Social Victorians/1887 American Exhibition/Arrived at London

The "Wild West" Arrives at the Port of London on the State of Nebraska

Logistics

• 18 April 1887

Related Events

• The American Exhibition, which opened on 6 May 1887

Prior Events

• The State of Nebraska arrives in Gravesend

Later Events

• The "Wild West" show moves to Earl's Court.

The Event Itself

The State of Nebraska Arrives at the Port of London, 18 April 1887

18 April 1887, the day after its arrival at Gravesend, the Nebraska steamed up the Thames to the Port of London, surrounded by boats, and the people, livestock, and supplies and equipment for the show were unloaded (Cody 711).

Cody's Description of the Arrival

<quote>With the assistance of our horsemen, each looking after his own horse, we were unloaded with a rapidity that astonished even the old dock hands and officials. Through the courtesy of the custom house people, there was hardly a moment's delay in the process of debarkation, but although landed in London, we were still twelve miles from our future camp. So, quickly loading our entire outfit on three trains we were very speedily delivered at the Midland railway depot, almost adjoining our grounds, and by four o'clock that afternoon the horses were in the stables, watered, fed, and bedded, camp equipage and bedding distributed; our own regular camp cooks were hastening a meal; tents were going up, stoves being erected, tables spread and set in the open air; tepees rapidly erected, and by 6 o'clock a perfect canvas city had sprung up in the heart of West-End London. The halliards of the flag staff raised the starry banner to the breeze, and as the Cowboy band rendered our national air a storm of shouts and cheers went up from the thousands that lined the walls, streets and house-tops of the surrounding neighborhoods. This was very gratifying, and in answer to these hearty plaudits we gave them "God Save the Queen," and so The Wild West and Bill Cody, of Nebraska, U. S. A., "was at home in camp in London." The first domestic episode (our camp-meal being necessarily eaten in full view of our kindly neighbors, the large dining tents not yet being up), was as novel to them, from our variegated and motley population of Indians, cowboys, scouts, Mexicans, etc., and eminently practical method of "grubbing," as the supply of fresh beef, mutton, corn-bread, ham, etc., l'Americaine was grateful to our seafaring palates. The meal was finished by seven o'clock, and by 9 p. m. the little camp was almost as complete as if it had been there for months, and its tired occupants, men, women and children, were reposing more snugly and peacefully than they had done in many weeks.</quote> ()

Who Was Present

• The members of the cast and crew who went over on The State of Nebraska

Bibliography

• Cody