Social Victorians/1887 American Exhibition/Command Performances

Command Performances for Queen Victoria at Earl's Court and at Windsor Castle

Related Events

• The American Exhibition, which opened on 6 May 1887

Prior Events

• Shooting Match between Annie Oakley and Michael, Grand Duke of Russia

The Command Performance at Earl's Court

12 May 1887, The Wild West show did a private command performance for Queen Victoria at Earl's Court (Kasson 79).

Logistics

• 12 May 1887
• Earl's Court
• The show was shortened to accommodate Victoria's visit.

Victoria recorded her impressions in her journal

— Hurried back & took a cup of tea before to Earl's Court, where we saw a very extraordinary & interesting sight a performance of "Buffalo Bill's" "Wild" "West". We sat in a box in large semi-circle. It is an amphitheatre with a large open space, all the seats being under cover. All the different people, wild, painted Red Indians from America, on their wild hare backed horse, of different tribes, — cow boys, Mexicans, &c. all came tearing round at full speed, shrieking &screaming, which had the weirdest effect. An attack on a coach, & on a ranch, with an immense deal of firing, was most exciting, so was the buffalo hunt, & the bucking ponies, that were almost impossible to sit. The cow boys, are fine looking people, but the painted Indians, with their feathers, & wild dress (very little of it) were rather alarming looking, & they have cruel faces. A young girl, who went through [217/218] the "haute école", certainly sat the most marvellous plunges beautifully, sitting quite erect, & being completely master of her horse. There were 2 other girls, who shot with unvarying aim at glass halls. Col: Cody "Buffalo Bill", as he is called, from having killed 300 buffaloes, with his own hand, is a splendid man, handsome, & gentlemanlike in manner. He has had many encounters & hand to hand fights with the Red Indians, Their War Dance, to a wild drum & pipe, was quite fearful, with all their contortions &shrieks, & they came so close. "Red Shirt" the Chief of the Sioux tribe, was presented to me & so were the Squaws, with their papooses (children), who shook hands with me, Lorne had met me, & presented the different gentlemen of the Executive Council. The performance ended, we drove straight to Paddington Station & returned to Windsor, getting there by ½ p. 7. — (Wednesday, 11 May 1887 [?])

Cody on Victoria's visit

Because William F. Cody was such a self-promoting, racist liar, it is always wise to take what he says critically.

VISIT OF QUEEN VICTORIA.

"By command of Her Majesty, the Queen" — it must be understood, that the Queen never requests, desires, or invites, even her own Prime Minister to her own dinner-table, but "commands" invariably — a special performance was given by the Wild West, the understanding being that Her Majesty and suite would take a private view of the performance. The Queen, ever since the death of her husband, nearly thirty years ago, has cherished an invincible objection to appearing before great assemblages of her subjects. She visits her Parliament seldom; the theaters never. Her latest knowledge of her greatest actors and actresses has been gained from private performances at Windsor, whither they have been "commanded" to entertain her, and that at very infrequent intervals. But as with Mahomet and the mountain, the Wild West was altogether too colossal to take to Windsor, and so the Queen came to the Wild West — an honor of which I was the more deeply sensible on account of its unique and unexampled character. I am bound to say that the whole troupe, myself included, felt highly complimented; the public would hardly believe it, and if bets had been made at the clubs, the odds on a rank outsider in the Derby would have been nothing to the amount that would have been bet that it was a Yankee hoax. Her Majesty would arrive, I was informed, at five o'clock, and would require to see everything in an hour. A soldier is frequently ordered to accomplish the impossible — I had been tolerably used to that sort of thing, and have knocked the impossible stiff and cold on more than one occasion; but this was a poser. We would do our best and acquit ourselves like men and women; and that was all that could be said about it. We erected a dais for Her Majesty and had a box specially constructed, draped with crimson velvet and decorated with orchids, leaving plenty of accommodation for the attendant notables. All was made as bright and cheerful as possible, and these preparations completed we waited, very much in frame of mind like a lot of school boys attending an examination.

HER MAJESTY SALUTES THE AMERICAN FLAG.

