and rapidly-inueasing population, cc many of
whom are necessarily compelled to live In, densely-inha-.
bitecl streets and to pass their days in aroWded workshops,
I have been unable to think of any Mode by which my
object could be batter realized than b; the gift of this park,
(The park contains about 35 ncrts of freehold land. It has
been conveyed to the CoipJration of Eneffield as conservators
for the public, and they are empowered to make from dine
to time such regulations as may be necessairry to insure its
preservation and intended use.) I now beg to place in the
hands of your Royal Highness the deed of gift of the park,
with the devout and earnest wish that many among the pre-
sent generation of my fellow townsmen, and many in gene-
rations to come, may find within its borders recreation, en-
joyment, and health."

The Prince having given the deed to the Town
Clerk on behalf of the Corporation, said :

"In the name of the Princess and myself, I beg to return
our warmest thanks for the kind words and kind expressions
you have made use of with regard to ourselves during our
visit in Sheffield. I can aqsure you it affords us both the
greatest pPasure to be here to open this park, which you
have so munificently given. I feel convinced that Sheffield
will hold a long and faithful remembrance of this gift on
your part. I am sure that nothing can be more useful or
more desirable for the working classes, after a day of hard
work, than taking recreation in a park of this character. In
conclusion, let me thank you, as the head of this great town,
for the reception we have met with to-day—one which we
are not likely to forget—and to compliment you, Sir on the
admirable arrangements throughout the procesnien, the
beautiful decorations of the town, and the excellent order
that has been kept."

The Prince; arivancing, to the front of the daig, then
said, "I declare this park open." The announcement
was received with a fanfare of trumpets, and a band
of the Hal lamshire Rifle Volunteers performed, "Rule
Britannia."

The procession was now re-formed, and returned to
the town by the same route and in the same order as
before (says the correspondent of The Times, from
whom we are now quoting.) The number of sight-
seers by this time increased, and the narrow streets,
through some of which the Royal cortege made its way,
were densely thronged. Some prophets of evil had
expressed alarm lest the barricades should be forced
and the crowd break into the line of procession ;
but these fears were without foundation, and, closely
packed and suffering as many were from the sudden
heat, the people could not have been better behaved
or more orderly. So much for the behaviour of
the swarthy workers in steel, which delighted both
townsfolk and strangers. The decorations extended,
with hardly a break, along the whole five miles of road
from the new park to the Alayor's house at Oakbrook.
At Lady's Bridge, which crossestthe Don, and forms
the main entrance to Sheffield from the railways, the
Duke of Norfolk took charge of the decorations, and
had caused to be built a representation of an old gate-
way over eighty feet high, with four corner turrets of
quaint design. It is true this structure was only of
canvas stretched upon a wooden framework, but it
was sufficiently real to deceive any distant ob-
servers, and might have passed very well for the old
gateway which in the Middle Ages stood probably on
this very spot. Along the town side of the river rose
battlements of the same slight materials, flanked by a
tower over a hundred feet high, and in the gateway
and along the battlements were men in scarlet uniform
and bright steel armour, who might be supposed to be
the medireval defenders against attack or assembled
there to welcome the Royal guests. In the river, on
either side of the bridge, was an artificial cascade,
placed there at the expense of the water company
helping to purify the inky waters of the Don. Men had
scaled the steeple of the parish church and waved flags
from the very summit. The throng at this point was
great, and few street decorations in England have been
better designed or more telling. So the procession
passed on, mid it was hard to say which were more
pleased—the people who saw it or the people who com-
posed it. There was much to notice in the remainder
of the route, but 1 can only atop to mention the Scottish
arch, built at the expense of the Scotchmen residinc, in
Sheffield. This was a tower over 70ft. high, in
Scotch baronial style of architecture, looking as solid
as granite, though of flimsy materials, with real ivy
growing to the summit and stones at the foot, giving
the effect of hoary antiquity. The designer, Mr.
Crighton, a portrait painter of Sheffield and a member
of the Town Council, deserves special mention for
an excellent idea well worked out, to say nothing of
the kilted piper who played on his pipes as the pro-
cession passed, and the armed Highlanders' who looked
down from the turrets or stood on watch like statues
in niches on either side of the arch. It was past six
o'clock before the Prince and Princess reached Oak-
brook, after a progress which could not but have been
as gratifying to them as it is creditable in every respect
to the town. There were fireworks and general illu-
minations, and a ball was given by the Mayor at the
Cutlers'-hall, and both the Prince and Princess
honoured it with their presence.

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited several of
the principal Sheffield manufactories on Tuesday. At
the Norfolk Steel Works, of which the Mayor is the
principal proprietor, they witnessed the casting of a
steel ingot for a six-ton cannon, and were able to wit-
ness the operation in comfort, a gallery having been
specially erected, and the air being kept cool by a
punkah moved by machinery. The day was observed
as a general holiday in Sheffield.