Victorian London - Entertainment and Recreation - Museums, Public Buildings and Galleries

Victorian London - Entertainment and Recreation - Museums, Public Buildings and Galleries - Albert Palace

THE ALBERT PALACE, Battersea-park, will be OPEN to the public early in May. By order of the Council, SIR ROBERT W. CARDEN, M.P., Chairman. Jan. 1st, 1885. EDWARD LEE, General Manager. THE ALBERT PALACE, Battersea-park, London, S.W., will be OPEN to the public early in May. Exhibition and Sales Department - intending exhibitors can now secure eligible sites, and the necessary forms and regulations on application personally or by letter to the Superintendent, Exhibitors' Depatrment, Battersea-park, London, S.W.

Times, January 20, 1885

[Diary, 1887 22 January] Today at about eleven we all went to the Albert Palace. I think that it was not very nice as it was so common. There was a juggler there he did his things pretty well. then there was a circus and a pantomime the circus was good but the pantomime was stupid. They left out a lot of it.

Grant Richards, Memories of a Misspent Youth, 1932

OPENING OF THE ALBERT PALACE.

Despite the bad weather, which probably kept many would-be visitors at home, a large number of persons found their way to Battersea Park on Saturday, for the opening of the Albert Palace.
The Palace is a handsome glass building of the Crystal Palace type, standing in extensive and prettily-laid out grounds, of which however the rain on Saturday prevented the public from making more than a cursory inspection. The interior of the building - a large nave surrounded by a gallery, which already contains the nucleus of a collection of pictures - is filled with models representing industries, cases of stuffed animals, among which a couple of splendid crocodiles from the Nile are particularly noticeable, and stalls for the sale of various articles, useful, ornamental, and indigestible. The exhibits as yet incomplete, as is but natural, but among them the beauty of several perfect river gigs and canoes seemed to attract general sympathy and admiration. Scattered here and there about the building are numerous refreshment buffets, tea stalls, &c., and there are several dining rooms, both in the building and in the grounds. This department is in the hands of Messrs. Bertram and Roberts.

Times, June 8, 1885