Penny readings

In those days before television, the cinema and other forms of mass entertainment, the populace looked towards the more simple pleasures to while away their leisure hours and so penny readings became a fashionable draw in past centuries.

These were parochial entertainments consisting of readings from popular books of the day, or perhaps music, held in schools, inns and anywhere with sufficient space for a large crowd, for which one penny admission was charged. They were the forerunners of the concerts that we know today and the performers were usually local people, often civic dignitaries and the daughters of leading citizens. These events were non-profit making and the proceeds were used for good causes in the town, although some performances were commercial ventures presented by travelling actors.

Books were expensive in years past and only a few homes had musical instruments, the piano being the most popular, and so readings and recitals were often combined and invariably drew large crowds and in many communities, this was a major factor in the building of our first public halls.

Fewer people could read, play a musical instrument or sing in those days and so the performers invariably came from the middle and upper classes and figure prominently among those who appeared at these events, perhaps because they had the leisure time at their disposal to practice their readings and musical items. Members of the clergy were also in great demand and few performances were without a parson or a curate. 

Two names appear more than most at penny readings in the Bourne area during the mid-19th century and they are Major William Parker, of Hanthorpe House, who gave dramatic readings, and his spinster sister, Miss Parker, a pianist and singer, who were familiar faces at these events in the town and the surrounding villages. Miss Parker was the first lady in the district to take to the stage at such public gatherings and the Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 1st December 1865: "Other ladies are to follow Miss Parker's example in her praiseworthy endeavour to render agreeable and useful services to those by and with whom she is surrounded and connected."

Penny readings became extremely popular in Bourne and were held occasionally at several venues, including the Victoria Hall and the schoolroom adjoining the Wesleyan Methodist chapel in Star Lane [now Abbey Road]. But in September 1864, a committee was appointed to organise them on a regular basis, the venue being the Assembly Rooms at the Angel Hotel which was then the town's main public hall, and the landlord Mr Henry Bott, himself a keen supporter of penny readings, provided the accommodation and gas lighting free of charge. The first of the winter session was held on Friday 21st October and they continued fortnightly until well into the New Year. 

Attendances were invariably crowded as the Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 23rd December that year:

The fifth of these penny readings took place at the Assembly Rooms on Friday evening last. There was a full attendance but not that inconvenient overcrowding experienced on the previous occasions. Mr Harlowe commenced by reading some poems by "A Rural Postman" followed by Mr Woodham who, in an agreeable manner, read "Patty Larkspur's Watch" by Douglas Jerrold. Mr Webber then read Tennyson's "Queen of the May" and the Rev J P Sharpe "The Iron Shroud". Mr Harlowe concluded the reading with "Mrs M'Cree" and "The Seam Pig". The intervals between the readings were filled up by choral and instrumental music under the direction of Mr S Frost. It was announced that on the evenings of the 29th and 30th inst., an entertainment would be given with the magic lantern and that the following readings would take place on Friday the 13th of January.

The last of the series was held on Tuesday 7th March 1865 when William Parker, who presided, presented a paper on penny readings which had been specially prepared for the occasion, describing their purpose. He expressed the hope that readings in the future would prove both useful to the readers and the listeners. He went on: "The variety of the readings, interspersed with music, cannot fail to be interesting and as to their utility, I contend that much good will result from them and even if they do no more than provide an evening's recreation for a large number of people, they will do some good, the recreation being innocent and cheap. Those who are induced from what they hear at these readings to go home and read and think for themselves can scarcely fail to become wiser and better in consequence."

Major Parker concluded by moving a vote of thanks to Mr Bott for providing the room and then presented Mrs Bott, on behalf of the committee, with two handsome volumes of poetry by Kirke, White and Cowper. In his reply, Mr Bott said that if the use of the room had assisted the committee in carrying out their laudable undertaking, he was glad and added: "I am amply rewarded by the knowledge that those for whom the entertainment has been provided have benefited thereby."

The programme that evening, which lasted for two and a half hours, began with a choir singing "God Bless the Prince of Wales" followed by the Rev J P Sharp reading an amusing paper entitled "How they brought the hippopotamus to England". Mr William Webber then read "Dedication of the Idylls of Kings to the memory of the Prince Consort" by Alfred Tennyson and this was followed by the Rev Edward M Chapman who appears to have been the star of the evening. The Stamford Mercury subsequently reported:

He read, or rather recited, the first scene from the 4th Act of Shakespeare's "Richard the Second", as clearly and distinctly as to be heard in every part of the room. His extracts from Macaulay's "Lays of Ancient Rome" were also very effectively rendered, drawing forth the applause of the entire company and his reading of "Nicholas Nickleby" and other extracts from the "Pickwick Papers" was admirably received and created considerable laughter.

William Webber, who was headmaster of the town's grammar school, also gave an insight into the aims of the penny readings when he opened the first of the autumn series on Friday 27th October 1865. "It is the intention of the committee", he said, "to enliven the monotony of the winter months and at the same time to blend entertainment with instruction, that these gatherings may prove both agreeable and useful. Only our best efforts will be used to render these readings as attractive as possible. Two gentlemen, whose names I am not at present at liberty to give, have signified their intention to invite friends from a distance who will be likely to assist the committee, one as a reader and the other as an accomplished violinist, and I entertain the hope that others in the town, who do not themselves take part in the readings, will follow the example of the gentlemen referred to."

