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JDP ECON |
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1851 |
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History of the
Event
Exhibitions were part of the landscape in continential Europe as well as the English isles from the beginning of the late 1800s with the Society of Art hosting annual exhibitions from 1845 forward. When the idea of hosting the next in the series of national exhibition for 1851 was brought forward, the idea of turning it into an international event was broached. This idea was not a new one, as other events had both solicited foreign contributions, i.e. Birmingham 1849, only to receive none, and the French national exhibition in the same year desired to be international, but the idea did not go over well with French manufacturers who did not want to compete against foreign products. On June 30, 1849, Prince Albert met with several colleagues, including Henry Cole, who had recently visited the Paris national exhibition and their idea, although turned down, of making in an international event. Prince Albert concurred and the committee agreed on six goals. 1) ... that the exhibit would have four divisions, (raw materials, machinery, manufactured products, and sculpture and plastic art generally.) 2) ... that it would be held in a temporary building in Hyde Park 3) ...that the scope would be International. 4) ...that substantial prizes should be offered. 5) ...that a Royal Commission, with Prince Albert at its head, should carry out the plans. 6) ... and that funds would be raised by voluntary subscriptions and collected by the Royal Society of Arts. On January 3, 1850, a Royal Commission was granted charter by the Government, taking over responsibilily from the Society of Arts. A subscription fund was launched on January 25, with the first list headed by the Queen and Prince Albert. By end of February, 70,000 pounds were subscripted, but more donations came in slowly. After that hesitant beginning, the guarantee fund rose to 350,000 pounds. The site problem was overcome by the approval of Hyde Park. And Joseph Paxton solved a third problem, of a temporary building of sufficient scope, by proposing the glass and iron Crystal Palace, which required only 17 weeks to erect building. Inside the huge nineteen acre construction, half of the gallery exhibit space was taken by British goods and the remaining space, foreign. More than 40 different countries and their possessions were represented, including France, the most prominent. The opening ceremonies were held on May 1 with Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, present and pleased. Attendance of over 6 million traipsed past the exhibits during the fair, and after the even was completed, a surplus of 200,000 pounds remained as profit. The surplus was used to acquire land in South Kensington, adjacent to the site. Subsequent years saw the granting of help to the foundations of educations institutions to build on that land and establish a system of scholarships, some of which last until this day. The Crystal Palace itself was rebuilt in a larger version at Sydenham, and used as centre of popular entertainment, instruction, and cultural activities until it was destroyed by a fire in 1936. Source: The Story of Exhibitions International
Participants ... Nations
Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Great Britain,
States of Zollervein (Germany not established until 1870, individual kingdoms/states were listed) ... Anhalt, Bavaria, Baden, Bremen, Brunswick, Hesse, Hesse-Darmstadt, Nassau, Prussia, Saxony, Saxe-Meiningen , Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hanover, Lubeck, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Nuremburg, Thuringia, Wurtemburg... Greece Haiti Holland Mexico New Granada (Columbia) Persia Portugal Italy (Italy not established until 1861, individual kingdoms/states lited until then) ... Rome, Sardinia, Tuscany, Naples ... Russia Spain Sweden & Norway Switzerland Tunis Turkey United States of America  Colonies & Protectorates Algiers
Society Island East Indies Indian Archipelago Jersey Guernsey Ceylon Ionian Islands Malta Cape of Good Hope Natal West Coast of Africa Canada Nova Scotia Newfoundland New Brunswick St. Helena Mauritius Ile Maurice
Seychelles St. Domingo Grenada Montserrat St. Kitt's Barbados Antigua British Guiana Bahamas Trinidad the Bermudas South Australia Western Australia
New Zealand New South Wales Van Diemen's Land Labuan and Borneo Hong Kong Jamaica Madere |
Season
Tickets
Price: 3 pounds 3 shillings for men ($15.75), 2 pounds 2 shillings for women ($10.50) Number of Season Tickets Sold: 25,605 and used 773,766 times, for average use of 30.22. Expo
Tidbits
Legacies
London 1851 - Outside the Great Exhibition Other London commercial exhibits and government attractions around London had a banner year in 1851 due to the opening of the Crystal Palace.
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Reports
from the
Participants
"Greece" The Great Exhibition of 1851 – the mental Olympic games of the united world! GREECE 25 Finsbury Circus, London February 27,1852 GENTLEMEN As the labours of the Greek Committee in connexion with the Great Exhibition of 1851 are now terminated, the Committee desire me, before separating, to express to His Royal Highness Prince Albert, and the Royal Commissioners, their most grateful thanks for the unceasing support and valuable facilities invariably afforded them upon every occasion, during the tenure of their office, in their efforts to carry into effect the part assigned them in those gloriously conceived and newly revived Olympic games, in which not the physical, but the mental powers of the united world have been called into friendly competition, in order to augment and advance the sources of happiness, and the well-being of mankind. The Committee feel it a pleasurable duty to request the Royal Commissioners to convey to the indefatigable Captain Owen their especial acknowledgments for his constant urbanity, valuable advice and assistance, upon all occasions when referred to; which not only lightened their exertions, but proved most advantageous, by enabling them to complete their arrangements in an efficient manner. I have the honour to be, with the highest respect and consideration, GENTLEMEN, Your most obedient, most humble Servant, (In the absence of the President of the Greek Committee,) P. RALLI (Signed) D.P.SCARAMANGA The Secretary. The Royal Commissioners of the Great Exhibition of 1851 Source: OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION AND ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE OF THE GREAT EXHIBTION 1851’ published by Spicer Brothers, December 1852 Much thanks to John Greatrex at the Crystal Palace Foundation for pointing out this report. Publications
 Art Catalogue Those in Charge The Royal Commission included... Lord John Russell, then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Stanley, W.E. Gladstone, Lord Granville, Vice President of Government Henry Labouche're, Charles Barry, architect, Robert Stephenson and William Cubitt, engineers, Sir Charles Eastlake, President of the Royal Academy, and Sir Charles Lyell, geologist. Detailed work continued in hands of the Trustees, Treasurers, and an Executive Committee formed from the Society of Arts. Scott Russell and Sir Stafford Northcote were the two joint secretaries with Henry Cole on Executive Committee. Links Great Exhibition |
