Article 14

Sleaford Celebrates Victoria’s Jubilee in 1887 with a marble bust

Our thanks go to Christopher Mickletwaite for this article.

In June 1887, the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s accession to the throne was enthusiastically celebrated through the realm, not least in Lincolnshire. However, an almost if not unique commemoration in Sleaford was a marble bust of the Queen. Public meetings were held in the town to decide how to celebrate Her Majesty’s fiftieth anniversary without bur-dening the rates. It was a foregone conclusion that there would be feasting, fun and games for the populace but a more permanent memorial was also favoured, one that would bring benefit to the town.

Suggestions included a self-supporting recreation ground, a new bridge across the River Slea at the end of New Street with a new Victoria Street leading into Eastgate, a new fire escape and jumping sheet, a cot-tage hospital, or, if this would need too large an endow-ment, funding and housing a District Nurse, a museum, a library, a hall for lectures and concerts and the widen-ing of Southgate.

A women’s offering to the Queen would be organised by Lady Whichcote and consideration would be given to the Prince of Wales’ appeal for support towards a new Impe-rial Institute in Kensington, London.

The first two committees bickered and could decide nothing, so Edward Trollope, Lord Bishop of Nottingham, who lived in Holdingham, was summoned to the rescue and made President of a third Committee. The Bishop proposed a Thanksgiving in the Parish Church and feasting for all ages but was very keen on a permanent, visible memorial just as the large bust of George III on top of the Dunston pillar celebrated the King’s Golden Jubilee in 1810. Bishop Trollope advocated a marble bust of Victoria, which could be publicly unveiled on Jubilee Day. He obviously knew how to commission such a bust but as yet the sculptor is unknown. The committee approved a subscription for the feasting and a separate one for the bust. The bishop generously undertook to make good any shortfall. Subscribers would decide on a resting place for the bust and some declared they would donate only if the bust were placed in the Sessions House. The Bishop had said that the bust’s permanent position must be indoors, as pure carara marble would not withstand exposure to our climate. £110 was raised for the feasting and nearly £58 for the bust so the Bishop’s guarantee for the full cost of the sculpture and its installation (about £70) turned out to be very welcome. It was agreed to inscribe the plinth of the bust with these words: “Presented in commemoration of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee, June 21st, 1887” and that Bishop Trollope should speak at the unveiling.

The Bishop was ecumenically minded for those days and wanted the nonconformist clergy of the town to take part in the church service but the Vicar of Sleaford, Canon Alfred Langdon, still believed this would be illegal, though the dissenters’ choir could sit close to the church choir! Some nonconformists held their own services but all joined in the processions and the unveiling of the bust. It is doubtful if Sleafordians contributed cash for the building of an Imperial Institute but 5,546 women contributed £134 to an offering for the Queen which helped pay for a large copy of Baron Marochetti’s statue of Prince Albert erected in Windsor Great Park and a commemorative diamond brooch.

Sleaford was blessed with glorious “Queen’s Weather” for all the celebrations, which started with a peal of bells at 7 am, on Tuesday 21st June. (One ringer had tolled at St Denys’ for the death of the Queen’s uncle, William IV in 1837 and rung for her coronation in 1838). Holy Communion was celebrated at 8 am. At 10.30 am a large procession led by bands and banners and terminating in two decorated fire-engines made for St Denys’ church.

Eighty-five voices sang the Jubilee Anthem at the church thanksgiving. A crowd assembled in the Market Place and by 12.45 pm, the choirs and clergy of all denominations massed on either side of the veiled bust that had been erected on a pedestal on a raised platform in front of the Savings Bank.

The Bishop of Nottingham gave a eulogy of Queen Victoria and her reign, mentioning that there had been only three other Jubilee Sovereigns, Henry II, Edward III and George III, the Queen’s grandfather. He said “We present to Sleaford a permanent record of the excellence of the Queen, a bust or likeness of Her Majesty, a faithful representation of the Queen in perpetuity. He withdrew the covers and flag covering the rich marble bust and the National Anthem was sung with verses interspersed by three cheers for the Queen. A feu de joie was fired by the Sleaford Volunteer soldiery, ‘God Bless the Prince of Wales’ was sung followed by one verse of ‘Rule Britannia’ then someone called three cheers for the Bishop. Five hundred and seventy three men dined on beef, ham, potatoes and plum pudding in the Corn Exchange. Five hundred and eight women over sixteen sat down to a meat tea later in the afternoon. All enjoyed sports and dancing on the cricket field until late at night. Decorations and illuminations brightened up the town. A St George’s Cross floated from the church spire. Flags, shields, mottoes and Japanese lanterns decorated windows. One shop had an illuminated photograph of the Queen, another had a grotto with a fountain and another showed a magic lantern entertainment.

On the Wednesday, one thousand two hundred and fifty children took part in a massed procession, and were treated to cake in the Market Place, followed by seventy different sports races. On the Thursday, a grand Jubilee Ball took place in the Corn Exchange. The bust had been moved there for the occasion. The Sleaford press listed all the guests and the many dances that went on until 2.30 am. Quarrington village hall held its own celebrations, a dinner for one hundred and fifty, band music and games in the paddock, a 6 pm tea and a barn dance until 10 pm. Sadly, the rector, the Reverend Frederick Shannon,was unable to attend as his son, Arthur, died aged 20 in Stamford on Jubilee Day. The tower and spire of St Botolph’s church, Quarrington were restored to commemorate the Jubilee and one of the new pinnacles was paid for by pupils and staff of Carre’s Grammar School, where Arthur had been educated.

In August, an address of congratulations was forwarded to the Queen, along with a photograph of the bust taken by a local photographer, Mr W.D. Downes. This was acknowledged in October

The bust was handed over to the Magistrates’ Court on 8th August. It was placed above the Chief Magistrate’s chair in the Sessions House Main Courtroom. It stands on a corbel bracket under which, carved in stone, are acorns, oak leaves and other foliage. It was intended to place a canopy in stone or oak over the bust with a fall of coloured stuff to set off what is variously described as carara or parion whitish marble. This intention was never carried out. The face and dress of the Queen are finely carved, including the star and ribbon of the Garter and other jewellery. On her head, she wears the coronet made for the coronation of her uncle, King George IV in 1820 and still worn by Queen Elizabeth II, when travelling to and from the State Opening of Parliament.

The small diamond crown she had made for herself in 1870 appears on busts made to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The bust could be a copy of one designed by Marochetti (though he died in 1867) or a copy of one worked by the Queen’s daughter, Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll, who was a talented sculptress in her own right, but who the real sculptor was remains a mystery and a subject for further research.

Many people have never heard of, let alone seen, this work of art. In all the pages of ‘The Sphere’ illustrated issue of June 1887, listing all the Jubilee celebrations in England, the only place to have unveiled a bust of the Queen was Sleaford. It was mentioned in an article by Peter Criddle, illustrated by myself, in ‘Lincolnshire Life ‘ June 2002. The present owner of the Sessions House intends to retain the bust in place.