Festival of Empire
festival empire biggest single event held crystal palace london since opening opened may one event celebrate coronation king george v original intention edward vii would open however postponed death shortly planned opening day festival contained display landscape exhibit british empire mainly dominion country encourage emigration nation contained large scale pageant dramatising british history described time social gathering british family encouraging firmer welding invisible bond hold together greatest empire world ever known since described ultimate imperialist propaganda showcase robert george windsorclive first earl plymouth conservative government minister managed promoted festival sub contracted event nothing crystal palace company receivership time festival empire one many imperial event staged early twentieth century britain around empire following imperial international exhibition london white city running parallel delhi durbar india following african exhibition colonial indian exhibition also took place crystal palace park festival empire staged crystal palace sydenham hill similar characteristic great exhibition palace initially built displayed array product exhibit country around world promoted western industrial culture proempire view world festival empire considerable logistical exercise exploited much latest technology time create simulation landscape around british empire british public experience home ground involved mass painted canvas relandscaped part park festival empire exhibition product country empire displayed threequarter size model parliamentary building erected ground australia – based parliament house melbourne c canada – based centre block victoria tower newfoundland – based colonial building c new zealand – based new zealand parliament building pre south africa – based house parliament cape town c building constructed timber plaster meant temporary linked electric tramway called allred route opensided car took visitor circular tour dominion typical scenery country around building listed also many exhibit within palace ornate building constructed worker one half mile track line laid mix stuffed wild animal real one real wild australian rabbit many newfoundland fish leolyn g hart theatre designer oversaw whole construction engaging painter panorama building adapted indian pavilion included display indian history daily life exhibition new bengal art work curated india society also included irish cottage village attraction named empire cave present day critic would say exoticism played integral role simulating colony especially way colonised people depicted colonial exhibit familiarised british men woman britain newly acquired distant outpost metaphorically took british men woman place never seen likelihood would never see one observer enthused east indian exhibit effect impressing every visitor importance possession great britain building festival empire linked electric tramway called allred route opensided car took visitor circular tour dominion typical scenery country display socalled native work including african tribesman malay people constructing house maori villager people invited london act scene life work mocked environment festival visitor would know little nothing people would seen demonstration scene included mannequin represent people colony seen critic today reinforcing notion primitivism route shown red map colour red pink used denote british empire dominion map time bridge small lake represented sea voyage country car may seen picture included page scene along route included south african diamond mine indian tea plantation photo included also jamaican sugar plantation australian sheep farm jungle well stocked wild beast pageant organised master pageant frank lascelles dramatising history london england empire held first performance pageant june four part performed separate day celebrated magnificence glory honour empire mother country music provided pageant london composer including ralph vaughan williams gustav holst frank bridge cecil forsyth henry balfour gardiner edward german haydn wood performed military band player chorus voice directed wh bell best architect designer day also engaged orchestration pageant edward poynter aston webb pageant successful performance extended july due end september number day lost spoilt due bad weather king day child arranged part festival child come enjoy palace festival event one day meet king member royal family also considered great organisational challenge child chosen ballot london school background part festival interempire sport championship held team australasia combined team australia new zealand canada south africa united kingdom competed five athletics event yard yard yard mile yard hurdle two swimming event yard mile heavyweight boxing middleweight wrestling regarded forerunner british empire game commonwealth game held famous competitor included stanley vivian bacon great britain harold hardwick australia malcolm champion new zealand george hodgson john lindsay tait canada limited event schedule fournation format came criticism correspondent auckland star described worthy title empire result source team championship athletics decided point basis country finishing position race totalling combined score canada lowest score eight point topped podium three five event awarded interempire trophy lord lonsdale united kingdom ended nine point australasia third point australasia team combined new zealand victoria athlete three scratch competition held alongside championship proper mile race yard race twomile team race ron opie ran sprint teammate william woodger took ill event could compete time closed october four five million people visited festival empire including one million see pageant however clocked massive loss £ – debt borne festival private backer crystal palace company meanwhile company receivership date auction site set november festival might well last dramatic event site land parcelled sold housing fortunately lord plymouth arranged share offer including £ save site event greatly praised newspaper day impressed sheer scale ambition globe newspaper reported may nothing like festival attempted nation pall mall gazette opined ground transformed aladinlike glittering group white pavilion like cluster snowy peak recast mold beauty geographical significance daily telegraph reported never homekeeping londoner afforded opportunity realising varied aspect different part empire present day critic question festival empire colonial event regarding depiction colony colonised people critically examined relation great exhibition way othered colonised ethnic group strengthen british national identity although festival empire claimed opportunity admire seek amusement charm wealth wonder empire girdle globe – written official flyer – recent year question around mode ethic showcased dominion questioned event promoting “firmer welding invisible bond hold together greatest empire world” yet account recognise underlying tension antipathy festival little bridge gap class festival empire event crystal palace served integrate segregate reflected reinforced hierarchy within british society also served facilitator upholding primitivism inaccurate representation people orient continent africa oceania use exhibition human model arranged visual narrative latham deemed representative ethnic trait promoted reinforced idea looked like africa india people commonly described primitive cannibal saved act colonisation written exhibiting empire culture display visitor encouraged compare people display note progress relatively lowly state human race festival empire pageant london bemrose son london souvenir book page edited sophie c lomas master pageant frank lascelles souvenir book digitized postcard history commonwealth game commonwealth game council england history commonwealth game australian commonwealth game association medallist game top page article empire game mentioning event held