System Number: 05975
Date: [22/23 July 1887?][1]
Author: JW
Place: [London]
Recipient: Queen Victoria[2]
Place: [London]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler V64
Document Type: ADd
.I
[royal coat of arms[3]]
To the Queen's most excellent Majesty
The humble and dutiful Memorial of the undersigned in behalf of a Society of Your Majesty's faithful Subjects being Artists and Patrons and Well wishers of the Arts and Artist's of your Majesty's Kingdom of Great Britain
[p. 2] [Q?]
[p. 3] . II
Humbly Showeth That Under the auspices and patronage of Your Majesty's Royal and Revered Uncle, the late Illustrious Duke of Sussex, and of other highly distinguished Patrons of the Arts there was, in the year 1823, established in your Majesty's Metropolis, an Institution for the aid and promotion of the Arts entitled "The Society of
British Artists["]
which has continued up to the present time, the great objects of the Society being to provide for meritorious artists an advantageous Exhibition of their works: for the Friends of Art a wider scope than had previously existed for the encouragement of British talent and for students the advantages of systematic and enlightened instruction
[p. 4] . III
That the recorded
That in the tenth year of your Majesty's fortunate and glorious reign, on the third day of February, your Majesty was graciously pleased upon the petition of the Members of the Society to grant to it a Royal Charter which has ever since facilitated & promoted its pursuit of the objects for which it was established.
That the name of your Majesty's Illustrious, revered and lamented Consort[4] who honoured the Exhibitions of the Society with his presence, encouraged its efforts by the purchase of works contributed by its Members, and strengthened it in common with all other influences tending to good in these realms by his wise Counsel and lofty example is enrolled by the Society with
[p. 5] V
The Countess of Arundel and Surrey[5] The Bishop of Winchester The late Lord Monson Rev S Coleridge Lord Kinnaird ...... ....... ...... .. Hon. Mrs Wilbraham Lord de Lisle
[p. 6] VII
That
The members of this Society in common with all sorts and conditions of men throughout your Majesty's world wide dominions earnestly desire to mark and in some becoming and appropriate manner their gratitude and joy upon the completion of this ever to be remembered Fiftieth Year of your Majesty's benign and beneficent sway.
May it therefore please Your Majesty graciously to accede to this Society your agust [sic] permission to take to itself wear and be henceforth known by the style and title of
[p. 7] VIII
by the style and title of The Royal
Society of British
Artist's
which shall be to us and to our succesors [sic] an undying witness of our collective and individual loyalty to Your Majesty's person and a memorial bond binding us and them to persue [sic] with undeviating and unceasing fidelity the great aims and objects for which this Society was founded as here in before set forth, and by Your Majesty's most gracious Royal Charter constituted in the earliest years of Your Majesty's most Glorious and auspicious Reign
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Notes:
1. [22/23 July 1887?]
This is one of several drafts of a Memorial sent by JW on behalf of the Society of British Artists to Queen Victoria following her Jubilee celebrations (#05970, #05971, #05972, #13099, #05975), which appear to predate Hurlbert's letter to JW on 24 July 1887 (#02213).
2. Queen Victoria
Victoria (1819-1901), Queen of Great Britain [more]. This is a draft of the SBA Address on the occasion of her Jubilee; see Draft of Address to Queen Victoria (M.1131).
3. royal coat of arms
The eight surviving pages of this draft may have been written by JW, but are not in his usual hand writing. The design for a coat of arms does appear to be by him. The sheets are each ruled, with wide margins, and it is more likely that this was drafted and later copied and illuminated by a professional writer or by Edward D. Mitchell, heraldry expert [more].
4. Consort
Prince Albert (1819-1861), the Prince Consort [more].
5. The Countess of Arundel and Surrey
These few names indicating spacing are taken from a much larger list (see #05972).