Amazed crowds witnessed the ascent of Mr. James Sadler in his balloon opened the festivities. Sadler dropped favors and programs to the thrilled crowd below. After dark, celebrants watched as the Castle of Discord disappeared behind a cloud of smoke and fireworks to momentarily reappear transformed into the Temple of Concorde with rockets bursting overhead. Colonel Sir William Congreve's inventor's mind devised a mechanism to enable the metamorphosis. John Nash designed the Temple of Concorde (above). The upper part of the Temple revolved mechanically by means of a machine, also conceived by Congreve, to reveal the apotheosis of the Prince Regent and the triumph of England. The whole spectacle brilliantly illuminated by Congreve's magnificent fireworks.
| 1714 A Century of Hanoverian Rule 1814 | |||
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| George I | George II | George III | Prince Regent |
King of Prussia, Prince Regent, Czar Alexander I, with the Duke of York, General Blucher, General Lord Beresford and General Hill review 12,000 troops in Hyde Park.
A reenactment of the triumphant battle of Trafalgar was staged upon the Serpentine at 8 pm. Three foot long scale replicas of the war ships were maneuvered about the lake in an accurate representation of the pivotal events of that day. Providing the entertaining illusion of a bird's-eye-view of the battle, which had taken place on October 21, 1805. French ships sunk in flames to the strains of the National Anthem.
Ornamental booths and stalls, arcades and kiosks, and follies and pavilions were erected to house cake houses, taverns, and apple stalls providing the public with refreshment. Military bands, acrobats, and swings and roundabouts provided entertainment.
St. James
Park was graced with an exotic seven story Chinese pagoda atop a picturesque
yellow bridge ornamented with black lines that crossed the Canal in St. James
Park. The pagoda and four bridge pavilions were each topped with a bright blue
roof. The splendid gala was organized for the joint August first celebration
of the Hanoverian Centenary and the anniversary of the Battle of the Nile. The
brilliant and daring tactics of Lord Nelson at the Battle
of the Nile were represented by rowboats upon the canal. A disaster occurred
when the gas lit pagoda caught fire and burned. Two men were killed and a number
injured trying to put out the fire. A number of the Royal swans succumbed to
smoke and fire. The crowd unaware that this was an accident took the occurrence
to be part of the spectacle and applauded wildly.
Read more about George IV's architect John Nash : A Complete Catalogue by Michael Mansbridge
Find out about Lighter Than Air: An Illustrated History of the Development of Hot-Air Balloons and Airships by David Owen
Read more about George IV by E. A. Smith
Read more about George III: A Personal History by Christopher Hibbert
Read more about George I by Ragnhild Hatton
Read more about The Hussar General: The Life of Blucher, Man of Waterloo by Roger Parkinson
See Blücher's Army 1813-15 (Men-at-Arms) by Peter Young, Michael Roffe (Illustrator)
Read more about Alexander of Russia: Napoleon's Conqueror by Henri Troyat, Joan Pinkham (Translator)
Read more about Soldiers and Uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars by F Hourtouille
Read more about Wellington: The Iron Duke by Richard Holmes
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