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6 March 1863 — Exeter House, Roehampton | |
Friday. 6th [March 1863]. I arranged my flowers & went over to Marias in the morng for a few minutes and came back to get ready to go to town. Just at luncheon time Mr & Lady L. Ponsonby & 2 children came down from town to see us. They stayed lunch & told us the Pss Alexandra was, on the day of her entry, to wear a grey poplin dress—purple velvet cloak with fur & grey & white bonnet– At 2½ I went up in the carriage to Jenny Lind but she was not at home. I came back & picked up the M., Mrs Glyn & Miss K and we started for London going by Clapham Common & went 1st to the Bricklayers Arms Station where we saw great preparations & decorations going on for the reception of the Pss Alexa on the morrow but as it began to rain and we were in an open carriage we did not try to go in. We then started for London Bridge and there was such a crowd that we took more than 2 hours to get the other side. The decorations in the streets of Southwark were not very imposing but London Bridge was most artistically done up—at the beginning were white figures of Fame on red cloth pedestals—bronze tripods for burning incense. Standard bearers in armour & flag poles having gold elephants & castles were placed at intervals along the bridge—on the city side was a beautiful triumphal arch of white & gold surmounted with a figure of Britannia driving 4 horses (wh made from the model of the St Mark’s)– We drove down Kg Wm St & thro’ Temple bar wh was also covered with white & gold & hung with gold cloth. The mansion house was also beautifully decorated with medallions of the Prince & pss in white & gold– We saw Ed Du Cane who walked along by the carriage some way. We then left Mr Schr at his club where we also saw Mr Thomas our cousin & we went on to Selvestre & ordered our bonnets for the wedding & went back to the club for Mr S. going first to look at Pooles illumination wh were very splendid– Having corinthian pillars & arms of glass to be lighted inside & over wh he is said to have spent £500– We then drove home over Putney Bridge & did not arrive at Ex Hse till nearly 9½ having started at 2½. We had dinner & went to bed at 11– | |
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