With royal punctuality the sovereign lady and her suite rolled up in their carriages, drove round the arena in state, and dismounted at the entrance to the box. The august company included, besides her Majesty, their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg, the Marquis of Lorne, the Dowager Duchess of Athole and the Hon. Ethel Cadogan, Sir Henry and Lady Ponsonby, General Lynedoch Gardiner, Colonel Sir Henry Ewart, Lord Ronald Gower and a collection of uniformed celebrities and brilliantly attired fair ladies who formed a veritable parterre of living flowers around the temporary throne. During our introduction a very notable incident occurred, sufficient to send the blood surging through every American's veins at Niagara speed. As usual in our entertainment, the American flag, carried by a graceful, well-mounted horseman, was introduced, with the statement that it was "an emblem of peace and friendship to all the world." As the standard-bearer waved the proud emblem above his head, Her Majesty rose from her seat and bowed deeply and impressively towards the banner. The whole court party rose, the ladies bowed, the generals present saluted, and the English noblemen took off their hats. Then — we couldn't help it — but there arose such a genuine heart-stirring American yell from our company as seemed to shake the sky. It was a great event. For the first time in history, since the Declaration of Independence, a sovereign of Great Britain had saluted the star spangled banner, and that banner was carried by a member of Buffalo Bill's Wild West! All present were constrained to feel that here was an outward and visible sign of the extinction of that mutual prejudice, sometimes almost amounting to race hatred, that has severed the two nations from the times of Washington and George the Third to the present day. We felt that the hatchet was buried at last and the Wild West had been at the funeral.

PRESENTED TO THE QUEEN.

Under the stimulus of the Queen's presence, the performance was admirably given. The whole company seemed infected with a determination to excel themselves. Personally I missed not a single shot; the young ladies excelled themselves in the same line; the charges on the Indians were delivered with a terrific vim; and the very bucking horses seemed to buck like steam-engines under the influence of that half minute of excitement. But perhaps this last may have been fancy. Better than all, the Queen not only abandoned her original intention of remaining to see only the first acts, but saw the whole thing through, and wound up with a "command" that Buffalo Bill should be presented to her. Her compliments, deliberate and unmeasured, modesty forbids me to repeat.

A kindly little lady, not five feet in height, but every inch a gracious queen. I had the pleasure of presenting Miss Lilian Smith, the mechanism of whose Winchester repeater was explained; to Her Majesty, who takes a remarkable interest in fire-arms. Young California spoke up gracefully and like a little woman. Then Nate Salsbury was commanded to the presence and introduced, and took his blushing honors with all the grace of the polished American gentleman he is. Next came Red Shirt, gorgeous in his war-paint and most splendiferous feather trappings. His proud bearing seemed to fetch the royal party immensely, and when he quietly declared that "he had come a long way to see Her Majesty, and felt glad," and strolled abruptly away with dignity spread all over him three inches thick, the Queen smiled appreciatively, as who should say, "I know a real Duke when I see him." Finally two squaws were summoned, and came racing across the arena, their little brown papooses slung behind them. Upon these royalty, unbending, "rained gracious influence." The papooses were handed up for inspection, and behaved themselves nicely while Her Majesty petted them. And so the Queen's visit came to an end, with a last command, expressed through Sir Henry Ponsonby, that a record of all she had seen should be sent on to Windsor. A great occasion, of which the mental photograph will long remain with me. (Cody 734–738)

In his Autobiography Cody tells the story of Victoria saluting the American flag in a slightly different way

One of the first acts in the performance was to carry the flag to the front. This was done by a soldier [Civil War veteran XXXX]. Walking around the arena, he offered the Stars and Stripes as an emblem of the friendship of America to all the world. One this occasion he carried the flag directly to the royal box, and dipped it three times before the Queen. Absolute silence fell over the great throng. Then the Queen rose and saluted the flag with a bow, her suite following her example. There was a wild cheer from everyone in the show, Indians included, and soon all the audience was on its feet, cheering and waving flags and handkerchiefs. (152)

According to Isabelle S. Sayers, at the command performance for Victoria

<quote>when Buffalo Bill presented Annie Oakley, the Queen said, "You are a very, very clever little girl." The other markswoman, young Lillian [sic] Smith, and several Indians were also presented. </quote> (27)

21 May 1887, Ronald Gower's description of Queen Victoria visit to the Wild West

Gower used the racist language common to his time and class, and I repeat it here as part of the quotation.

The 21st of May saw the crowning honour to the Exhibition by the Queen's visit, who arrived soon after five P.M. with the Battenbergs. I had to present the American President of the Exhibition, Colonel Russell, and Mr Whitley, the Director-General, to Her Majesty, and the Secretaries, Messrs Speed and Applin.

Some of us went in the Deadwood Coach, which, driven at a great rate round the arena, is attacked by mounted Indians, and much firing takes place from within and outside that vehicle.

