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Vauxhall Jubilee
unknown - Enlarge image
Vauxhall Jubilee
- Object:
Admission Ticket
- Place of origin:
London, England (printed)
- Date:
1786 (printed)
- Artist/Maker:
unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Etching, printed in brown ink on paper, with red sealing wax
- Credit Line:
Given by Miss G. A. Hebberd
- Museum number:
E.183-1944
- Gallery location:
British Galleries, room 52f, case WN
Object Type
This object is a printed ticket for the 'Vauxhall Jubilee' of 1786, a celebration of Spring Gardens' own history. The ticket has been authenticated with a seal and was signed and dated by Jonathan Tyers, the proprietor of the gardens. The signatory of this ticket was the son of the original creator of the gardens. Tyers' father, also named Jonathan Tyers (died 1767), opened the gardens in 1732.
Place
Spring Gardens, Vauxhall, were situated on the south side of the River Thames, in London. On summer evenings visitors could stroll among the trees chatting and socialising, listen to music and admire sights such as paintings, sculpture and artificial ruins. They could also eat and drink in small, open-air booths decorated with paintings. The gardens were frequented by a very wide spectrum of society, from royalty to servants.
Subject Depicted
The image on this ticket is of the 'Dark Walk'. This was one of several straight avenues of trees that were part of the landscaped grounds of Spring Gardens, Vauxhall, where visitors could amble while listening to the distant strains of music from the orchestra. The Dark Walk was also the setting for less innocent activities, as amorous meetings took place under cover of darkness.
