Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888

The Prince of Wales, in returning thanks, said "he rejoiced that ever since his childhood he had had opportunities of going to the theatre and witnessing some of the most excellent plays, and appreciating the performances of some of the best actors of the present day, many of whom he saw on either side and before him on this occasion. The few remarks he had to make regarding this most excellent fund must be reserved till a later period of the evening, and therefore he would not then detain the company; but he must observe that not only had the Princess and himself derived considerable amusement from what they had witnessed at the theatres, but they had given their patronage to the drama because it was their wish to encourage a noble profession."

The usual toast of the Army, Navy, and Volunteers having been given and responded to, the Prince rose, and said: —

"The toast which he had now to propose was the so-called toast of the evening, which was 'Prosperity to the Royal General Theatrical Fund.' It afforded him great pleasure to propose this toast, and when he saw the numerous assembly before him he felt no doubt of the great interest taken by all present in this excellent charity. What charity, he asked, could be more deserving of support? When they considered how much amusement and pleasure they all derived by going to the theatre, did it ever occur to them that it was to the actors and actresses a life of drudgery and hardship? Those same actors and actresses who appeared in some comic character might have near and dear relations lying sick at home. Then, also, when a time of life arrived in the course of nature in which they were unable longer to appear upon the stage ought they to be left to starve? Certainly not, and it was to prevent aged actors who were incapable of work from starving, that this fund had been instituted.

"This charity was still more meritorious, because it was supported by the actors themselves. The charity was established in 1839 by a few London actors, and in 1853 it was incorporated by Royal charter. The fund was raised to provide annuities for aged and decayed members of the charity, and in special cases for granting temporary assistance to the families of deceased members. Any member of the profession, on the payment of a small annual subscription, ranging from 21s. 4d. to £28 9s. a year, according to a special scale, provided he had been performing three years in a theatre licensed by the Lord Chamberlain or by the local magistrates, was eligible to receive the benefits of the fund, but no member had a claim unless he had been a subscriber for seven years. Should he then be incapacitated from further work, he had the option of either receiving a life annuity or one-half the payments made by him while a subscriber. On his death an allowance of £10 was granted towards defraying funeral expenses. At 60 years of age any member was at liberty to claim an annuity if he had subscribed to the fund for 12 years, and female members were allowed to cease their subscriptions when 55 years old. Since the opening of the charity 322 members of the profession had been admitted associates. To 61 of these life pensions had been granted, varying from £30 to £90 a year. In 1846, the first year in which pensions were granted, the receipts amounted to £565, and the annuities to £98. Last year the total income was £1370, and the amount expended in pensions was £1614. The receipts of 1869 therefore exceeded those of 1846 by £805, and the pensions, &c., by £1516. Again, while in 1846 only seven members received annuities, the number of annuitants had increased to 33 in 1869. The total disbursements, however, of last year exceeded the income by £368, and it had been found necessary therefore to draw that sum from the reserve fund.

"These few remarks would perhaps induce those who heard him to come forward liberally to the assistance of the charity, and to make up the £300 which it had been necessary to draw from the reserve fund. His Royal Highness concluded by calling upon the company to drink 'Prosperity to the General Theatrical Fund,' coupled with the name of one who, he was sure, they would receive with the greatest enthusiasm, as he was one of their oldest and ablest actors. He had known Mr. Buckstone personally ever since his childhood, and had repeatedly laughed and roared at his drollery and humour."

Mr. Buckstone made a very amusing and characteristic speech, but with good sense underlying the drollery. With regard to the presence of the Prince in the chair, he said: "That His Royal Highness is a constant and warm supporter of the drama is evident from his frequent visits with the Princess to all the London theatres, and his ready appreciation of every worthy novelty. This taste for the drama may in some measure be attributed to his early introduction to dramatic art at Windsor Castle, where, on having the honour of appearing there by invitation of Her Majesty and the lamented Prince Consort, I have frequently seen His Royal Highness with his brothers and sisters, seated at the feet of their father and mother, witnessing with delight the various representations.

"The members of our fund cannot be too grateful for the kindness and goodness of heart which have induced His Royal Highness to come here to-night, as the calls upon his time have now become so many, and the duties he has to perform so numerous and fatiguing, that we can only wonder how he gets through them all. Even within these few days he has held a levée; on Saturday last he patronized a performance at Drury-lane in aid of the Dramatic College; then had to run away to Freemasons'-hall to be present at the installation of the Grand Master; and now we find him in the chair this evening; so what with conversaziones, laying foundation stones, opening schools, and other calls upon his little leisure, I think he may be looked upon as one of the hardest working men in Her Majesty's dominions. Still, it is this ready kindness that endears him to the nation, as the Princess, by her charming qualities, is so firmly fixed in the heart of every Englishman and Englishwoman.

