The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1847-09-28 00:00:00

THE SHA KS PEARE MEMORIAL.

AN APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE OF GREAT

BRITAIN.

The especial object of the subjoined Meeting being under the

Patron= of
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN DOWAGER,
H.R.H, THE PRINCE ALBERT,
Right Hon. the Earl Delawarr, Lord Brooke,
RightHon.theEarl of Warwick, Hon. C. B. Percy,
Right Hon. the Earl Denbigh, Sir R. Peel, Bart., M.P.,
Right Hon. the Earl Howe, Sir R. Throckmorton, Bart.,
Viscount Villiers, Sir G. Skipworth, Bart.,
Lord Lifford, Sir Charles Douglas,
Lord Redesdale, E. J. Shirley, Esq., M.P.,
Lord Leigh, W. Collins, Esq., M.P.,
The Mayor and Corporation of Stiatford-upon-Avon, &c.

•
In accordance with the Advertisements, a PUBLIC MEET-
ING, duly convened, took place on FRIDAY EVENING, the 13th
of August, 1847,at Eight o'clock,at the Hanover-square Rooms,
London, his Royal Highness the Duke of CAMBRIDGE having
been prevented from taking the chair, owing to a pre-arranged
departure for the Continent, the Right Hon. Lord DUDLEY
STUART, M.P., had been invited to prezide.
Previous to the resolutions being submitted, the Original
Oration upon the Life, Character, and Genius of the Poet, was
pronounced by the Author and Originator of the Meeting; after
which the following letter was read from Lord Dudley Stuart,

''St. James's place, August, 1847.
" Lord Dudley Stuart presents his compliments to Mr. Geo.
Jones, and thanks him for his very kind and obliging letters ;
and begs to say that he cannot possibly have the pleasure of
accepting the hononr.Mr. Jones so kindly proposes conferring.
on him, viz., that of taking the Chair at the Public Meeting to
be held this week, for the purpose of preserving Shakspeare's
House' to the Nation, previous engagements causing his ab-
sence from town."

Whereupon it was moved, seconded, and carried by accla-
mation—
That GEORGE Jont?, Esq., Historian, and Honorary Mem-
ber of the Royal Shakspearian Club, be the Chairman of this
Meeting.

Moved by the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. JEFFS, and
carried unanimously—
That the Right Honourable Lord Dudley Stuart, M.P., be
invited to be the Honorary Treasurer of the proposed Memorial
Fund.

Moved by C. DE LA PnymE, Esq., seconded by Mr. RAM-
SEY, and carried unanimously—
That the Founder and Chairman of the present Meeting be
appointed Chairman of The People's Central Committee of the
h'haksppare Memorial Fund.

•.
The following Resolutions (drawn up and read by the Chair-
man) were then submitted to the Meeting for its approval ;
when, after discussion, and a motion for adjournment being
lost by a large majority, they were

Moved by T PURLAND, Esq., seconded by Mr. RA Sf.SY,
and carried unanimously, with only one dissentient, viz. :
RESOLUTIONS :
_

Whereas it is officially announced that the House at Strat-
ford-upon-Avon, in which the great Dramatic Poet of England
was born, is to be sold at Public Auction, this meeting views,
with profound anxiety, even the possibility of the House of
Shakspeare being mutilated, removed, or destroyed by the
hands of avaricious speculation, when it is regarded by the Na-
tion as an heir-loom of the people of England; and, if permit-
ted to be destroyed, or even removed from the possibility of
receiving the devotional respect from the future Pilgrims of
Poetry, the present age will receive from posterity a lasting re-
proach which no time will cancel —will be charged with a
criminal inaction which no excuse can even palliate.
Therefore, it is Resolved,
That this Meeting form itself into a Committee, to be called
The People's Central Committee of the Shakspeare Memorial
Fund, and that the said Committee consist• of the following
Gentlemen, with power to add to their number :
Sheridan Knowles, Esq., Albert Smith, Esq.,
Dr. Partridge, G. K. Huxley, Esq.,
T. G. Margary, Esq., C. H. Case, Esq.,
T. Tyler, Esq., A. Richmond, Esq.,
J. Morgan, Esq., J. H. Hand, Esq.,
R. Williams, Esq., T. P. Healey, Esq.,
Chas. de la Pryine, Esq., llr. E. Evans,
T. Purland, Esq., Mr. George Harris,
H. W. Pearson, Esq., Mr. R. Jeffs,
T. B. Lacy, Esq., I Mr. Ramsey,
Mr. F. T. Fowler, Szc.

