Entertainments
Mrs. Kemble, the well known talented lady, gave a reading at the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms on the 19th of February to a crowded audience. Her subject was "Thw Winter's Tale", and her success was complete. On the preceding evening, she read "The Merchant of Venice" in the Hastings Market Hall, and in an equally inimitable manner, but her audience there was somewhat small.
A High-Class Concert of an enjoyable character, took place in the Assembly Rooms, on the 8th of August, on behalf of the Hollington school Building fund.
A Grand Morning Concert was given in the new school rooms on Sept. 30th under the patronage of Lady St. John, on the occasion of opening the St. Mary Magdalen Schools.
Another Grand Concert was given in the St Leonards Assembly Rooms on the 21st of November When Miss Catherine Hayes, whose performances over more than half the civilised globe had been an unbroken series of triumphs delighted a crowd of about 250 persons. She was assisted by the vocalists Mable Corelli, Mr. Charles Braham, and Signor Lablanche, the violinist Herr Ernst, the ciolonchellist Mons.Pque and the pianist Mr. G. A. Osborne.
A Musical Entertainment given in the rooms of the Mechanics' Institution by Messrs. A. Beck, S. Diprose, J. Skinner and J. Thomson, was so crowded that notwithstanding the many persons who could only be accommodated with standing room on the stairs, in the lobby and in the recesses, a number of persons were obliged to go away without even so much as a peep. Judging from the large number of members present and the sixpenses from non-members amounting to upwards of £2, there must have been 200 persons present. The programme of 14 pieces was successfully executed.
The St. Leonards Choral Society gave a much admired Sacred Concert in the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms on the 4th of April in presence of a numerous and fashionable audience. The pieces performed were seven of Handel's, five of Mozart's, one of Kent's and nine of Haydn's.
A Grand Concert by English artists was given before an exceedingly numerous and distinguished company on the 4th of October. The performers conducted by the veteran Balfe, were Madam Endersjohn, Miss F. Huddart and Mr. Sims Reeves as vocalists; and Miss Arabella Goddard and Mr. George Case, instrumentalists.
Mr. Woodin exhibited his "Olio of Oddities" to crowded and delighted assemblies on the 30th and 31st of October, and the 1st of November at the St. Leonards Assembly Rooms. Also at Hastings on the 28th and 29th of October.
A Soirée Dansante was given by Mrs Braham at 80 Marina on the 31st of December, when a fashionable company danced the old year out and the new year in.
The Annual Christmas Ball took place, as usual, at the Assembly Rooms and was attended by 150 of the nobility and gentry of the locality and neighbourhood.