"And now, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I must inform you that Her Gracious Majesty has again sent us her handsome donation of £100; and although, unfortunately, she does not now visit our theatres, yet she does not forget us; and so, my Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, with such a truly Royal example before you, I can only conclude by hoping that, according to your generous feelings and your worldly means, you will come and do likewise."

Lord W. Lennox proposed "The Visitors," coupling with it the health of the Nawab Nazim of Bengal, who during his residence in England had identified himself with the charities of this country. The Nawab had been a liberal patron of theatrical performances, and had, he understood, only one subject of regret in connection with our London theatres – that the plays of Shakespeare were not more frequently performed in them. The subscriptions of the evening amounted to £700, including £100 from the Prince of Wales, and £50 from the Nawab Nazim of Bengal.

ST. GEORGE'S HOSPITAL

May 26th, 1870

On the 26th of May, 1870, a public meeting was held at the Queen's Concert Rooms, Hanover Square, in aid of the funds of St. George's Hospital, especially with the view of enabling the Governors to open the wards of the new wing. The meeting was one of unusual interest, not only from the wide publicity given to the claims of the institution, but also from the announcement that His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales would preside, and from the high distinction of the speakers who were to take part in the proceedings. The Princess of Wales manifested her interest in the charity by accompanying the Prince to the meeting. The room was densely crowded, and a number of distinguished persons were in the company.

His Royal Highness, on taking the chair, said: —

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, – Before opening the proceedings of this meeting, allow me to express to you the satisfaction I have in being able to accept the invitation to preside at a meeting to-day which has for its aim such excellent and important objects. We are met here to-day to discuss whether it is expedient to open the new wing that has been added to St. George's Hospital. Last year a meeting was held for the same purpose for which we are met to-day, and it was then thought that the subscriptions, although they were to a great extent liberal subscriptions, were not sufficient in amount to authorize the Governors of the Hospital to open the new wing. It has also been much discussed whether it was not an extravagance on the part of the authorities to build this new wing. I must say – and I think I speak for those on my right and left – that the authorities did perfectly right in building that wing, as a piece of ground had been presented to them at a nominal rent by the late lamented Marquis of Westminster, who always came forward voluntarily to assist any great and important work. Besides that, a further sum of £5000 was given by Miss Williams to the building fund.

"As regards this wing, we all know that St. George's Hospital lies near the South-Western and Great Western districts. We also know that it lies within the precincts of Kensington, Mayfair, and Belgravia. One would have thought that there would have been no difficulty, and that the large number of inhabitants in those parts, who are increasing monthly, and even weekly, would have been able to come forward and contribute sufficiently to this excellent institution.

"It has been said that the Hospital of St. George is a rich one, but that is a great mistake. One would indeed think that it would be rich from its important position, and when one remembers how full its wards invariably are. To go back to the new wing. After all, it is not a very large sum that is required to maintain these wards. The sum only amounts to £2500 a year. Is it not, therefore, a scandal, ladies and gentlemen, that for the sake of this small sum we cannot use forty-eight beds in that wing? The Hospital itself is in want of money, as I will prove by stating that last year the expenditure amounted to as much as £20,000, while the income was only £15,000. In order, therefore, to make up the deficiency, £5000 had to be sold out of capital. That will be the case this year, and it may be the same in future years. The capital thus diminishing, the income will naturally be smaller, and in that way this excellent Hospital, which is most admirably cared for, which has the very best surgeons and physicians – one of whom, Mr. Prescott Hewett, I know personally – will sustain a yearly diminution of its usefulness. In this way, if the public do not come forward liberally we shall see one of the most excellent and important hospitals in London becoming, year by year, in a more difficult position with regard to funds.

"I am here to state what I am not sure is known to all of you, that, with the exception of one hospital, the average cost of beds at the St. George's Hospital is less than in any other hospital in London. The authorities of the Hospital are not even satisfied with that, and, I believe, intend to appoint a committee to inquire still more closely and rigidly into the expenditure, in order to do their utmost to lessen that expenditure.

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, – The address I have to make to you is brief. I feel convinced that the gentlemen on this platform will advocate the claims of the Hospital in longer, more detailed, and more able statements than I have made; but I am sure that none can feel more strongly than I do the importance of this meeting. I feel certain also that the public at large, if they will only take the trouble to reflect, will come to our aid. Only to-day I read an excellent leading article in the Times in support of the objects of this meeting. I thank you once more for the kind way in which you have received me, but let me say before I sit down that a most excellent example has been set us by a lady who has consented to give the sum of £1000 for the maintenance of a ward for the space of two years. Let this example not be lost upon us. Let us all try to follow it, and liberally open our purses for the sake of an institution of such value and importance to all of us who live in this part of London."

The Earl of Cadogan, one of the Treasurers, announced that the Prince of Wales had just handed to him a cheque for two hundred guineas. The Princess of Wales had also given a donation of fifty guineas. Miss Read had given £500, and the Marquis of Westminster a subscription of £200 a year. Mr. Prescott Hewett, the surgeon, gave a hundred guineas, and other liberal donations and subscriptions were announced, amounting to upwards of £2000.

