The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-03-17 00:00:00

TEM LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

THE WIRRAL FARMERS' CLUB

The annual ploughing match of the Wirral Farmers'
Club took place on Thursday, in a field near Houton
Hall, the seat of Sir Wm. 111. St.inley, Bart. The day
wee fine, and a large concour-e of farmers, spectators,
and gentlemen of the 'surrounding district, was present.
There were thirty-two competitors, and the ploughing
Was pronounced .to be unsurpassed in this part of the
kingdom, or even in Scotland. The teams were much
admired, and the whole proceedings showed that the so-
ciety had bi4n the means of rousing the energy and acti-
vity of both farmers and husbandmen. Draining and
manuring are consequently now more in vogue than for-
merly throughout the hundred, and were strongly urged
'by the spea.kers at,.the dinner. The country, in fact, is
undergoing a surprising and gratifying change, and has
already beeperie much more productive and attractive.
Sir -W.,Stariley invited the judges, the committee, and
other gentlemen. to lunch with him at Hooton Hall, after
the matches.. The dinner took place in a pavilion erected
for th'e purynse, near the Easthatn Hotel., and tastefully
decorated. Toe dinner and wines were excellent, pro-
vided by Mr. Nicholl,ianndthaebocubtailr7sguepnptolermteedn
bsyat
ddoiswtinn.:
SirguAisl.3;hteTemdr thuMees.utSssu.taalnpleryeliminary toastS, and " Success to the
Wirral Farmers' Club," the Rev. Mr. Fielden, in terms
of high eulogium on his character, as a skilful and ener-
getic farmer, an excellent landlord, and a gentleman,
proposed the health of the 'Chairman, who feelingly re-
plied. Since, he said, he had been in possession of his
estate, he had drained upwards of 900 acres, at the rate
of 2000 tiles to the acre. (Cheers.) This, he did not
disguise, had been a work of considerable expense, but
he aid not regret one shilling that had been so expended.
He hoped all his neighbours would follow his example;
for, although it had been the practice of some to spear[
with disfavour of the hundred of Wirral, he was convinced
it only required industry to bring the land into the finrst
state of cultivation. (Cheers.) When first he came
there, he was told it would not grow barley, and it would
not grow turnips; indeed he did not know what it would
grow—(applause and laughter); but let them look at last
year, the weather of which was not generally considered
the most favourable, and for himself, he asserted fear-
lessly that he never saw finer crops in any part of the
world. (Great cheering.)
Tue list of prizes was then read, as follows ;
PLOUGHING.
FIRST CLASS—TWENTY-EIGHT COMPETITORS.

I.—John Morris, ploughman; W. Webster, jun., Up-
ton, owner ;
Moreton, maker.
2.—Joseph Griffiths, ploughman ; Sir W. M. Stanley,
Bart., owner; Barrowman, maker.
3.—Robert Di,bury, ploughman; R. W. Barton, Esq.,
Caldy, owner; Wilki!, maker.
4.—Charles Birse, ploughman; Tinley Barton, Esq.,
Barnston, owner;
,Moreton, maker.

SECOND CLASS-FOUR COMPETITORS

I.—George JiMnson, ploughman ; Mr. .1. Broster,
Upton, owner; Moreton, maker.
2.—Charles. Bytnell, ploughman ; Mr. George Jackson,
Noctorum, owner ; West, improved by Moreton, maker.
3. —Jos?. ph Davies, ploughman ; Mr. J. Belman, Brom-
bro', owner ; Aloreton, maker.
4.—Wm. Knowles, ploughman; Mr. John Knowles,
Ledsham, owner ; Thomas Edwards, maker.
A number of toasts, general and a;ricultural, were then
ably introduced and as forcibly responded to,—the prin-
cipal speakers being (besides the Chairman), H. Craken-
thorpe, Esq., of Easthim ; J. R. Shaw, Esq. ; Charles
Stanley, Esq., uncle of Sir W. Stanley ;'W. Neilson,
Esq. ;' John Stanley, Esq. ; Robert Neilson, Esq. ; Wm.
Jackson, Esq.; and Mr. Hieklin. Mr. Jackson, atter
alluding to the rising prosrrity of Birkenhead, and its
inserarable connection with the agricultural welfare of
the surrounding district, announced that he would give
a prize of £lO for five successive years, under the revile-
Cons of the society, to the best thatcher and stacker.—
(Great applause.)
After the Chairman and principal guests had retired,
Mr. Cooper was called to the chair, and the harmony of
the evening was admirably sustained until a late hour.

Txs'' NEW" THEATRE IN CHRISTIAN-STREET,

The theatre in Christian-street, recently known as
" The Queen's," and in former years (when it was a win-
ter adjunct to the then only " Theatre-Royal," and un-
der the same proprietary) as" the Circus," has for a con-
siderable time past been, through the enterprise of new
parties, undergoing a renovation and change in every de-
partment (even in name), which promises to render it an
entirely new and respectable place of recreation, arrd, at
the same time, through its exterior adjuncts, to be as
adornment and an example to the locality.
The inn, forming the distinguishing frontage, has been,
we may say, remodelled and beautfied, presenting, in
place of the. former plain brick building, a highly orna-
mental façade, of greater elevation, in the decorative
" composite" or Italian style, with handsome cornicing,
and an entablature and coping to be surmounted by three
classical figures in statuary. The entrance has been en-
larged, and its cornicing, as well as that of the windows, is
architecturally enriched by florid trusses The building
presents two small wings ; the corners are embellished
with- rusticated quoins ; the lower windows glazed with
huge sheets or plate glass; on the attic appears in Grecian
raised letters the inscription " Royal Adelphi Theatre;"
and the whole has a novel and pleasing effect. It should
be stated that the former int-Tnal communication with
the theatre (which was in many points objectionable) is
cut off; so tbat it stands in its integrity as an inn, so
newly planned and improved within (with a coffee-room
below, and a spacious saloon above), that various grades
of customers can be adequately and separately accommo-
dated. . .

The theatre itself, which was originally one of the beat-
planned in this country, bad become, from neglect and
disuetude, much out of repair; and it has outwardly and
inwardly been entirely redeemed and highly improved at
a great outlay. The box and pit entrances are still from
Christian-street, but " the gods" must make their " en-
,rances and exits" by a separate wide passage in Mans-
field-street, which will prevent confusion of classes. The
lobbies are most spacious; a new and approved system of
ventillation has been introduced, and no pains have been
spared to ensure the comfort and convenience of all. The