The Liverpool Standard, and General Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-09-19 00:00:00

INAUGIJRA_TION

ST, GEORGE'S iL

'ALL,

LIVERPOOL

ilize:‘.',% Years and some months have now elapsed
- the initiator step was made in the important public
hlllidoliertakinZ which Yesterday was brought to a h.apnpeyfaannd
hone Fable conclusion, by the public
the which any community might sinlesuslryat.bloe envied.
liatss any
of. The foundation laying George's
of St. ii, was Properly attended by a ceremonial, embracing
, of civic
be b Pomp which, under the circumstances, could.
10 brought to bear on the occasion ; the event its elf. being
44-4io aged as to form a marking point of hope in the
low tal annals, and also indicative of that social progress.
14:13 intellectual enlightenment of which the finished
Commone was Meant to be at once a typte ande an incentive.
k4re.eetl on the nuptial day of . h most popular
loot_,lgn who ever occupied the British throne, the cere-
by a
ii4.,411, as becarae that of a loyal people, was graced. .__..
PlaYorpe
tificatt Pular approbation and municipal pageantry sig
tal
Iv, of bright anticipations of a propitious. futurity. It
'''t be--
liii i brought to a happy conclusion, by a cerem c-
aaq ,11,:hich the mental predominates over the material,
hatedh entbotliment of nsthetical grace has been cele-
knowledgment
the bY a festival in which, after
Tv .
til4e3,, Div favour, and an invocationac of His
I more l'ened sensibility and cultured taste perform
AN2 distinguished part than crude displays of
In short,
`4 ;4, Wealth, or conventional elegance.
kti,:Me edifice has been handed ovter from its
those Par-
iNsfters to the Public, by its application
ki , °I. ivilich it has been reared—that of affording to
levat!st, ceintalmity opportunities of witnessing moral
14t1:+.11an't mental triumphs, in a temple suitedrthy to the
roast 411 Illost generous emulation, and
.wo
finds
of the
tihtes
4-,. 'la who
'IN 4 . se approving judgment such rivalry n
1, and Its loftiest reward.
k111e°144141113', the Period occupied in completing the strnc-
all °Aini,)444.sar protracted, if not, indeed, tedious. s
lle?atra 4111 be at once corrected, and the. impression
c, thought is
beatow d'4 bY it dispelled, if even a
441 coet,Zl the manitude of the edifice—thepaasin numerous
kirpeses-eqcated arrangements involvedadivnisetdhiye
,the 4Thl°llllich the structure hash en devoted
'equir -`‘,Dlied and endless variety of details which have
l'froagehtit t° be harmonised and combined, and carefully
unity of
effect out ill Stich a manner as to Pro I'lleats-°iO4b°,l°43 management in design, and, such an ap-
kih holew 'z't aleans to ends as have resulted in iectilta That fAllac of
y judgment implied in the con-
the triumph-
ktortio. ;:efttehteetd. to, will
%\ities n: ether
isilieh , time employed in the
be
.further manifested
constructionefb
fya
hcroi rue e :
countries or quarters, areacccohrudrecdhtlaiet I.othe
oe,°, national structures. St. Peter's . .
t'lleti -41Dieel a hundred and seventy-six years in itscohny-
Cal'tl4ll, .111 e Palais Royale in Paris was founded
.the Leine in
and was finished by Louis Philippe :
1/.1 fi.helile ia' he city was founded in 1 64,and
ti7lllllialkl4'4ppellecltefor eses:enirael years after the accession of
:11114' °Nil,: the Preach throne.not St.fin iPsreirst,ililnlL7olno:
:41/tlrghil;l4!tiliairt6y7-fis;eaynedarwsais its construction. The
ee,. not cota_, Iversity buildin
although, by
gewatswfeouano.dee,d in 1789, and
4414:lecItit, ollePteDtordtiotill
tahyeeadrome
or
cupola, has bleebue
Illeh
11 °lle4C„,P'arn 'the above noted instances it wilenn.
