Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/693

Rh LONDON. 685 LONDON. The principal theatres of London are Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and Her Majesty's Theatre. The first of these has its principal entrance in Brydges-street, Strand, and the performers are styled " Her Majesty's Servants." The principal entrance to the second is in Bow-street, and adjoining it is a large iron and glass building called the Floral Hall, in which industrial and Other exhibitions are held. The third is on the W. ride of the Haymarket ; and this theatre and Covent Garden are devoted, during the season, to the perform- ance of Italian operas, and are frequented hy all the tlite of the aristocracy. Besides these there are the Haymarket Theatre, nearly opposite Her Majesty's ; the Adelphi and the Strand Theatres, in the Strand ; the Lyceum, in Wellington - street, Strand ; the Princess's, in Oxford-street ; Astley's, in Bridge-road, Westminster ; the Prince of Wales's, in Tottenham- rtreet, Tottenham-Court-road ; the Marylebone, in New Church-street, Lisson-grove ; the Grecian, in the City- load ; the Olympic, in Wych-street, Strand ; the Pavilion, in Whitechapel-road ; the Royalty, in Dean- gtreet, Soho ; Sadler's Wells, in St. John's-street-road ; the St. James's, in King-street, St. James's ; the Standard, in High-street, Shoreditch ; the Surrey, in the Blackfriars-road ; the Victoria, in Waterloo-road ; the City of London, in Norton Folgate ; the Britannia, atHoxton; and the Alexandra, at Highbury Barn. There are also several music-halls in London, where vocal and instrumental music, acrobatic exhibitions, and ballets take place, and where eating and drinking are allowed during the performances. The principal are the Alhambra in Leicester-square, the Canterbury Hall in the Westminster-road, the Oxford near the junction of Tottenham-Court-road and Oxford-street, the Strand in the Strand, Weston's in Holborn, the Metropo- litan in the Edgware-road, and the Philharmonic at Islington. The large hotels, which are now maintained by public companies, are a novel feature in London street architecture. Some of them are quite palatial in their appearance and arrangements, and are constructed go as to administer to the wants and comforts of almost all ranks of society who may be guests there. Of this kind the Charing-cross, before which stands an Eleanor Cross, the Great Western, the Grosvenor, the Victoria, and the Langham-place Hotels, are the finest specimens ; while the Great Northern, the Euston, the London the Inns of Court, the Salisbury, the Alexandra, the Cannon-street, and the Westminster Palace, are all noble buildings, and are admirably suited for the purpose for which they were designed. There are also innumer- able private hotels suited to every grade of society in various parts of the town, the Clarendon in Bond- atreet, and Claridge's in Brook-street, Grosvenor-square, being tho most exclusive. At these foreign princes and potentates are in the habit of taking up their quarters when in London ; but there are many others, such as Morley's in Trafalgar-square, Thomas's in Berkeley-square, Long's in Bond-street, Fenton's and several others in St. james's-street and the neighbour- i, which are patronised by the nobility and gentry ; the eastward, Radlcy's in Bridge-street, Black- friars, the Old and New Hummums, and others in Covent- ren, the Gray's Inn in Holborn, the Cathedral in Paul's Churchyard, the Freemauons' Tavern in ' i icon-street, Holborn, and others of a similar ire frequented by those whose business calls the metropolis, and whose wants and means are re moderate than those of the classes who can afford a sojourn at the superior kinds of hotels. Every kind of accommodation, in fact, can be found for fami- ! individuals, from tho highest to the lowest, in every quarter of London ; and a reference to the various iilway guides, and handbooks of London 10 now so numerous, will afford information as tn (In ir n-.-]iirlivo situations. The principal rooms for public assemblies are at Exeter Hall, in iratorios and concerts are also given ; ami Vi!' ', in King-street, St. James's. In the i -square Rooms concerts, bazaars, and fancy fairs . H. are held ; as are also sometimes, but more rarely, public meetings. At St. James's Hall, in Regent-street and Piccadilly, public meetings and entertainments of all kinds take place ; and there is a large restaurant and dining establishment, which is well attended. There is also a largo dining-hall, called the Wellington, at the N.W. corner of St. James's-street, and others, such as the London, at the S.E. corner of Chancery-lane, the Cremorne, in Prince's-street, Leicester-square, with several smaller ones in various parts of London, suited to all classes of the community. Large public and charity dinners generally take place either at the Freemasons' Tavern, the Albion in Aldersgate-street, or the London Tavern in Bishopsgate-street. The public gardens which are most frequented by tho respectable classes of the community are those of Cremorne. They are acces- sible by steamboats or omnibuses, and the amusements consist of a concert, a pyrotechnic display, dancing, and various exhibitions. They are open during tho summer months from about 3 o'clock P.M., and by a refreshment ticket on Sundays also. As dinners and all sorts of entertainments are provided there, they are a favourite resort, especially during the evening. Next to them is Ashburnham Hall, which is sometimes thrown open to the public upon the occasion of dog-shows, &c., being held there hy the proprietors of Cremorne Gardens. There are also public gardens at Kentish Town, Rosher- ville. North Woolwich, and Anerley, which attract a considerable number of visitors, principally of the lower order of the tradesman and artizaa classes. Shows of dogs, horses, &c., are held at intervals at the Agricul- tural Hall at Islington, where also concerts and various entertainments are given. Here also the grand annual prize cattle show takes place at Christmas, and the hall, which is capable of holding several thousands of persons, is thronged with those who come to the show from motives either of business or pleasure. The clubs are almcfst all situated in the neighbourhood of Pall Mall and St. James's-street. Some of them are very handsome buildings, and are most luxuriously fitted up. Membership is obtained by ballot, either among the committee or the general body, and the entrance fee varies from 10 to 30 guineas, with an annual sub- scription of from about 6 to 7 guineas. Several of the principal clubs are composed of gentlemen belonging to some particular profession, devoted to some special pursuit, eminent in politics, art, or literature, or be- longing to some society distinguished from tho general mass of the community. Of this kind are tho United Service and tho Guards in Pall Mall, the Army and Navy in St. James's-square, the Junior United Service in Charles-street, St. James's, and the Volunteer Service in St. Jamcs's-streot, the members of which are all either military or naval men. The Civil Service in St. James's-street, by its name, indicates the position of its members, as also do the United University in Pall Mall, E., the Oxford and Cambridge in Pall Mall, the New University in St. James's-street, the Publio Schools' Club in St. James' s-place, the Alpine, the Royal London and the Royal Thames Yacht Clubs, and several others. The clubs devoted to literature and the arts are the Athenaeum in Pall Mall, the Junior Athenasum in King-street, St. James's, the Garrick in King-street, Covent-garden, the Arts in Hanover-square, and the Arundel in Salisbury-street, Strand. The political clubs are the Reform and the Carlton in Pall Mall, the Con- servative, Boodle's, Brooke's, and White's in St. James's- street, and the Junior Carlton, in Regent-street. The members of tho East India United Service Club in St. Jalnes's-square, and of the Oriental in Hanover- square, are men who have served in various capacities in the East ; and the Travellers' in Pall Mall consists of those who have made the tour of Europe, and been in the Indies, or made any long and important journeys or voyages elsewhere. Tho chief clubs at which no par- ticular qualifications are required, are Arthur's, the Cocoa-Tree, and tho St. James's, in St. Jamos's-streot, tho Union in Trafalgar-square, tho Windham in St. James' s-square, the National in Whitehall-gardens, tho 4 8