The Queen seemed delighted with the performance; she looked radiant. At the close of the performance, Buffalo Bill, at Her Majesty's desire, was presented, as well as the Indian Chief, "Red Skin," [Should be "Red Shirt."] and two of the Squaws with their "papooses," whose little painted faces the Queen stroked. I hope that Melton Prior, who was there, will make a drawing of that scene, as it would make quite a pretty picture. Her Majesty, who had driven into the Exhibition in a carriage-and-four, with outriders in scarlet, left soon after six en route for Windsor. (55–56)

"The Queen at the American Exhibition" in the Illustrated London News of 21 May 1887

The visit of her Majesty, on Wednesday week, to the Great American Exhibition in West London, where a private afternoon performance of the "Wild West" entertainment was prepared exclusively for the Royal party, has already been noticed. The Queen and her suite arrived at the Earl's Court-road entrance shortly after five o'clock, and drove through the stables and round the arena to a box specially constructed, and draped with crimson velvet. Her Majesty was accompanied by their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess Henry of Battenbert, and was attended by the Dowager Duchess of Athole and the Hon. Ethel Cadogan, Sir Henry and Lady Ponsonby, General Lynedoch Gardiner, and Colonel Sir Henry Ewart. Before the performance commenced, the Marquis of Lorne presented to her Majesty the President of the American Exhibition, Colonel H. S. Russell; the Director-General, Mr. John Robinson Whitley; and Mr. Vincent Applin, the secretary of the association. The following gentlemen connected with the executive staff were also present: — Lord Ronald Gower, Colonel Hughes-Hallett, M.P., Mr. John Priestman, Mr. Leigh Thornton, Colonel Griffen, Mr. J. Gilmour Speed, Mr. Frederick Penfield, Mr. A. Pickard, Mr. W. Goldring, Mr. Rufus M. Smith, Mr. Townsend Percy, Dr. Bidluck, and Mr. John Sartain. Her Majesty was graciously pleased to accept a bouquet of exotics from Miss Whitley, daughter of the Director-General. The performance of the "Wild West" greatly interested the Queen, who at its conclusion commanded the Hon. W. F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill," to be presented to her, and expressed to him her entire satisfaction with all she had seen. The Queen also spoke a few kind words to Miss Lilian Smith and Miss Annie Oakley, whose dexterous performances she had admired; and Miss Smith showed her Majesty the rifle used in her shooting act. Mr. Nat Salesbury, manager of the "Wild West," was next presented, and at her Majesty's request he sent for two squaws, who came to her running across from the encampment with their papooses slung behind them. The Queen before leaving spoke a few words, through an interpreter, with "Red Shirt," a Sioux chief, whose stately demeanour, with his quiet assurance that he had come a long way to see her Majesty and was well pleased to behold her, was duly appreciated. Her Majesty expressed to the President and Director of the Exhibition her desire to return on a future occasion and see the fine art and other galleries of the Exhibition. The Queen and her suite left the Exhibition grounds at a quarter past six o'clock. An immense crowd had assembled in the Earl's Court-road, and cheered heartily as the Royal carriages drove away. ("The Queen at the American Exhibition." Illustrated London News (London, England), Saturday, May 21, 1887; pg. 569; Issue 2509, Col. B)

Black Elk describes Victoria's visit

In Black Elk Speaks, Black Elk begins by saying that the members of the show stayed in Earl's Court for about 6 months. The land Grandmother England's land where the Sioux went after Crazy Horse's death is Canada. The Wasichus are the white people:

We stayed in this place six moons; and many, many people came to see the show.

One day we were told that Majesty was coming. I did not know what that was at first, but I learned afterward. It was Grandmother England (Queen Victoria), who owned Grandmother's Land where we lived awhile after the Wasichus murdered Crazy Horse.

She came to the show in a big shining wagon, and there were soldiers on both sides of her, and many other shining wagons came too. That day other people could not come to the show — just Grandmother England and some people who came with her.

Sometimes we had to shoot in the show, but this time we did not shoot at all. We danced and sang, and I was one of the dancers chosen to do this for the Grandmother, because I was young and limber then and could dance many ways. We stood right in front of Grandmother England. She was little but fat and we liked her, because she was good to us. After we had danced, she spoke to us. She said something like this: "I am sixty-seven years old. All over the world I have seen all kinds of people; but to-day I have seen the best-looking people I know. If you belonged to me, I would not let them take you around in a show like this." She said other good things too, and then she said we must come to see her, because she had come to see us. She shook hands with all of us. Her hand was very little and soft. We gave a big cheer for her, and then the shining wagons came in and she got into one of them and they all went away. (224–225)

Black Elk provides a slightly more detailed description of the command performance in Earl's Court in a later book, Sixth Grandfather

In the show we had to shoot at times, but this time we were not allowed to shoot. We danced the Omaha grass dance then. I was one of the five dancers at this dance. We stood right in front of Grandmother England. I was a boy now and so I was a pretty good dancer. We danced the best we knew how. I was limber at this time and I could dance many ways. After the show was over they put all of us Indians in a row according to size. I was next to the youngest boys and girls. Then Grandmother England came out and shook hands with us. She made a speech, saying that she was seventy-five years old. She said: "All over the world I have seen all kinds of people, and I have seen all kinds of countries too and I've heard about America as being a great country. Also I have heard about some people that were in America and I heard that they called them American Indians. Now I have seen them today. America is a good country and I have seen all kinds of people, but today I have seen the best looking people — the Indians. I am very glad to see them. If I owned you Indians, you good-looking people, I would never take you around in a show like this. You have a Grandfather over there who takes care of you ..., [sic] but he shouldn't allow this, for he owns you, for the white people to take you around as beasts to show to the people.30 (["DeMallie, Sixth Grandfather, 249–50. See also Neihardt, Black Elk Speaks, 225, for a variation of the speech given by the queen. Napier, in "Across the Big Water," 387, quotes from the Neihardt-edited text of the speech." Moses 293 n. 30)] (qtd in Moses 53)

