Widnes Examiner. — 1891-09-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WARRINGTON MUSICAL SOCIETY. CONVERSAZIONE AT THE MUSEUM.  A very successful conversazione was held in the Art Gallery and Museum, on Thursday evening, in connection with the Warrington Musical Society. There was a large attendance, about 300 persons being present. The entrance and stairs to the Art Gallery was laid with carpet, and, inside, some tasteful decorations had been carried out by Messrs. R. Garnett and Sons. Plants and flowers, sent by various members of the Society, were dispersed throughout the rooms and gave a pleasing freshness to the scene. The attractions of the display were further heightened by the many and various-coloured fairy lamps,—lent by Mrs. Pearson—which were placed in suitable places. In addition to the above, the usual contents of the Museum and Art Gallery were open to the inspection of those present, and it may be mentioned, that at the present time there are some particularly interesting objects on view. Conspicuous amongst these is a 'case containing the curios, collected in Abyssinia, the Soudan, and Cyprus, lent by Major Mackie. This very interesting collection includes a fragment of a diary kept at Khartoum, during the siege in 1884, by Col. Stewart of the 11th qussars. It may be remembered that Col. Stewart was, during the siege of Khartoum by the Mandi, despatched down the Nile by Gordon to confer with General Wolseley, who was in command of the relief expedition. Ile was accompanied by a considerable number of other persons, ' but in the passage down the river the boat was wrecked near a village named llebbeh, and the whole of the party were slaughtered by the Mahdists. The particular fragment of the diary now in the Museum was afterwards picked up by Major Mackie himself in the hut in which the unfor.tunate Colonel Stewart was murdered. In addition to the above, Major Mackie's loan includes several weapons of war from Abyssinia and the Soudan, a medal struck by Gordon at Khartoum, lamps from Egyptian tombs, specimens of Cypriole embroidery, &c. There is also to be seen at the Museum just now, a Whitworth measuring machine,an ingenious piece of mechanism ,capable of measuring to the  5  40.000t1 part of an • inch. All these obj ects,, besides the many others ta be seen in the Museum, and Art Gallery,were viewed with interest by thosepresent at the conversazione. It should be added that suitable refreshments which had been provided by the Ladies' Committee of the Society, were dispensed during the evening in the large Lecture Rocm. Au excellent programme of music had been arranged,and was rendered by members of the•society. It included pianctorte solos, "Norwegian,Dance," and" March of the mountain gnomes' by. Miss M. Chandley ; and the following songs," In the Chimney Corner," by Miss'Cavanagh ; " Lightin darkness." Mrs. Pearson "Come into the garden Maud," Mr. 'VV . S. Howard; " Ernani, involami," Miss Newcombe ;" In old Madrid," Miss Fanshawe; and" Hybrias the Cretan," by Mr. R. ncles. All of these pieces were rendered in a meritorious fashion, Miss Nawcombe and Mr. Eccles, in particular, receiving oordial encores. The three Massa Brothers—two violins and a harp—also rendered, in a way which won general admiration, a selection of light music. The conversazione, which was a very enjoyable one, terminated about half-past ten.  LOCA: DVJiL LENT INQUIRY AT Th