Visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Our heaviest function at the Town Hall was the reception and entertainment of the Prince and Princess of Wales on the occasion of the opening of the new north docks.
The Prince and Princess stayed with Lord Sefton at Croxteth, and their children, the three Princesses, stayed at Knowsley, Lord Sefton's children having the measles.
The day of the Royal Visit was lovely. We met the Prince and Princess at the city boundary, Newsham Park, proceeding thither in the mayor's carriage, drawn by four horses with postillions and out-riders. After presenting the Princess with a bouquet we followed to the landing stage, where the royal party embarked on the river for the new docks. The course of the royal yacht was kept by our large Atlantic liners, and by several battleships. The Princess christened the new Alexandra dock and then we adjourned to a lunch in one of the large sheds, and after lunch the Prince and Princess entered the mayor's carriage and drove to the Town Hall, where an address was presented to them.
The Fenians had been very active in Liverpool, and during the evening at Croxteth I was told by the aide-de-camp that the Prince had received several threatening letters, to which his Royal Highness paid no attention, but he would be glad to know if every precaution had been taken for the Prince's safety. Although I was able to assure him that every precaution would be taken, this intimation made me feel anxious and I drove from Croxteth to the police station in Liverpool to consult with the superintendents as to what more could be done. We were compelled to drive the Prince and Princess for two miles through that portion of the town inhabited by the Irish; we therefore decided to quicken the pace of the carriage procession, and to instruct the out-riders to ride close in to the wheels of the royal carriage. These precautions were however fortunately not necessary, for right along Scotland Road the Prince and Princess had the heartiest reception, and when we turned out of Byrom Street into Dale Street it was with a sense of relief that I turned to the Prince and said, "Sir, you have passed through the portion of Liverpool in which 200,000 Irish people reside." He replied, "I have not heard a 'boo' or a groan; it has been simply splendid."
We had taken some trouble to obtain a very pretty jewelled bouquet-holder for the Princess, and it was sent to the florist who was making the bouquet. In the morning he brought it to the Adelphi Hotel, broken in two. I showed it to Admiral Sir Astley Cooper, who was one of the suite. He said, "Whatever you do, have it repaired." Every shop was shut, the day being a general holiday. The boots at the hotel at last thought of a working plumber, and to his hands the repairs were entrusted. All he could do was to solder the handle to the bouquet-holder, and he did this in such a clumsy fashion that great "blobs" of solder protruded themselves all round; but it held together and the bouquet was duly presented by the Mayoress. During the drive from the dock the Princess, showing me the holder, exclaimed how lovely it was; alas! my eyes could only see the "blobs" of solder! At Croxteth that evening, while the presents were being exhibited to the guests, the holder broke in two, and the story had to be told.
The three young princesses were entertained all day at the Town Hall by my daughters. Princess Maud managed to evade the vigilant eyes of Miss Knollys, and unattended made her way into Castle Street amid the crowd.