page_title: The Crystal Palace
section_title: Exhibitions and events
hierarchical_section_title: The Crystal Palace / The Palace at Sydenham Hill / Exhibitions and events
caption_attribution_description: THE HANDEL FESTIVAL AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE. If Handel conferred a great obligation upon England by electing to make London his home and the scene of much of his life-work, England has at least done something to discharge the debt by keeping alive the fame of the great composer, and by rendering his great oratorios in a way which the master himself would have commended. The great " Handel Orchestra and Choir." which at regular intervals perform the ever popular oratorios at the Crystal Palace, have fostered and created a love for the music of Handel which will live long among Englishmen. Their interpretation is worthy of their theme: the great organ, responding to the touch of a master hand, adds depth and power to the sound of many voices, and even the vast cxjwnse of the Crystal Palace is too small to hold the ourober of those who love to listen to the stately theme and to bear the splendid passages of " Elijah," " The Creation," and " Jephtha" recited by the greatest vocalists of the day.
context_page_description: The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibitors from around the world gathered in its 990,000 square feet exhibition space to display examples of technology developed in the Industrial Revolution. Designed by Joseph Paxton, the Great Exhibition building was 1,851 feet long, with an interior height of 128 feet. It was three times the size of St Paul's Cathedral.
  The introduction of the sheet glass method into Britain by Chance Brothers in 1832 made possible the production of large sheets of cheap but strong glass, and its use in the Crystal Palace created a structure with the greatest area of glass ever seen in a building. It astonished visitors with its clear walls and ceilings that did not require interior lights.
  It has been suggested that the name of the building resulted from a piece penned by the playwright Douglas Jerrold, who in July 1850 wrote in the satirical magazine Punch about the forthcoming Great Exhibition, referring to a "palace of very crystal".
context_section_description: Dozens of experts such as Matthew Digby Wyatt and Owen Jones were hired to create a series of courts that provided a narrative of the history of fine art. Amongst these were Augustus Pugin's Mediaeval Court from the Great Exhibition, as well as courts illustrating Egyptian, Alhambra, Roman, Renaissance, Pompeian, and Grecian art and many others. During the year of re-opening 18 handbooks were published in the Crystal Palace Library by Bradbury & Evans as guides to the new installations. Many of these were written by the specialists involved in creating and curating the new displays. So the 1854 guide to the Egyptian Court, destroyed in the 1866 fire, was entitled: 'The Egyptian Court in the Crystal Palace. Described by Owen Jones, architect, and Joseph Bonomi, sculptor'. That which included a description of the dinosaurs was entitled: 'Geology and Inhabitants of the Ancient World. Described by Richard Owen, FRS. The animals constructed by B.W.Hawkins, FGS'. In the central transept was the 4,000-piece Grand Orchestra built around the 4,500-pipe Great Organ.  There was a concert room with over 4,000 seats that hosted successful Handel Festivals for many years. The performance spaces hosted concerts, exhibits, and public entertainment. Many famous people visited the Palace especially during its early years, including the likes of Emma Darwin, the wife of Charles Darwin who noted in her diary on 10 June 1854, "Opening Crystal Pal".
  The Centre Transept of the Crystal Palace also once housed a circus and was the scene of daring feats by acts such as the tightrope walker Charles Blondin. Over the years many world leaders visited and were accorded special festivals, with extended published programs. That for Garibaldi was entitled "General Garibaldi's Italian Reception and Concert Saturday April 16, 1864"; and that for the Shah: "Crystal Palace. Grand Fête in honour of His Majesty The Shah of Persia KG. Saturday July 6th" (1889). From the beginning general programs were printed, at first for the summer season, and then on a daily basis. So, for instance, that for the summer of 1864 (Programme of arrangements for the eleventh season, commencing on the 1st May, 1864) included the Shakespeare Tercentenary Festival and a course by designer Christopher Dresser. The daily "Programme for Monday October 6th (1873)" included a harvest exhibition of fruit, and the Australasian Collection, formed by H E Pain, of materials from Tasmania, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Australia and New Zealand; and a grand military fete was also on offer. Many of these publications were printed by Dickens and Evans, that is Charles Dickens jnr., Dickens' son working with his father-in-law Frederick Evans. Another feature of the early programming were Christmas pantomimes, with published librettos, for example Harry Lemon's 'Dick Whittington and His Wonderful Cat. Crystal Palace Christmas 1869–70' (London 1869).
  In 1868, the world's first aeronautical exhibition was held in the Crystal Palace.  In 1871, the world's first cat show, organised by Harrison Weir, was held there. Other shows, such as dog shows, pigeon shows, honey, flower shows, as well as the first national motor show were also held at the Palace. The match which later has been dubbed the world's first bandy match was held at the Palace in 1875; at the time, the game was called "hockey on the ice". The new site was also the location of one of Charles Spurgeon's sermons, without amplification, before a crowd of 23,654 people on 7 October 1857.
  A colourful description of a visit to the Crystal Palace appears in John Davidson's poem "The Crystal Palace", published in 1909.
  In 1909, Robert Baden-Powell first noticed the interest of girls in Scouting while attending a Boy Scout meeting at Crystal Palace. This observation later led to the formation of Girl Guides, then Girl Scouts.
  In 1911, the Festival of Empire was held at the building to mark the coronation of George V and Queen Mary. Large pavilions were built for and by the Dominions; that for Canada, for example, replicated the Parliament in Ott
caption: Händel Festival at the Crystal Palace, 1887-1889
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