1‘41(4111h.° "LdSr that no time has been unnecessarilyn
the
e°4tra in
baildino• of St. George's Hall ; but, oequal
114,Taitt3'4"t ulay be safely averred, that no edifice of
11141) ti:
4.44 sinailarclaims to wsthetic consideration
4 ceeehel,;lL'lled In
fan equally short space of time..
.cd,1131).ca.(,1, e,. ration this portion of the subject brings into
3i,,,1)1413.,(173 light the amount of energy and judgment._ il'e of th!ttile Committee to whose care the superintend-
-4.4teC':llll4ing and other operations have beenen-
t44ll4 (0 these gentlemen, and in a particular
rt, er toits chairin John Buck Lloyd, Egg,
t/tekett, e'l Chief Ita:11*-'t te,our pedresealntl
tio4 Nfise which ea '1
ra
on hefcalomlybiancecdord must bet
/Aka-
ill c' gentle an be bestowed
I,klil alanly feeling, tact, firmn.eossf,oarnthdegrosaooPdcetaosftae
'1'4.11:14 i cei et a common object,
t. t(4 14:-Ving many difficulties,° and in
of necessity, call-
-4,1,011 t,ll- exercise of forbearance,
nd of strict
mired. with resolu-
'l rt: .I';ed ~..
ed by sagacity—and p a-aii, vilrpose,temPer
Pn,A4tletla l' 11itled by patience and good temper. To those
-A o ell, in a Peculiar degree, the community of Live
Dr, 'eti a d
prop to dg debt of gratitude, scarce., : _
54t4fact48ehsess of duty performed,or the dis
I'lB4 I°ll+
whkh 14 Yesterda s proceedings crowned the
tinguished
tihE'L 41744"424x of their •Y and arduous labours—
gsh raeeneanlerpeallenitniesuiniteanllly more difficult and onerous
NI! which were oecascifo
unlocked-for circumstances, the
the death of the accotn.
\''a.N'4l‘ellitect during the Progress ess of the works. This
fo'rt'l 4k.,Nte event occurring while many of the comPli-
rovided
011 NI:4 connected with the work were
th hi/ Pa'illg Preceded by a protracted period of ill-health
Other colth‘l' a greater portion of labour was thrown up
Oer er2Lttee, and upon its Sable chairman, than under
9041y.e9:nlnatnces would have fallen to their share.
and
Dl'sse.."l°lllg the sentiment generally entertained a
woe , 4 b,
ti tO 4 all who have been connected with the
,4 ett, ac who
in terms of warm commendation
NI, 4ellt services of Mr. J. B. Lloyd, whose perse-
ILitht eig.lithallitY, a d kindness decision and clear-
u'lt,e4l,ll-3*--arnmessil of Purpose and calmness of judg-
i,t4e most throughout the whole of the proceedings, been
f
LI It I:4 valuable service in forwarding the progress o
'4114b,..- To this gentleman and. his colleagues it can-
L• 41114 naatter of congratulation, that durin," the year
ti:ll./).oralty the construction of St. George's Hall has
"Ilght to an auspicious conclusion.
G.
Zllll f°4IGIN OP THE EITILDIN
lit,e'll °Tirlalliallisopen of mmiicipal edifice like
.Stht.
? en itself,g
aa circumstance fratrlgultitstwrul
c.
Ak.Zl,4leSt tO thecommunity es
Liv 13 ol ti, ce aocmula!ed beauetie of itserarechitectural
141:2+:1eln-
elabined with the
.bjects for which it
;111' 44,l'hing a. new era in the public tasteh
has been
hthase
t)t,t,t. NI la othenstatices, the growth of Liverpoolffurts
her early or infant
characteristic,;l;`ll4tht:lllaralllyandelsectedto provide for immediate tneecessi-
-1/4N i exertions of her youthful promise were applied to
tt, i`it e,l.‘l'olving future powyr, and the development of those
Atli Ak, 'tgles, the possession of which, although strongly
Ith,,Ntii,,ll2t fully comprehended- now, in the vigour of
strength— to the permanently
4"
''3'Ll'tl3lle
devotes
her
ful alliance, the greatj
IN the 11,4buling with it, in graceful Itll4 ti:aatiful. The rapidly-increasing prosperity by
'''',, 41'
.1 stl'ade of the Mersey
ephad been marked, and
"ex4l'lo
textraordinary a dee,ree, distinguished the I,'l t° title ;„,`lle first quarter of thepresent century, ap-
