1822 Guild

I had a spare half hour yesterday, so decided to spend it copying up part of the book by Isaac Wilcockson about the Guild Merchant of Preston  1822. This copy is in a reference library, a secondhand bookseller in Preston told me there is a larger copy of this book but it seldom comes on the market and when it does it is very expensive to buy. It is only a small book, and most of it is concerned with the upper classes and what entertainment they got up to. The Guild of Preston is something I need to read up about. At the moment as I understand it, it took place every 20 years and the one of 1822 lasted two weeks. I wonder if the Quakers attended the festivities. Near the end of the book is a bit which perhaps was more relevant to our ancestors. 

I would like to find out more about this time period, please correct me if I am wrong -the Napoleonic wars ended 1815, this was a time of economic hardship for ordinary people, price of bread high. (And how does this tie in with Jane Austens works.) 

I love the detail Isaac goes into. I wonder if Isaac attended all the festivities. Words in green, my own questions, if you could answer them or add any thoughts would welcome any comments.

page 117-119

GENERAL NOTICES

Admission to the Entertainments.

The Mayor's Ball on Wednesday in the first week, and the Mayoress' Public Breakfast on Thursday in the second, were given gratuitously, at the expence of the Corporation, and tickets of admission were granted to all persons applying for them, who had been introduced to the Mayor and Mayoress. His worship also gave dinners in the Guild Hall by invitation, and was attended almost every day, by about 60 gentlemen, who on each occasion sat down to a repast which was provided on the most liberal, and even sumptuous scale.

Admission to the other entertainments was obtained by tickets, which were sold at the Booksellers and Perfumers' shops, at the following prices:- Balls, Monday, September 2 and 9, and Charity Ball, 10s. 6d.; Fancy Ball, 15s.; Masqued Ball, £1. 1s. Subscription to the Oratorios and concerts, £2. 2s. The same for the Chancel Gallery, £2. 12. 6d; Single Tickets, Oratorios, 10s. 6d.; Ditto, Chancel Gallery, 15s.; Single Tickets for Concerts, Boxes and Pit, 12s.; Gallery, 7s. 6d. The Theatre, during the first week; Boxes, 6s., Pit, 4s. 6d., Gallery, 2s.; they were reduced in the second to Boxes 4s. 6d., Pit, 2s. 6d., Gallery, 1s. (I wonder why they were reduced in the second week?) The charge for admission to the ground from which Mr. Livingston ascended in his Balloon was 5s.

General Amusements.

In the foregoing accounts we have confined our notices to those amusements which were either arranged under the immediate direction of the public authorities, or were so far patronized by the officers of the Guild, as to be admitted into their general programme. There were, however, many other sources of entertainment, where young and old, high and low, sought relaxation from the cares of life. A vacant space of ground at the top of North Road was thronged with shews (what did he mean by this choice of word?) of every description. To this spot the humble mechanic, and the rustic countryman resorted with their wives, their families. or their sweethearts, and derived perhaps as much gratification from the novelties here presented to them, as their superiors in rank obtained from the more refined enjoyments elaborated in the Ballroom and the Theatre.

Other parts of the town also held forth attractions of various kinds.

THE CIRCUS, under the management of Messrs. Adam and Powell, a temporary spacious building, in Woodcock's timber-yard, Fishergate, was uncommonly well supported. They had a very fine stud of horses, and some clever performers, both as riders, tight and slack rope vaulters, and tumblers.

WOMBWELL'S MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF WILD BEASTS, stationed first in the North Road, and afterwards in the Market Place, was a most interesting exhibition, but did not repay the public spirit of the proprietor. (?)

MARSHALL'S PANORAMA OF THE  BATTLE OF ALGIERS was very well attended, and gave great satisfaction. It was exhibited in a temporary wooden building, erected nearly opposite the Theatre, in Fishergate.

RYLEY (author of the Itinerant) endeavoured, with his BROOMS(?), to sweep off dull care from the minds of his audiences, but they did not prove sufficiently novel to draw crowded houses.

MADAME HENGLER gave several grand displays of Fire Works, at the Bowling Green near North Road, but the unfavourable state of the weather prevented many from attending, who would otherwise have patronized this ingenious woman.