DOI Heft:
July to December, 1844
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16520#0211
LORD MAYOR'S DAY.—GIBBS, MAYOR!
" Hung be the heavens with black ! "—Shaksperc.
A T an early hour this morning, (Nov. 9th, 1844,) the solemn tolling
of the great bell of St. Paul's struck upon the heart of the City of
London. After a short interval, the bell of every other city church
also pealed forth ; whilst the bell of St. Stephen's—"swinging slow,
with sullen roar"—had a peculiarly heavy note of lamentation.
It seemed as if some great—some monstrous evil—had fallen upon a
evidently thought themselves in Newgate, and behaved accordingly.
The members of the Court of Aldermen seemed ashamed of them-
selves and said nothing. Two or three were observed to desperately
bite their nails. Sir Peter Laurie alone began a smile, but even
he could not go through with it !
At half past eleven, the Lord Mayor was informed that the
doomed people ! Misery—a sense of degradation-appeared m the j sheriffs weie waiting for him, when he descended to the Council-
lengthened faces of all men ! Milkwomen served their ha'porths Cuamber. The unfortunate man walked with tolerable firmness ;
with a sigh—housemaids, for once speechless, took in the fluid, and, ghook haudg with the Sheriffs ; said he felt happy, and having begun
with apron corner, wiped away a tear. Even old-clothesmen crept
stealthily along, as though " shod with felt," and the very dogs, that
had any voice to bark, barked hysterically ! The birds in cages, at
the windows, sat in lumps upon their perches, motionless and dumb.
On every coach stand, coach and cab men were seen, looking down
with leaden eyes upon their horses' backs, and listlessly playing with
their whip-thongs. Even the horses drooped, with the unchewed
hay depending from their mouths. All—all was desolation '
Men would meet one another, pause a moment, and then despe-
rately smiting their foreheads with their fists, start madly on ; others
would heave a deep groan, and creep away, as though they crawled to
the grave. Whilst ever and anon, some miserable wretch, whose
grief was too mighty for his heart, would wring his hands, and
scream in terrible alto— "GiB7:s is Mayor! Gibbs is Mayor!"
"Woe—woe to London !" yelled another. " A doomed generation !"
groaned a third ! And still the bells tolled, tolled, tolled !
Ere the silent citizens had swallowed their fourth roll, and eaten
their tenth egg, most of the houses in the line of procession from
the Guildhall displayed emblems of woe. Almost from every
window hung yards of sable cloth ; whilst not a few civic patriots
had caused all their shutters to be painted three coats black.
Mr. Lambert Jones had, at his own cost, arrayed the Wellington
statue in a very respectable —if, indeed, respectability is a word for
such a frantic moment—in a very respectable mourning cloak ;
and it was observed by those who had strength to look up, that under
the circumstances his Grace looked as well as could be expected.
Some sympathising, unseen hand had also given to the statue of
Queen Anne, St. Paul's Churchyard, a petticoat of blackest bon.-
bazine. But neither time nor space will allow us to particularise the
many types of woe.
Silence reigned iu Guildhall. The sheriffs who were in attendance,
to suck an orange, intimated that he was quite prepared
The mournful procession then moved on.
o
o
Order of Procession.
o THE LUMBER TROOP WITH LOADED CARBINES. *4
a f>
i-i >i
M Two boys, an old man, and a little girl, from the Margate 5T
a Infirmary. £■
B
^ THE MARGATE BATHiNG-MACHINE, WITH "GIBBS, TREASURER !" %
8 PAINTED OUTSIDE IN BLACK.
» -r>
u g"
R THE BEADLE OF WALBROOK, IIIS STAFF COVERED WITH CRAPE. B
a A File of Scavengers in their IVorking-Drcsses. *
as
A FISHMONGER (HIS LO R l> S III P' S COMPANY) B
5 With Banner inscribed, "Eels Skinned at Walbrook!"
9
2 o
r£ Cf)c 5citan of ££IaI!iroalt, Irntl) Banner insrnficB, "JFffut (Quarters SaUrp. a
" i
£f The Model oj Walbrook Cliurch, {much dilapidated). **•
a B
THE ORGANIST OF WALBROOK, WITH BANNER INSCRIBED,
" I All STARVING ! "
3
0?
*5
t
(fl A PEW-OPENER OK WALBROOK, WRINGING HER HANDS.
u
2 THE EMPTY CARRIAGE of the LATE LORD MAYOR, £
+* o
O (His late Lurd^hip staying at home.) ©
W A B O O K,
Clasped with iron clasps, and padlocked ; inscribed, " Churchwarden'!