The column "The Court" from the 14 May 1887 Illustrated London News reports merely that Victoria attended

On Wednesday the Queen went to Westminster Abbey and inspected the preparations being made for the special service at the Jubilee celebration on June 21; then saw a private performance of "The Wild West," at the American Exhibition; subsequently returning to Windsor Castle. (“The Court.” Illustrated London News (London, England), Saturday, May 14, 1887; pg. 540; Issue 2508, Col. A)

Who Was Present

• Queen Victoria
• the Dowager Duchess of Athole (Cody 735)
• Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg
• the Hon. Ethel Cadogan
• Colonel Sir Henry Ewart (Cody 735)
• General Lynedoch Gardiner (Cody 735)
• the Marquis of Lorne
• Sir Henry and Lady Ponsonby (Cody 735)
• Lord Ronald Gower
• "a collection of uniformed celebrities and brilliantly attired fair ladies who formed a veritable parterre of living flowers around the temporary throne," at the show Victoria saw (Cody 735)

The Command Performance at Windsor Castle

Logistics

• 22 June 1887
• Windsor Castle
• The show was shortened to about an hour.

Prior Events

• 20 June 1887: Guests of Victoria's Jubilee visit the Wild West

The Troupe Walked to the Castle from the Train Station

Queen Victoria commanded a performance of the "Wild West" at Windsor Castle on 22 June. The performers seem to have taken the train to Windsor, gotten off at Windsor Station and walked to the castle. According to Moses,

Queen Victoria saw the exhibition again by special arrangement on June 22. The Lord High Chamberlain had informed the troupe of the queen's royal command to perform the Wild West at Windsor castle, twenty-two miles from London. At Windsor station, the Show Indians formed a double file and walked through the village. (55)

Black Elk Described Meeting Queen Victoria at This Performance As Well

It sounds from Black Elk's description that they rode in carriages at least part of the way to the space set up for the performance. He describes this performance as well, having already described the command performance Victoria attended on the Exhibition grounds:

In about a half-moon after that [after the prior command performance] we went to see the Grandmother. They put us in some of those shining wagons and took us to a very beautiful place where there was a very big house with sharp, pointed towers on it. There were many seats built high in a circle, and these were just full of Wasichus who were all pounding their heels and yelling: "Jubilee! Jubilee! Jubilee!" I never heard what this meant.

They put us together in a certain place at the bottom of the seats. First there appeared a beautiful black wagon with two black horses, and it went all around the show place. I heard that the Grandmother's grandson, a little boy, was in that wagon. Next came a beautiful black wagon with four gray horses. On each of the two right hand horses there was a rider, and a man walked, holding the front left hand horse. I heard that some of Grandmother's relatives were in this wagon. Next came eight buckskin horses, two by two, pulling a shining black wagon. There was a rider on each right-hand horse and a man walked, holding the front left hand horse. There were soldiers, with bayonets, facing outward all around this wagon. Now all the people in the seats were roaring and yelling "Jubilee!" and "Victoria!" Then we saw Grandmother England again. She was sitting in the back of the wagon and two women sat in the front, facing her. Her dress was all shining and her hat was all shining and her wagon was all shining and so were the horses. She looked like a fire coming.

Afterward I heard that there was yellow and white metal all over the horses and the wagon.

When she came to where we were, her wagon stopped and she stood up. Then all those people stood up and roared and bowed to her; but she bowed to us. We sent up a great cry and our women made the tremolo. The people in the crowd were so excited that we heard some of them got sick and fell over. Then when it was quiet, we sang a song to the Grandmother. That was a very happy time.

We liked Grandmother England, because we could see that she was a fine woman, and she was good to us. Maybe if she had been our Grandmother, it would have been better for our people. (Black Elk 225–227)

Bibliography

• Black Elk and John Neihardt. Black Elk Speaks.
• Black Elk and DeMallie. Sixth Grandfather.
• Cody, William F. Autobiography.
• "The Court." Illustrated London News (London, England), Saturday, May 14, 1887; pg. 540; Issue 2508, Col. A.
• Gower.
• Kasson
• Moses
• "The Queen at the American Exhibition." Illustrated London News (London, England), Saturday, May 21, 1887; pg. 569; Issue 2509, Col. B.
• Sayers, Isabelle S.
• Victoria, Queen. Journals.