THE JUBILEE OF GEORGE THE THIRD. How it Was Cielebrated.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 210, 9 July 1887, Page 8

THE JUBILEE OF GEORGE THE THIRD. How it Was Cielebrated.

It may interest ;our readers ■» at the present time to have placed before them a brief description of how^the Jubilee of King George tho Third was celebrated "m the year ISO 9, so that the rejoicings indulged in by the public fifty years ago may be compared with those of tho Victorian celebration. __ In 1809, when, in honour of the King having reigned for a period of 50 years,_ an ox was roasted in its entirety for distribution among the people of Windsor, in Bachelor's Acre, the flesh was distributed in a scene of tumultuous strife and confusion. Copious details of this featuro of the Jubilee ontertainmonts of 1800 have been preserved. The necessary machinery having been devised for tho cooking ,>5 the ox, the business of roasting it began at two o'clock in the morning, at which time, early ns was the hour, many persons had assembled to witness the preparations making for tho great gastronomic feat. An immense plum pudding was also provided, and on the same spit which impaled the ox, one at each side, placed two sheep, in order to give variety to the bill of faro ; and to add to the savoui-iness of tho day's treat, a bushel and a half of potatoes was placed in the belly of the animal to be cooked, so that they might be served with tho beef. The Royal family came foith to view the scene and to taste the beef, but tho distribution of the viands among those who wore hungiily waiting for them gave rise to a scene ot " unmatched confusion," which ended by the potatoes being thrown over tho struggling mas.s of claimants for tho bc-of or mutton. Another plan which had been de\i*edof honoiu ing tho occasion pro\ ed much more successful, and that was the liberation of p-M-hons confined for debt—especially small debtors. Large sums of money wt-ie subseiibed in aid of that benevolent work, tho King himself giving as much as £2,000 from his privy purse. Many of those libeiated on the occasion had been detained in prison for lengthened periods, and M'eroglad to obtain their ielea.se. As indicative of the feeling which prevailed as to the liberation of persons confined in prisons for debt, the icsolution arrived at by tho London Court of Common Council may be quoted. It ran as follows :— ' ' That it \\ ill bo more acceptable to Almighty God, and more congenial to the parental feelings of our beloved monarch, if the Court would proceed to the liberation of the prisoners and captives ou the joyful jubilee about to be celebrated, than in spending sums of money in toasting and illuminations." A groat feature of the Georgian Jubilee un-j the sfci iking of a medal by which to commemorate the event ; some of those sh uck in trold being presented to various poK-ons of" distinction by order of His Majesty. The Jubilee medal was the woik of Bisect of Birmingham, and had engraved upon it the following legend :~" King Geoigc the Third ascended the throne of the Imperial realms of Gieat Britain and Ireland, October 25th, a.d. 1760. Grand National Jubilee celebrated October 25th, 1800." In addition to this medal comraemorath o of tho occasion other instances of the strong craze to honour tho King which prevailed, was tho wealing of costumes designed for the celebration ; in the case of the hidier.' dresses of garter blue vehet or satin were worn, with head-gear containing de\ io.-«, emblematic of the Jubilee ; the gentle-men wore what is called the WindTor uniioim, a suit, of clothing still in u*e ; whilst fireworks we.o everywhere lot off in the evening. But in London there was no general illumination, "except by Hih Majesty* tradespeople— in numerous instances the money saved in consequence of tlu\ arrangement was given to the subscription in cour-o of being raised for tho relief of persons confined for small debt-. Another mode of aiding in this benc\ olenb project was found in the publication of an account of the Jubilee a* it was celebrated throughout the kingdom, the profits of the book Twing devoted to the libeiation of imprisoned debtors. A-* at tho piesent tnno, Jubilee odes were written in honour of the third George. A nw edition of " God Save tho King" was i.— ued on tho occasion, the fh>t veno of which was a* follows : — " Britons ! your voices raise, Join cheerful sonars of yrai c With grali Cul lay; May all our island a ring. Tier sons ori-ons sing, For tlieir unloved. King, On this bright toy." Thme were, of couioo, moi^ ambitious eflort-? in the way of poetry than the special edition of " (toil Save the King," of which the above is a specimen voise, and which concluded in these word* : — " Thus may our children find Cause an Inch -s\ill o'er remind Them to agree That we \Uth justiceship. God blcs our good old King This Jubilee." Thai, readers may compare what was written in honour of <-Jeorge the Third with the poems of Lords Rosslyn and Tennyson, and other less distinguished bards, v, c present the following lines of 50 years since, an extract from one o£ tho ode* :—: — 'Mild is the Prince, and glorious wore the arts That «aye him sov'roiKn empire o'er our hearts. Our love for him issuch ti 3 e\ er i'in\\ s Spontaneous, v arir, and strength ning as it UnMkoThe smiles and flattery of Courts, Which iiit'rest prompts and tyranny extorts. A monarch so beloved has nought to tear From mad Ambition's turbulent career, For buhieoU ne'er from their allegiance swervo, Who lovo his person they are bound to serve. Then oh ! Tnou King of Kind's, extend thy arm To shield thine own anointed Ueorc;c from harm; Grant, if itso comport with thy bohcit— .Kortli\ decrees must ever bo the bestGrant" that he long may livo urnl long may stand fill. A tower of strong h to guard our native land. A very rude way of rejoicing consisted in the baiting of a bull, and some other rough and ready sports were also indulged in ot a kind not" seen in any part of the Kingdom this year. It is interesting to know that one of tho great pastime-, of the present period was then coming into vogue : we allude to billiards. Ono of the classic horse races -the "Two Thousand Ouineah"— was run for tho iirst lime in the year of Ueorj'O the Third's jubilee. . Foxhunting and other out-of-door sports were carried on with vigour, but in a* more homely way than is at present the fashion. It is not necessary to refer to the numerous loyal addresses which the occasion of tho King's jubiloo called forth. Nor need reference bo made of tho diets of Divine service which marked tho occasion both in London and the counUy ; all these things at such a time are a matter of course. In Scotland the amount of royal feeling displayed was prodigious ; in Edinburgh m miticular tho rejoicings began early ami continued till a late hour— there were public 1 breakfasts and banquets/and.as usual on all such occasions, a large quantity of gunpowder was expended in the firing of royal salutes ; in the evening tho public buildings were illuminated. .Similar expressions of rejoicing took place in Glasgow and in the more important provincial towns, whilst in Dublin the festivities extended over three days, and Vere kept up with immense spirit. . , The good King, in his generosity, did not forget the poor debtors of Scotland ana 1 1-c^i, as h- gave a sum of £1,000 to ciich

country tdaid'ti $Vefor liberation. We conclude these -bbieff notes with the following extract) fromn tiie* *' Edinburgh Annual Register " forttio-yepir 1809- r— tfc Slie King, profoundly ppnettaufced> by the pabliejoy, and feeling hiniseUE more than ever the father of Ins -peoples extended his paternal clemency andibo«miyy as- far as th© welfare of the State wouldl permit,, to the; joaosfc unfortunate, andieveni to tha most wndeaerv ing of his childi!ett;.A volume could not contain a full enumeration of the festivities of the joyful occasion."