Resolved,
That a Public Appeal he hereby made to the People of Great
Britain for a National Subscription (even by the smallest coin
of the Realm) for the purpose of purchasing the Shakspeare
House and Property, and vesting it jointly in the name of the
People of England in the Trusteeship of the Royal Shaksperian
Club, and the Corporation of Stratford-upon Avon for ever :
the former Association having been originally established for
the express purpose of preserving the Relics of Shakspeare,
and rendering. an annual tribute to his memory.
Resolved
•-- •• • - - - -

That this :fleeting views with the most fervent admiration,
the Patronage accorded at this time to the Royal Shakspearian
Club by His IZoyal Highness the Prince Albert, which, together
with the munificent donation of £250 towards the especial ob-
ject of this Meeting, cannot but increase the profound respect
and esteem already entertained for the Prince-Consort by the
People of Great Britain.
Resolved,
That the munificent donation of .elOO by Her Majesty, The
Queen Dowager, towards the same National Object, merits the
respectful and fervent thanks of this Meeting; and being called
forth upon this—the anniversary of the Queen Adelaide's birth-
day—they are conjoined with the devotional wishes of this
assembly, for the continual health and happiness of Her
Majesty.
Resolved, •
That this Meeting recommends that the surplus funds arising
from the National Subscription (either from the People, Asso-
ciations, or otherwise) after paying the purchase-money of the
ShakspeareHouse and Property, (and incidental expenses,) be
disposed of as follows, viz.:—let, To the erecting of a Public
Statue to the honour and memory of the Poet, either in London
or at Stratford. 2dly, To the founding of a Shakspeare Scho-
larship at either the University of Cambridge or Oxford. And
3dly, To the establishing of a Shakspeare Charitable Institution
for the Poor and Infirm of the Poet's Native Town.
Resolved,

That this Meeting regards the intended sale of Shakspeare's
House by Public Auction with abhorrence, and as a disgrace to
England and an insult to the memory of the Poet ; and that the
rejection of the generous offer (at private sale) of Two Thou-
sand Pounds, n:ade by the originator of this Meeting—George
Jones, Esq.—plainly indicates the final determination of the
parties interested : and therefore this Meeting does not hesitate
to proclaim, that any person, or party, who would wantonly or
avariciously sport with the Property, so as to endanger the per-
manent safety of the Birth-place of Shakspeare, deserves to
receive from the people of England the lasting infamy which
such conduct would justly merit.
Resolved,
That this Meeting earnestly recommends that a Branch Com-
mittee of this—the People's Central Committee of the Shak-
speare Memorial Fund—be established in every City and Town
of Great Britain, founded upon a Public Meeting of the People,
to do honour to the Great Poet who arose from among them-
selves; and that the said Branch Committee (when formed)
are hereby respectfully invited to communicate (with the result
of their Subscriptions) with the Chairman of the People's Cen-
tral Committee in London.
Resolved,
While this Meeting, from its early announcement, justly
claims the priority of the first public movement to rescue
Shakspeare's house—vet it gratefully recognises the efforts that
are being made by the several Societies and Associations, to
collect Subscriptiohs among themselves; and since all must be
actuated by the same generous impulse—this Meeting, through
its Committee, offers its fervent co-operation in the good cause,
and expects the same courtesy in return.
Pea Iced,
That Subscriptions (either by Cheque, Postoflice Order,
Stamps. or otherwise) be authorised to be-received at the fol-
lowing Banks (permission having been kindly granted to open
Subscription Books and to receive Donations) viz. :—The Lon-
' don and Westminster Bank, St. James's-square the London
Joint Stock Bank, Pall-Mall ; Messrs. Currie and Co., Combat,
City; the London and Westminster Bank, Lothbury, City;
the London Joint Stock Bank, Princes-street, City; and also
Esq., Chairman of the Committee, 15, Mad-
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and kept in Shakspeare's House at Stratford-upon-
Esq., accepted the appointment of Honorary
of thanks was then proposed, seconded, and carried
A vote
Proprietor of the Hanover-square Rooms, for his liberality in
aiding the cause by granting their free use.
by acclamation for the Chairman ; also a vote of thanks to the
GEORGE JONES,
Chairman of the People's Central Committee, &c.
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