The Royal Jubilee Exhibition
In 1887 Manchester celebrated the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign by holding an event entitled the Royal Jubilee Exhibition. This was erected in Old Trafford and commemorated the industry and art of 50 years of Victoria's reign. The exhibition was opened by Princess Alexandra, wife of Edward, the Prince of Wales, on 3rd May 1887, and remained open for 166 days, during which time there were 4.5 million paying visitors.
The Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes had their own stand at the Great Exhibition in the handicraft boutique section. Here they displayed items of work which had been made by the five workshops (firewood, shoemaking, printing, joinery and tailoring) located in the Central Refuge on Francis Street.
One piece on display at the Exhibition was an occasional table. A newspaper report from the Manchester Courier on 3rd June 1887 reveals the destination of this table:
A letter remains in the archive from the Private Secretary of the Princess of Wales (Princess Alexandra of Denmark) to Leonard Shaw, thanking the Refuge for the table and offering 25 guineas (around £14,000 in today’s money) towards Society funds. This was a result of the "excellent account" she had heard of the work of the Manchester and Salford Boy’s and Girl’s Refuges and Homes.
Drawing of the firewood department at the Central Refuge
The Manchester and Salford Boys’ and Girls’ Refuges and Homes had their own stand at the Great Exhibition in the handicraft boutique section. Here they displayed items of work which had been made by the five workshops (firewood, shoemaking, printing, joinery and tailoring) located in the Central Refuge on Francis Street.
One piece on display at the Exhibition was an occasional table. A newspaper report from the Manchester Courier on 3rd June 1887 reveals the destination of this table:
"The table made by the boys of the Strangeways Refuge and which has been accepted by HRH the Princess of Wales is, we understand, now ready for presentation and the committee have received instructions to forward it to Marlborough House."
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| Section of letter from Princess Alexandra's Private Secretary to Leonard Shaw |
A letter remains in the archive from the Private Secretary of the Princess of Wales (Princess Alexandra of Denmark) to Leonard Shaw, thanking the Refuge for the table and offering 25 guineas (around £14,000 in today’s money) towards Society funds. This was a result of the "excellent account" she had heard of the work of the Manchester and Salford Boy’s and Girl’s Refuges and Homes.
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