to the expan-
'op ~,„,,,4t i:,9l,llrnunicatedtlivelyimpulse
a.
ii to have opened up to
Liverpoolrtlettlltloliktil,wr7lintellec
'new and extensive chavnei_ioepls.
ledo4f tile 8,11 converging towards a brillianetu de. l__. e
t)- (I/a-Albion resources, physical and ni. tal Aa
li4e 'at ke • E.er
f tal °f the centenary cycle opens with. adisplay
vakll,llre-11' ar,itation which invariably P 11- ts a pro-
k3 tiee of and iis early years are in.lrked byreh eshadowy
Ihen,ll4lntaireat events. In unfolding theeft,. epreference
k,44:1)1t -3' 4117 en to those suggestions Nyluchpromised
~,,elal itze_t advantages to the rapidly-increasing coin-
titlese were as-
'qi;..e..l3allasn efoerof 9.11 Por,!; y
?.e at-n„ inteetrcowurse, and securing
SelOf tifb?ri exDandmigitheintellect,:and for refiningn the
tioThe
',Vile •o -`arge and still accumulating PpPala
Nlia 41 renlarkable in the -annals of L!verpl, as one
),41.1ottt the e:peerl3ritlinated several projects intended
stnaufa...-
4 , refs atlons of her trade, and to raisethe t (1
NI, NoedTeat throughout the .town. In that year it
"t il.lll - ',se e:oncentrlt the revenue and other public
11:1-4/11134echlot ; at a‘ ne 'earlyperiod of the same year
1101111qa tello°latef„ the fort was
_commenced near New
.
ileltlt •
lite mtliessaetrixt sat George's. Pier-head were begun ,
tteli:g
rfaoput of the Rock Light-
kl'Ot.tiatsclt4 gperili.„,2lithe
tifi,l,s),,,?y oh, are the growing taste
from Holy-
taste of the town was
roduced the sum.
14Ci 4t1,10-'1.1t4 a I'o7 itr
DPatrehwri:ices .I),hile to the gra-
'4l4,ltlit'Y bled'l-fr2leand tits ftsa entire' success, is, in all
1 ' the.' attributed the suggestion which has re:
ei4 ter erection of St George's Hall.
tlittykil4teNt°l;'\v arliatitile circumstances connected with the
4.lrlztllrQ i,llli llal progress, and. steady
completion of a
develoment of -
othe
l'lN''''s' Ikl4lll'liasor borne-
fruit
nil
beauty and varied
41414,5t* tit4t6lill: dn'T dietit3aifela'enria which is without tteecoratiqllN-11 ltiangdoms as regards the combinationus
z , display
to
4, tine et 4rrangement with the gor-setance, be as
t the , 41. ee,seet, would, in the prernstumme
de
gree jus-
81teqliej7ioeltienc.e r it migiht
g m t on good taste : still
V' !lolve Witho:th: rm
extent of interest that w
tNg4 kt(.„4lllR, ervev ears 'Pe at the primary suggestion
tkii4.ll3a, 44(1°11i41 maturity of the noble plan..
4cemeNlit ;711,1.g wealth rising importance, and growing
~thr,'2llt6 le4 `"e4._14c.01, 'acting upon the expansive i
4j(l‘,' 1,4 :itch h,:" the first suggestion of a municipal edi-
NI tloti might be concentrated accommodation for
,IN ksa 68, Dtibli„c,lnee„ene called for by the im-
1414e°4'netileeesilaritiour(eg the tniavtna, and for which no pro-
01Aptte, see of 4, ate with the municipal and. commercial
IA t otkad ti,4le second town of the empire had been
4k, ,tl Lte abse
(V ti-i 4 ti:le state 'ace of whi9h was severely felt.
I)l..e.etig B,....;'fPublic feeling thus excited, the
pti for °pets
~._`tt'.ue, edifice to ; and, like
Aft lov the oon7tl 11 YaVe meritektoitscrisoi,nemend them,
%‘t't Cok3 taa.t. 3 ruction of St. Georges Hall. at. its
r411)°1•44i ai(le-".ratele4dh.S' Modest and a.lmost.bashfulutdmnbydlthye.
44 e,o, i„,
~, iscussion in private circles a .
foN't 4eljni,e Year 1833 the scheme receivedeaar
14 Itlki4lwhih e 'oln, and it was then proposed to r.
ll that 4 ennui INIld meet the contemplated exigencies,
artful Itlbs 'ear '''' (If C 60,000 A- as resumed to be adequate !
r1121,10/111,7",,erothenmayoraltPy of William Earle, Es,,K.,
lot4;...qtaptea-;._ Pe ed for the purpose of erecting
festivals
Public Purposes." Such was the popular enthn.

