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The Shakspeare Commemoration in London: planting an oak on Primrose Hill, 1864. Creator: Unknown
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The Shakspeare Commemoration in London: planting an oak on Primrose Hill, 1864. Creator: Unknown
The Shakspeare Commemoration in London: planting an oak on Primrose Hill, [London], 1864. The Working Men's Committee plants an oak tree '...in honour of the English poet...Mr. Phelps, the most popular of English Shakspearean actors, had consented to perform the office...The southern face of the hill was covered with people...A large square space, below the steep ascent, was inclosed with an iron railing, and reserved for those who paid their shilling to enter...Mr. George Cruikshank...wore his volunteer uniform...But Mr. Phelps, who is deservedly a favourite of the London working men-having taught them to understand and enjoy Shakspeare by his high-minded management of Sadler's Wells - was received with the most enthusiastic welcome...he stood before the applauding multitude, and waited while the tree, with much of the soil of Windsor clinging to its roots, was lifted and set upright in a hole which had been dug for its reception...That vast multitude...testified to the intense feeling of devotion and reverence they had for the memory of their illustrious countryman; and the committee felt, acting for their countrymen at large, that to no fitter hands than those of Mr. Phelps could be consigned the work of the day...(Protracted cheering)'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864
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Media ID 38686141
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Anniversary Banners Ceremonial Ceremony Cheering Class Club Crowds Cruikshank George Cultural Event English Literature George Cruikshank Oak Tree Planting Primrose Hill Shakespeare Shakespeare William Shakespearean Shakespearian Shakspeare Social Class Tercentenary Top Hat Top Hats Tophat Waving William Shakespeare Working Class Accessible Samuel Phelps Working Mens Club
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A Momentous Occasion - The Shakspeare Commemoration in London, 1864
EDITORS COMMENTS
In this poignant photograph, a moment of reverence and celebration is captured as an oak tree is planted on Primrose Hill to commemorate the life and works of William Shakespeare. On April 23rd, 1864, a committee comprising working men came together to honor their beloved bard with a ceremony that would be remembered for generations to come.
As Mr. Phelps, one of England's most renowned Shakspearean actors, stands before the assembled crowd, he is met with thunderous applause and cheers as he prepares to plant the tree in its new home. The scene is set against a backdrop of Primrose Hill, where thousands had gathered to pay tribute to Shakespeare's enduring legacy.
The photograph captures not only the solemnity of the occasion but also the deep affection that Londoners held for their national poet. As Mr. Phelps lifts the soil-stained roots of the oak tree into its new home, he is surrounded by a sea of faces, each one reflecting a sense of devotion and reverence for Shakespeare's timeless works.
This powerful image has been preserved as a testament to the enduring power of art and literature to bring people together in celebration and commemoration.
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