The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-21 00:00:00

FESTIVAL OF THE THREE CHOIRS.

-4 -.

According to the customary rotation, the f e.
the three choirs of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester
is held this year at Hereford, and opens this day (Thee-
day) with full cathedral service and a sermon at Here-
ford cathedral. The rehearsals commenced at the cathe-
dral yesterday morning, and were to be finished at the
Shire-hail in the evening, under the conduct of Mr. G-.
Townshend Smith, who, by virtue of his office as oy g m-
ist of Hereford cathedral, assumes the baton through-
out the festival. Very few strangers attended the re-
hearsals, a prohibitory fee of a guinea being demanded
from all—a salutary regulation which prevents unpleas-
antness or ini,understanding. At the last festival
Hereford was without a railway, and the snorting of the
" iron horse" had been unheard in her rich vales and
pleasant glades ; now she enjoys the conveniences af-
fords'' by three lines of railway communicating north,
south. ea,t, and west. The lines now opened to Here-
ford are the Shrewsbury and Hereford, communicating
with the northern district ; the Newport, Abergavenny,
and Hereford, running to the borders of South Wales,
and to a very populous country; and the Hereford, Ross,
and Gloucester Railway, by which the metropolis,
Gloucester, Cheltenham, Bristol, and South Wales are
reached. These will, no doubt, bring throngs of visitors
to the meeting, as, in order to encourage temporary
traffic, additional accommodation will be afforded to
visitors at cheap rates. A. special train arrived at Here-
ford yesterday afternoon from London by the Great
Western and Hereford, Ross, and Gloucester line, and
daily special trains run from Bristol, Worcester, Chele
tenham, and Gloucester at single fares for the double
journey. With these temptations to travel, and a con-
tinuance of fine weather, one of the most successful
meetings ever held at Hereford is anticipated.
The object of these meetings is to maintain the charity
for the relief of the widows and orphans of clergy of the
three dioceses of Worcester, Hereford, and Gloucester,
and the average amount derived therefrom yearly is
about 9001., which is realised entirely by subscriptions
at the doors of the cathedral after each mornings per
of sacred music. It is rarely the case that the
proceeds of the sale of tickets defray the expenses of t,h_e,
festival, but any deficiency is made good by the stove,roansi;
end under no circumstances whatever are the
cat the cathedral doors rendered liable to the exPlanges of
the meeting. At Gloucester, in 1853, there
wag of receipts over expenditure, and the
the largest
tester last year reached 1,0241.,
wh viThere can be little
(with two exceptions) on record.
d meeting will be
doubt that the results of the Herefor
olfaction.vras surplus
at Woe—
equally satisfactory.
vies, Mr. J.
responsibilities of the presentand Sele, Sir E. j. j
The stewards who take uponthnelemesteinl7-atrheetpheecußnliagrhyt
Stye
Hon. and Rev. Lord
Ch
K; •Da ' a wick,
Brydgee, Bart., Mr. 4i1,-.lli.
Air. R. S. S. Thorpe, zu
H. Hakwright, and the Rev. W. 11°Pt--on- Lord
Bateman, Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, ie the pre-
sident ; and the Bishops of Hereford, Gloucester and
Bristol, and Worcester are the vice-presidents.
The hon. secretary and conductor of the festival, Mr.
G. T. Smith, has succeeded in secniieg a, goodly array
of vocal and instrumental talent. The principal vocal-
ids are Madame Gri'l; 'llesiatile Clara NoTello, ' Mrs.
Weiss, Miss Moss, Miss Dolly, Mr. Sims Reeves Sire-.
nor Morip, Mr. Montem Smith, Mr. H. B arpb y, and
Mr. Weiss. Miss Mr; 'Bi;intiy ire' local ar.-
tlgtes. Mr. Blagrovele the leader of thstsband, which is'
selected chiefly from the London concerts ; Mr.-
Amott' organist of GloCester,- presides it 'the organ' ;
and Mr. Dove, organist of Worcester, Cathedral,. at tho
pibuictte. Tea chord Dud ItealmaYlle°4ol9l

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at
Hull on Saturday ; , Mr. B. Tottie in the chair. A divi-
dend was declared of 21. 9s. 6(1. on each of the 501. shares,
of 11. 4s. 9d. on each of the 251. shares, and of 12s. 4id.
on eacb of the 121. 10s. shares (subject to the deduction
of the income-tax), leaving a balance of about 3381. A
rsgolution authorising the application of the sum of 200
guineas for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to
Ms. Phillips, solicitor to the company, for the great.
zeal, care, and attention which he bad exhibited during
the protracted dispute with the leasing company, and in
the original preparation of the deed of contract of 1845,
was carried unanimously. A vote of thanks to the
chairman and directors concluded the proceedings.