The Queen, accompanied by the Duke of Connaught and Princess Christian, on Friday broke her journey north at Sheffield, in order to fulfil several public engagements. Her Majesty was received at the station by the Duke of Norfolk as Mayor, and. escorted by an imposing procession. drove to the Town Hall, in front of which the first of the day’s ceremonies was enacted. Upon a dais a large and fashionable company assembled. faced by another concourse, for whom provision had been made upon a circular grandstand.
Exactly at half-past five the Queen’s carriage drew up, the band playing the National Anthem, and all heads being uncovered. Judge Waddy, as Recorder of Sheffield, advanced towards her Majesty, and, with profound obeisance, proceeded to read an address of the Mayer and Corporation.
The Mayor then handed the address to the Queen in a beautiful gold casket, after which the Home Secretary passed to the Queen her written reply, which she formally banded to the Mayor. The reply was as follows:
“I have great pleasure in receiving your loyal anti dutiful address, and in being able to open this spacious and beautiful Town Hall, which Is a worthy monument of the vast growth and importance of your city. I am glad to associate myself with an event of such moment to Sheffield as the dedication of this fine building to municipal uses, and I trust that the progress and the prosperity of the city and the welfare of its inhabitants may be great and uninterrupted.
I share fully in your appreciation of the manifold blessings of peace and prosperity which have during the last sixty years been vouchsafed to my throne and family and to all classes of my subjects, and I am deeply touched by the numerous manifestations which reach me of the wish to associate these blessings with my reign. With profound reverence and thankfulness, I join in your praise and gratitude to the Almighty, who has sustained and blessed this Kingdom and Empire during the long period for which the responsibilities of sovereignty have lain upon me.”
Addresses were next presented on behalf of the town trustees, the Cadets’ Association, and from the governors of the General Infirmary.
Next came the ceremony of opening the Town Hall. The chairman of the Improvement Committee (Alderman Langley) bore to the side of the Royal carriage a detached lock, in which was inserted a gold key, to which was attached a blue silken cord electrically communicating with the main doors. By a turn of the key her Majesty caused these latter to slide back amid the loud plaudits of the onlookers, tier Majesty then formally declared the building open.
The Queen drove off amid renewed manifestations of enthusiasm to Norfolk Park, where there were assembled upwards of 50.000 school children, who welcomed her Majesty by singing a specially composed hymn. It was a striking scene, and one which seemed to occasion the Queen much pleasure. The waving of 50,000 tiny rnion Jacks was followed by time cheering of the children.
The final item of the programme was then carried out, namely, a visit by her Majesty to the Cyclops Works of Messrs. Cammell and Co., where the Queen witnessed the rolling of an armour plate intended for H.M.S. Ocean. The Queen on her arrival at the works was presented by Mrs. Wilson. the wife of the Master Cutler, with a bouquet of flowers, which her Majesty received in gracious and kindly fashion. The Queen watched the process of rolling the plate with manifest interest, shielding herself from the well-nigh intolerable glare with a little hand-screen of coloured glass, a device of which Princess Christian and after a while the Duke of Connaught also availed themselves. The ceremony was brief. but impressive. The Queen resumed her journey north shortly after seven o’clock.
TELEGRAM FROM THE QUEEN.
The Duke of Norfolk. Mayor of Sheffield. on Saturday received the following telegram from the Queen: “Balmoral, Saturday. Safely arrived here. I wish again to express my great gratification at the very loyal and hearty reception I met with yesterday at Sheffield. I wish also to say how much I admired the children’s singing and the admirable way in which everything was arranged. V.R.l.”
The Duke of Norfolk sent the following reply:
“Your Majesty’s gracious message is received by Sheffield and myself with deep thankfulness for your appreciation of our efforts to show our love for our Queen and our loyalty to her throne. By none are your words welcomed with greater joy than by the children of whom your Majesty speaks so graciously. That your Majesty has not suffered from the fatigue entailed by your great goodness to us is the cause of heartfelt rejoicing to us all. With my humble duty, Norfolk, Mayor”.
BNA © Lakes Herald – Friday 28 May 1897
