3-074-511 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Festivities at Longleat, Wiltshire, Coming of Age of Lord Weymouth, son of the Marquis of Bath, August 21st, 1883. 'Arch at Horningsham; Arrival of guests; Receiving guests; Grand display of fireworks by Pain; Cottage decoration in Horningsham...Viscount Weymouth, the eldest son of the Marquis of Bath, came of age on July 15, but it was on the Tuesday of last week that this event was celebrated with great local festivities...A company of twelve hundred ladies and gentlemen...assembled at luncheon under canvas on the lawn...Mr. Stratton, on behalf of five hundred tenant farmers of the Longleat estate, presented an address of congratulation...and proposed "The Health of Lord Weymouth," which was enthusiastically received...There was a grand display of fireworks in the evening, provided by that skilful pyrotechnist, Mr. James Pain...among the most admired devices of his art was a figure of Jumbo, the famous elephant, nearly as large as life. Our Artist's Sketches represent several other popular features and agreeable incidents of these festive proceedings, the decorations and triumphal arch in the village of Horningsham included'. From "Illustrated London News", 1883.