Accounts ; to be continued in Chancery."
" Hung be the heavens with black ! "—Shaksperc.
A T an early hour this morning, (Nov. 9th, 1844,) the solemn tolling
of the great bell of St. Paul's struck upon the heart of the City of
London. After a short interval, the bell of every other city church
also pealed forth ; whilst the bell of St. Stephen's—"swinging slow,
with sullen roar"—had a peculiarly heavy note of lamentation.
It seemed as if some great—some monstrous evil—had fallen upon a
evidently thought themselves in Newgate, and behaved accordingly.
The members of the Court of Aldermen seemed ashamed of them-
selves and said nothing. Two or three were observed to desperately
bite their nails. Sir Peter Laurie alone began a smile, but even
he could not go through with it !
At half past eleven, the Lord Mayor was informed that the
doomed people ! Misery—a sense of degradation-appeared m the j sheriffs weie waiting for him, when he descended to the Council-
lengthened faces of all men ! Milkwomen served their ha'porths Cuamber. The unfortunate man walked with tolerable firmness ;
with a sigh—housemaids, for once speechless, took in the fluid, and, ghook haudg with the Sheriffs ; said he felt happy, and having begun
with apron corner, wiped away a tear. Even old-clothesmen crept
stealthily along, as though " shod with felt," and the very dogs, that
had any voice to bark, barked hysterically ! The birds in cages, at
the windows, sat in lumps upon their perches, motionless and dumb.
On every coach stand, coach and cab men were seen, looking down
with leaden eyes upon their horses' backs, and listlessly playing with
their whip-thongs. Even the horses drooped, with the unchewed
hay depending from their mouths. All—all was desolation '
Men would meet one another, pause a moment, and then despe-
rately smiting their foreheads with their fists, start madly on ; others
would heave a deep groan, and creep away, as though they crawled to
the grave. Whilst ever and anon, some miserable wretch, whose
grief was too mighty for his heart, would wring his hands, and
scream in terrible alto— "GiB7:s is Mayor! Gibbs is Mayor!"
"Woe—woe to London !" yelled another. " A doomed generation !"
groaned a third ! And still the bells tolled, tolled, tolled !
Ere the silent citizens had swallowed their fourth roll, and eaten
their tenth egg, most of the houses in the line of procession from
the Guildhall displayed emblems of woe. Almost from every
window hung yards of sable cloth ; whilst not a few civic patriots
had caused all their shutters to be painted three coats black.
Mr. Lambert Jones had, at his own cost, arrayed the Wellington
statue in a very respectable —if, indeed, respectability is a word for
such a frantic moment—in a very respectable mourning cloak ;
and it was observed by those who had strength to look up, that under
the circumstances his Grace looked as well as could be expected.
Some sympathising, unseen hand had also given to the statue of
Queen Anne, St. Paul's Churchyard, a petticoat of blackest bon.-
bazine. But neither time nor space will allow us to particularise the
many types of woe.
Silence reigned iu Guildhall. The sheriffs who were in attendance,
to suck an orange, intimated that he was quite prepared
The mournful procession then moved on.
o
o
Order of Procession.
o THE LUMBER TROOP WITH LOADED CARBINES. *4
a f>
i-i >i
M Two boys, an old man, and a little girl, from the Margate 5T
a Infirmary. £■
B
^ THE MARGATE BATHiNG-MACHINE, WITH "GIBBS, TREASURER !" %
8 PAINTED OUTSIDE IN BLACK.
» -r>
u g"
R THE BEADLE OF WALBROOK, IIIS STAFF COVERED WITH CRAPE. B
a A File of Scavengers in their IVorking-Drcsses. *
as
A FISHMONGER (HIS LO R l> S III P' S COMPANY) B
5 With Banner inscribed, "Eels Skinned at Walbrook!"
9
2 o
r£ Cf)c 5citan of ££IaI!iroalt, Irntl) Banner insrnficB, "JFffut (Quarters SaUrp. a
" i
£f The Model oj Walbrook Cliurch, {much dilapidated). **•
a B
THE ORGANIST OF WALBROOK, WITH BANNER INSCRIBED,
" I All STARVING ! "
3
0?
*5
t
(fl A PEW-OPENER OK WALBROOK, WRINGING HER HANDS.
u
2 THE EMPTY CARRIAGE of the LATE LORD MAYOR, £
+* o
O (His late Lurd^hip staying at home.) ©
W A B O O K,
Clasped with iron clasps, and padlocked ; inscribed, " Churchwarden'!
Accounts ; to be continued in Chancery."