The programme that evening lasted from 7.30 pm until 9 pm and included readings interspersed with vocal and instrumental music. The Rev W Andrews, the curate, read an article on the subject of flax followed by Mr Webber with a humourous piece from Once a Week, a popular novel of the day by Lewis Hough. The Rev Thomas Shaw then read a heart-rending piece entitled Our Father's Care by Mrs Sewell and the evening ended with One-legged Goose by Mr Edlin and two other humourous pieces.

Another typical penny reading was held at the Assembly Rooms on New Year's Day, Tuesday 1st January 1867 although in view of the importance of the occasion, this was a twopenny rather than a penny reading as the Stamford Mercury reported:

On Tuesday last, there was a twopenny reading at the Assembly Rooms in aid of the funds for providing the children's treat. The readers were the Rev J P Sharp "The Boy at Mugby Junction"; Mr Storr "The Pied Piper of Hamelin"; Mr Woodhams "The Character" (Tom Hood); Major Parker "Merchant of Venice" (Ingoldsby Legends); and Mr Webber "Tim Turpin" (Tom Hood). The singers were Miss Parker, Miss Phillips, Miss Jenny Scott and Mr Newman. A duet on piano (Overture to Il Barbiere) was splendidly played by Miss Holland and Miss Scott. All the singers were encored. At the conclusion, Mr Webber remarked that there was a great want in Bourne of a public room and expressed a hope that ere long, some of the wealthy inhabitants would take the matter into consideration.

Regular penny readings in the Assembly Rooms during the winter months were held to finance various good causes, most notably the first public library for Bourne, and during the winter of 1864-65, a total of £17 15s. 9½d. was collected for this purpose from nine readings during the previous 20 weeks, although expenses incurred in holding the events reduced this figure to  £8 16s. 2½d but the amount raised is an indication of their popularity. The proceeds were also used some years to pay for a children's Christmas treat and in 1866, there was enough money to entertain 700 boys and girls, although the amount on this occasion was subsidised by donations from several of the town's leading citizens. 

One of the most enthusiastic supporters of the penny readings was the Vicar of Bourne, the Rev Joseph Dodsworth, who arranged an entire series during the winter evenings of 1867-68 at the National School that he had helped to found in North Street while working as a curate in the parish some forty years before. The last of the series was held on 19th February 1868 and included vocal and instrumental music, and as with the previous events, the schoolroom was crowded with an appreciative audience.

Penny readings were also held in many of the larger villages such as Billingborough where there was a particularly lively evening on 3rd January 1867. The Stamford Mercury reported the following week: 

An entertainment consisting of sacred music, singing, readings and recitations, was given at the public hall on the evening of the 3rd in aid of the funds now collecting for the sufferers of the late colliery explosions when £5 2s. 3d. was taken at the door. The whole of this was sent to the Mansion-house fund as Mr Pilkington (the proprietor of the hall) declined on such an occasion to make any charge for the use of it. The playing and singing of two young ladies who kindly came forward to assist and the "Remember me, oh Lord" and "Cast Thy Bread upon the Waters" of Mr Hammer, were deservedly admired; but the enjoyment of the evening was in some degree marred by the coldness of the room. 

Similar events were held at Castle Bytham and in 1868 they had become so popular that a series of five readings were held during the winter season, the last on 25th February when the Stamford Mercury reported:

The readers were the Rev J Wild and Messrs Pritchett and Richardson. These readings have now been continued for three years and appear more popular than ever. Certainly, the last outdid all of its predecessors in one respect because the room was more densely crowded, about 400 being present.

Readings were also held at Northorpe which possessed a lecture room in the mid-19th century. The Stamford Mercury reported on Friday 24th January 1868: 

The first of a series of readings were given on the 15th inst., to a crowded audience, Mr D Larratt in the chair. The readers were Messrs S Knipe, Tucker, T Bryan, W Tyler, J Bryan, R Peasgood and J Cuppitt. The drum and fife band was in attendance and all appeared highly pleased with the entertainment.

Large crowds also attended readings at the school rooms in Edenham and at Morton, such as this one reported by the Stamford Mercury on Friday 28th February 1868:

A reading with music and hand-bell ringing took place at Morton on Monday evening last; the Rev W Stockdale in the chair. The readers and singers were the Rev T Knapp, the Rev W Stockdale, Major Parker, Miss Parker, Miss Rodgers, Miss Mowson, Mrs W Rodgers, Messrs Frost and Flatters and the school children. Many persons were unable to obtain admission and consequently the entertainment was repeated on the following evening.

The Assembly Rooms at the Greyhound Hotel in Folkingham were another popular venue during the 19th century, usually with the rector taking the chair for programmes of vocal and instrumental music, poetry, drama and prose, and humorous items for the children. So popular did these Penny Readings become that in 1866, a local newspaper reported:

At the last penny reading here, the large room at the Greyhound Hotel was inconveniently crowded and many were greatly disappointed at being unable to obtain admission. If these readings are to be continued, it is hoped a larger building will before another season be erected, not only for this purpose but also for other parochial uses. The need for such a building has long been felt, and would add greatly to the beauty of the town, which of late years has been much improved by the erection of gas works.