Missoula’s Tom Sawyer Celebrated Queen’s Golden Jubilee – 1887
Missoula Tom Sawyer Is One of Throng at Queen Victoria’s Celebration of Golden Jubilee
Story of Experiences During 1887 Festivities Related on Year of King’s Quarter-Century Fete.
It was while I was serving my apprenticeship in the drapery (dry-goods) business at Richmond, Surrrey, England, about 12 miles from London, that Queen Victoria celebrated her golden jubilee, on the completion of her fiftieth year as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and part of that time as Empress of India. This being the year that King George V’s silver jubilee is being commemorated, he having completed his 25 years reign as king-emperor, it may not be out of place to tell you of the scenes I witnessed at the time of the great queen’s golden jubilee in 1887.
For some time before that great event, we were busy supplying the demand for flags, bunting and Japanese lanterns for decorative purposes. I was delegated to make a trip “up to the city” for the purpose of buying such things to replenish our stock, which had been cleaned out, so great was the demand. I had to make the round of all of the wholesale houses handling such commodities, with but mediocre success as they, too, had practically sold out all of their stocks. At the last we were selling red flannel, white muslin and some royal-blue dress goods, which we had had in stock, for goodness knows how long, to provide the national colors.
The great day finally arrived. I was not drawing down any pay as an apprentice. My boss provided me with some spending money, also with a reserve fund which was to be used only in case of accident. Fortunately I did not need it. I boarded an early train to participate in the festivities. I was fortunate in finding a good spot along Piccadilly from which to view the parade on its way to Westminster Abbey, where a thanksgiving service was to be held. A great many people occupied their selected spots all night, bringing their breakfasts with them. The more fortunate had reserved seats in the stands which had been erected all along the route the procession was to follow, for which they were charged exorbitant prices.
“Queen’s Weather.”
The day was hot and brilliant with sunshine, regular “Queen’s weather.” For some hours the streets over which the parade was to travel had been cleared of all vehicular traffic. Soldiers of the Foot Guards regiments, all spick and span in new uniforms in honor of the occasion, scarlet tunics with white leather belts and huge black bearskin busbies, added color to the scene. They, as well as soldiers of other regiments, were stationed three feet apart along the entire route. And, at the cross streets, cavalry were drawn up, as a precautionary measure in case of any untoward incident. Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened, to mar the day.
While we were waiting, a mail van came along for nothing must stop the Royal Mail. The people, to let off a little steam, gave it a warm reception. Next, a hansom cab appeared, the passenger inside was all dressed-up in a glittering uniform and was, I supposed, on his way to take his place in the parade. The crowd cheered. The cabby, in keeping with the occasion, stood up in his seat and with his “topper” in his hand bowed right and left to the crowds in approved regal fashion at the applause given him, which appealed to the people, when they cheered him the more. Meanwhile, his passenger, no doubt, thought he was the cause of the fervent demonstration. However, he was unable to observe the antics of his cabby.
Mighty Roar.
At length in the distance a mighty sound, caused by hundreds of thousands of throats, arose on the air, apprising us of the fact that the procession was on its way. As it drew nearer, the sound increased in volume, in fact it became a mighty roar as the Queen in her carriage drawn by eight cream-colored horses of state, each with his attendant royal groom marching at his head and harnesses of red and gold, hove into sight.
In due course the head of the procession arrived abreast of the spot where I had taken up my stand. I do not recall all that day. There were notables from all corners of the Empire both at home and abroad. The feature which appealed to me the most, barring the Queen herself, were a hundred princes on horseback in one body. They made a wonderful showing in their glittering uniforms, many of them from India, where the wealth of her rajahs and maharajahs consists largely of precious gems and which they well know how to display unpretentiously.
The one many in the hundred who impressed the most was, the then Crown Prince Frederick of Germany. He was a very tall man and wore a heavy brown beard. He was dressed in a cuirassier’s uniform of white and gold, with a silver helmet and an eagle atop of it. He later became Emperor of Germany, but only reigned six weeks when he died from some throat affliction, probably cancer. When his father, Emperor William I, died, he was unable to take part in the funeral, but was only permitted to witness the cortege from an upstairs window of the palace.
The Queen Appears.
