2-982-307 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Grand Fete in Hamstead Park, Berks, in Aid of the Great Western Railway Widows' and Orphans' Fund, 1858. Hamstead Park was '...admirably calculated for a monster picnic, as it afforded ample space for the thousands congregated to share the amusements...The railway conveyed about 3000 persons from Hungerford and about 1600 from Newbury...the train from London conveyed 1000...It was computed that about 10,000 persons were present...On the plateau commodious marquees were ranged in a semicircle...also, were stationed four bands of music...the private gardens of the mansion were thrown open to the visitors...[and] the company wandered through the many gay parterres, terraces, and greenhouses of those extensive and well-kept grounds...The bill of fare included abundance of salmon, 200 couple of fowl, 200 couple of ducks, about 70 hams, 30 huge rounds of beef, 8 lambs, 300 veal and pigeon pies, and an unknown number of dishes of salads etc.; and when it is added that 70 barrels of beer and porter were on the ground, together with wines, bottled ales, porter, tea, coffee, 30 gallons of milk, cream etc., it will be seen that there was no lack of the grand essential to an Englishman's holiday'. From "Illustrated London News", 1858.