public pr

found reedit favour in the genera

general approbation of^its pnrpos

conviction that the edifice required

;laswould reflect no discredit on the high social posi-
a and recognised intellectual culture of the second

commercial population of the empire.

agreed now as to the principle on which tl
be carried out, the details requisite for its

aplishment

were set about in earnest.
COMPETITION 0

DESIGNS

Plans were advertised for, and a spirited
the result

test was

Numerous artists of

t, including

several belonging to the town, entered into competition
for the honour of being entrusted with the work, and
many designs of high excellence were submitted to the
committee entrusted with the selection. That the
onerous and responsible duties of those gentlemen were
discharged with judgment and impartiality, as well as
in obedience to the dictates of good taste, is best attested
by the surpassing beauty and excellence of the fabric
which has arisen as the completed result of their judicious
labours and anxious deliberations. That their selection
did not, in the first instance, and at all hands, escape some
degree of unfavourable remark, it would be as idle as it is
now unnecessary to deny; but, in pointing to the noble
edifice which has been carefully though slowly reared, in
its stately and graceful proportions, at the bidding of that
genius whose design they chose, they at once exonerate
themselves from blame, justify the propriety of their selec-
tion, and indicate an example for general emulation in the
progress of edificial art. Though speaking thus warmly
in commendation of the general design, it is not intended
to convey indiscriminate eulogy on all its details • nor is
it desirable that we should do so. Some particulars are
defective in the full harmony--anomalous combinations
are readily perceptible to the critical eye—and notwith-
standing the prodigality of ornamentation which sur-
rounds and is mixed up with the edifice, there are portions
of the structure which are bald to absolute povert

—con-

spicaous among which conflicts of profusion and seeming

indigence, the contrast betw
surrounding the enclosed area and the tame undecorated
freize which in spiritless monotony pursues its almost
unbroken circuit of the building, must strike every
beholder, and is painfully obtrusive on an eye familiar
with the fully-enriched entablature of the Corinthian
style. Defiant of these drawbacks, which, on the whole,
militate but little against its general majesty and beauty,
St. George's Hall will bear, unscathed, a proud comparison
with the temples of ancient Attica or Corinth. Possessed
of it, along with her noble Exchange, her cl
dons Philharmonic-hall, her expansive D-'

;e ballustrade

and capa

,nd rapiCll

e commerce, Liverpool rises in stately conipeti;
Europe. while sin

progressii
tion with the marts of mode

e outstrips

the glowing fancies which poets have fabled of the anciei
Carthage, or chroniclers have noted of the princely Tyre

THE ARCHITECT

The design fixed on ara.s that produced :by 'an artist
whose teeming fancy, constructive skill, and purity of
taste, constituted his chief if not his only claims to public
confidence. Up to the period of his being selected as the
architect of St. George's Hall, the name of Harvey Lons-
dale Elmes—a young man, not then twenty-four years

, - -
of age--was unknown beyond the sphere of his imme-
diate personal connexions. By those to whom he was
known, however, his career was early predicted as a bril-
liant one, if, in the mysterious dispensations of Providence,

he was permitted to pursue the course of
which, by the peculiar bent of his mind, he seemed
naturally destined, and for sue:— '
lifted himself by assiduous and weli-,-
ture. This, however, was not permitted

action f

ss in which he had qua-
-- ted mental cul-

Intense devo-

quent upon being placed conspicuously before the public
in so responsible a position as that which his unaided
talent had secured for him, preyed upon the resources of

constitution ni

ned his

•ostrated by enfeebled

health, he was compelled to relinquish the active super-
intendence of his plans, and in the more genial and less
fluctuating temperature of tropical climes to seek th
restoration of that physical vigour, whicl

he cuea

'own, in

of November, 1817.- "No stranger,
in his History of Liverpool, " eve
for any purpose connected with the

I Live

duct, his strict

displayed in his profession

ally embodied was fully mi

Hall, thus

Tomplishi

impc

purposes for which the structu
not be

suns of t

.ee summers
the ti

had enamelle