The principal speakers at the meeting were Earl Granville, the Earl of Derby, the Earl of Carnarvon, Mr. W. H. Smith, the Marquis of Westminster, and the Rev. H. Howarth, Rector of St. George's, Hanover Square.

The Marquis of Westminster, in his admirable speech moving the thanks of the meeting to the Chairman, said that he happened to be in Milan a short time ago, and, going over a great hospital there, containing something like 3000 beds, he saw in different rooms portraits of the benefactors of the institution – some full length, others three-quarters, some half-length, and others only heads. On inquiring the reason of this distinction, he was informed that the size of the picture depended upon the amount of the sum given by the donor. One who gave, say £4000, had his portrait painted full length, while the others were represented half-length, or even by a head… It might be thought a light and easy thing to come forward and make so excellent a speech as His Royal Highness had done; but he was quite sure that if any who thought thus would come forward to try, they would find themselves mistaken. In coming forward in this work of benevolence, His Royal Highness was fairly entitled to the warm and cordial thanks, not only of the governors of the hospital, but of the whole nation. He begged to include in this vote the Princess of Wales.

His Royal Highness said: —

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, – Allow me to return you all my most cordial thanks for the kind way in which you have supported me by your presence, and to my noble friend for the way in which he proposed the resolution. Not wishing to keep you here any longer, let me only urge you to be as liberal as you can, and I hope that the excellent speeches we have heard to-day may impress you with the importance of this meeting, and with the feeling that those speeches have been made not as a mere form, but as real and earnest appeals to you to open your purses most liberally. Lord Westminster has just alluded to the hospital at Milan and to the portraits of different sizes, according to the amount of money subscribed by the originals. I have but one suggestion to make to you in that respect, and one to which I am sure you will respond – that you should all contribute very largely that circular golden portrait representative of the Queen which this Hospital so much needs."

DULWICH COLLEGE

June 21st, 1870

The old corporation of "The College of God's gift" in Dulwich, in the county of Surrey, was founded in 1619, under letters patent of King James I., by Edward Alleyne, player, a contemporary and friend of Shakespeare. Those who knew Dulwich College, before its reconstitution in recent times, must remember its being spoken of as a notable instance of "the abuse of an ancient charity." In 1857 the old corporation was dissolved by Act of Parliament, and a new Governing Body was established, consisting of 19 Governors, of whom 11 were to be appointed by the Court of Chancery, and the remainder by the parishes of Camberwell, Bishopsgate, St. Luke, Finsbury, and St. Saviour's, Southwark, each appointing two Governors. A further scheme for the management of the charity was approved by Her Majesty in Council in 1882, greatly modifying the arrangement of 1857. By the latter scheme the management of the estate in its eleemosynary branch was wholly separated from the educational branch, with separate governing bodies.

The great increase in the value of the estates had allowed the establishment, in 1857, of Alleyn's School, and a large sum was then provided for the erection of school buildings, a splendid edifice being constructed by Mr. Charles Barry.

It was to open this new school that the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales was made on the 21st of June, 1870. By a singular coincidence this day was the anniversary of that on which the charter of the College had been first signed, on the 21st of June, 1607. The Prince of Wales distributed the prizes, after the pupils had delivered speeches, and gone through the exercises usual in public school examinations and anniversaries. The recitations were brought to a close with singing the National Anthem.

At the luncheon which followed, the Rev. W. Rogers presided, and proposed the health of the Royal visitors.

His Royal Highness, who was loudly cheered on rising to reply, said: —

"My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen, – I feel deeply the kind way in which you have received this toast, and I can assure you that it is with great pleasure we have to-day made so interesting a visit to a place which, for all of us, possesses an historical interest. It is hardly necessary for me to refer to the early history of the College. You all know that it was founded in the time of Queen Elizabeth, although the charter was actually signed by James I., and that Edward Alleyne was an eminent actor, and that he also held, I believe, the post of bear-keeper – I hope not bear-leader – to Queen Elizabeth. What we witness to-day is a gratifying result of that foundation. Everybody who has had the opportunity of seeing this splendid building must have derived gratification from the spectacle, and also from the proofs which have been furnished that education is by no means neglected. These proofs we have listened to in the English and French languages, and also in the ancient Greek, and we have done so with very great pleasure, in spite of the great heat which it was necessary for that purpose to encounter.

"I will not detain you with further remarks. But before I sit down let me wish thorough success and happiness to this College, and let us hope that the success which has attended the last ten years especially of its existence will continue and increase, and that year by year it will advance in standing and position and in the number of the scholars within its walls. I have now the pleasure of proposing a toast which I am sure you will all drink with enthusiasm – 'The Health of the Master of Dulwich College, Dr. Carver.' From the cordial way in which his name is cheered by the boys there can be no doubt of his popularity; and to his efforts, I believe, much of the success which the school has attained is owing."