A Vauxhall Gardens poster announcing the final closure, 'Last Night Forever' on 25th July 1859, with a benefit for Mr G. Stevens. The 15,000 visitors for the last night were offered entertainment including extra illuminations, horsesmanship, fireworks and music. A report at the time stated that the extra lamps were doubtless all there 'for as the smell of oil was certainly 40,000 times stronger than on ordinary occasions. Apparently the crowd contained 'a good many of those young gentlemen who like to walk six abreast, and yell and shout about lustily'. The evening ended with the National Anthem and the audience breaking twigs off the trees as souvenirs, bringing down the glass lamps 'until at length the police interfered'.
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| Details |
| Collection: | Vauxhall Gardens |
| Image type: | Print |
| Artist: | |
| Ref: | 10870 |
| Identifier: | IV 162/14/127 |
| Date: | 1859 |
#-Before 1850 #ENTERTAINMENT #OPEN SPACES #Print #VAUXHALL #Vauxhall Gardens