The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

wiDEHOUSENEN AND CLEANS' SCHOOL.%

0 a Saturday the first atone of an extensive and
well-designed building, about to be erected for the
purposes of this charity, was laid by His Royal High-
ness the Priam of Wasp About ten years ago some of the
leading Arms is the wham!e drapery and kindred trades of
London conceived the ides of estahlishiug an asylum for the
oroliau awl necessitous children of the very numerous body
of clerks and warehousennu employed in their own and
similar house* of business. Under the influence of such
names as Gee,. Greatornx, Geo. Moore, Copestake, S. Morley
Bradbury, and others of equal weight and importance, aided
by the active patroosge of Earl Russell, then one of the
repremotatives of the City ku parliament, and who on being
applied to at once sonde.' to the request of the coin.
mitt. e to associate his name with the institution,
the idea very soon became an accomplished fact,
and the schools were opened at a house rented for
the purpose at New-Crass. At first accommodation was
provided for only 20 children, but the demands upon the
charity rapidly increased, and the subscriptions multiplying
in proportion, the number of recipients have been added to
year by year, until at length the building at New-cross was
found much too small for the proper housing sod providing
for as large a number of children as the annual iDCOIIIe of the
Went ution warranted the committee in admitting. Encou-
rage! .y the growing subscriptionsuf the class which the asy -
loin 1, intended to bandit, and the liberal donatious of the trade
gene, ally, the committee determined upon erecting a tarp
and baudionn pin of buildings capable of receiving 150
children, for which purpose they have winced a site admi-
rably suited, and embracing ao area of 23 acres, about mid-
way between Croydon sod Merstham, oo the old Brighton
road, upon the summit of a hill, which is henceforward to
be known as Russell Hill, taking its name from the noble
president of the institution, and nearly opposite the Asylum
for Fatherless Children. The design of his proposed building
was selected from • competition of thirteen plans, the suc-
cessful architect being Mr. T. G. Bland, of Birmingham.
The style is Venetian Gothic, the exterior being of red
brick, relieved with bands of white and stone dressing. The
general design consists of a centre and two wings, the centre
being surmounted with as onamostal clock tower, and the
cost, according to the contract, will be 17,5001. Upon the
spot where ultimately the din* hall and chapel will stand
the preliminary ceremony of Saturday took place. A large
space of ground was covered with ao octagonal tent, arranged
in the style of an amphitheatre, with seats rising up on all
aides sufficiat for the accommodation of 3,000 persons. In
the centre of this amphitheatre • dais was raised, upon
which • chair of state was placed, and in front of the chair
the stone which the Prism was to level and adjust was sus-
pended. The interior of the tent was tastefully decorated
with redand ilt, relieved with white, and festoons of white
roses. Attached to this building was a reception room,
with • boudoir for the Princess, who was expected but did
not come, and a retiring room for the Prince. The tarnish-
ing and arranging this suite of apartments was entrusted to
Messrs. Herring, of Fleet street, and displayed an amount
of elegance and taste which, in what may be called " camp"
upholstery, was ♦vary creditable. The Prince, attended by
General Really., Lod MouotEdgcumbe, and Captain ,
Grey arrived at half-past three by special train from
Windsor, having travelled by way of the Great Western,
West Laotian, sad Brighton Railways. Hie royal highness was
received by Earl Rummell, the president ; Messrs. Bradbury,
Galdeoott, Morley, Moore, Foster (the trustees), Mesas. Leaf
and Creators:, the treasurers, and by the members of the
board of management sad the building committee. The stone
was lowered, and placed in its position by his royal highnen,
assisted by the trohitect and the builder, with the customary
formalities. Then came a novel and important part of the
14
ceremoey. The Indica, whose admission to the ro pre-
sence seems to have been dependent upon their ' up
a subscription purse of five guineas for each Mai nal,
advanced two and two with their offerings to the stone,
around the top of which • brass gallery or railing had been
fixed, and cast the purse* into the space thus encland. On and
on they came in • continuous stream, old sod young, from
children of seven and eight to the dowagers of 60, and
having placed their offerings wended their way back to their
meta, the vast majority of them looking much disappointed
at the very little notice his royal Dishes'', who during the
whole time remained in close convene with Earl Rummell,
took of them. The somber of purses deposited was
nearly 800, and the amount enclosed in them was nearly
5,000/. Other special prayers followed and the ceremony
concluded with the Danish national anthem, which was
also played the band, and mug by the company in unison.
The foundation stone bean the following inscription:
"To the Honour and Glory of God, this Foundatioc Slam
of the Warehousemen and Clerks' &hook for Orphan and
Necearitons Children was laid by his Royal Highness Albert
Edward, Prince of Wales, K.G.,ke., oa the 11th day of July,
1863, in the 27th year of the reign of her Most Gracious
Majesty Victoria, Questa of these Realms. President, the
Earl Russell, LG. Trateurer,W. Leaf. Trance, John Bead-
bury, Andrew Caldeoat, John Porter Foster, George Moore,
flannel Morley, Hailaidah Tespe, John Ingram Traver.
Chairman of the Board, Walked Gastonia. knotty-Chair-
man of the Board, Richard Whit*. Honorary Secretary,
George Lawreace. Beentary, Henry White. Architect,
John George Bland."
Lear in the day a cold collation was served in se adjacent
tent, at which Earl Rummell presided, and in the course of
which Lord Broughams, whose entrance was enthusiastically
cheered, joined the party.
A large amount of subscriptions was announced at the
table, including:—Bradbury, Greatorex, and Co., 500/. ;
Leaf and Co., 5001. ; Copestake Moore, acid Co., 2501. ;
Mr. Morley. 250/. • Mr. Orators; 5001.; and many others
of a chancier worthy of the merchant princes of the City
of London... ... _ . . .... . .. .

Ibliiiiattery of the Royal Artillery was in attendance
and tired salutes on the arrival and departure of the Prince,
and at the conclusion of the ceremony of laying the stone.
The Honourable Artillery Company—of which it is said
his royal highness declared hie in of being 'wiled
colonel—acted es a guard el honour.