Soon we were made cognizant of the approach of the Queen, for the cries of the crowd “Here comes the Queen! Here comes the Queen!” and the increased din could mean nothing else. Finally she got to where I could see her. There she was amid all that regal and imperial display of pomp and splendor in a carriage all by herself; just a little old lady in a black silk dress and grey bonnet, who might have been grandmother to many of us doing her homage. She carried one of those little parasols about 12 inches in diameter, made so that it could be turned on edge, to shield her face a little from the sun. She did not wish, I am sure, on that day of all days, to hide herself from her loyal subjects and thousands of others from all parts of the world who had gathered to do her homage and join in celebrating her golden jubilee with her who for so long had ruled the greatest empire the world has ever seen. Her own people as well as the visitors in London for that auspicious occasion, it seemed, just could not make enough noise by which to express, their appreciation and admiration of her as Queen-Empress, woman, wife and mother.
The parade over, the crowds dispersed; the Londoners to their homes; the visitors from the country and elsewhere to partake of the lunches they had carried with them, or else seek refreshment for the inner man in some place or other. The restaurant proprietors and other caterers to the calls of human appetites could not possibly have had any complaint about the volume of business they did that day.
Ridiculous Plight.
Going from the magnificent to the ridiculous! When the parade was over, and I had come down to earth once more, I found myself astride a lady’s bustle, for it was at that time that ladies were wearing those huge birdcage affairs. I apologized to the lady, stating that owing to the stress of the crowd I could not help myself, to which she most graciously replied, “No matter, it’s jubilee day, so anything goes.” That seemed to be the spirit of everybody for the crowds were in the best of humor. If there were any grouches around I did not hear them.
In the evening the crowds gathered once more to view the illuminations. Those were, for the most part, in the West End of London, Piccadilly, Regent street, Oxford street, etc. The stores, clubs, hotels and other large buildings, trimmed with flags, bunting and electrical devices were all very beautiful. There were no vehicles allowed in the illuminated districts. The people made a solid mass of humanity between the buildings on each side of the streets, packed in London on that day. I think most of them lined the streets during the parade, then turned out to see the sights in the evening. It would have been an utter impossibility to get out of the crowd in the evening, till it had reached the end of the illuminated area without being hoisted up by a derrick to walk off on the heads of the crowd. Finally the end was reached when the crowds scattered and went several ways, tired but happy after having witnessed an event comparatively very few persons are privileged to witness, the celebration of the completion of 50 years reign of a well-beloved monarch.
Royalty Present.
I will now tell you about an occasion when I spent an evening in the same room with Princess May, who is now Queen Mary; her mother, the Duchess of Teck, and her brother, Prince Francis of Teck. It was at the Aldersgate street, London, Y. M. C. A. The Duchess had been invited to present the prizes won in the various activities of that institution. The regular army band of the Buckinghamshire regiment was in attendance and furnished excellent music for the occasion.
The prizes having been duly presented, very graciously by the Duchess, the president of the Y. M. C. A. proposed a vote of thanks to her. Prince Francis arose to respond for his mother. After a lot of stammering stuttering and hesitation – for he was very much embarrassed – his sister, perceiving his predicament, seized hold of his coattails and pulled him down on to his seat alongside her. Her action appealed to the risibilities of the crowd and brought a storm of applause, for it pleased us more than the longest and best speech could possibly have done. Which all goes to show that Queens, Princes and Princesses are nothing if not human, after all. – Thomas H. Sawyer, 502 South Second street, west, Missoula.
The above article appeared in The Sunday Missoulian on August 11, 1935.
As the Missoulian obituary article below shows, Mr. Sawyer would have been 14 years old when the event took place in June of 1887.
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Notice of Thomas H. Sawyer’s death appeared in The Missoulian on January 15, 1946.
Thomas H Sawyer, 73, resident of Missoula for 18 years, died Monday at a local hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at the Stucky mortuary chapel at 10:30 o’clock Wednesday, with Rev. T. W. Bennett officiating. The body will be sent to Spokane, Wash., for cremation.
Mr. Sawyer was born in South Africa October 12, 1872, and came to the United States in 1890. He was in business in California before coming to Missoula in 1913 as a department manager for the old D. J. Donahue company. After 11 years there, he joined the staff of the Missoula Mercantile company, and retired in 1931.
Mr. Sawyer was a veteran of the Spanish-American war, and was a member of the Presbyterian church of Missoula.
Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Annabelle Sawyer, and a sister, Mrs. Grace Lovelace of California.
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