Published in Windlesora 09 (1990)
© WLHG
In 1866 an English Volunteer Force paid a visit to Belgium where they were royally entertained by the King and people. The following year in July the Belgian Volunteers were invited for a return visit. A programme of entertainments, under the patronage of the Prince of Wales, was drawn up which included a visit to Windsor. The visit took place on 16th July when, unfortunately, the Queen had to be absent from the Castle as she was due to attend a Naval Review with the Sultan of Turkey, who was also on a visit to England.
Windsor received the Belgian Volunteers with great enthusiasm as is shown by the report published in The Times :
‘At 10 in the morning the men began to muster in the neighbourhood of the Waterloo and Victoria Railway stations. The troops got there how they could, and were then formed in detachments. At a few minutes before 11 o’clock two long and well-filled trains left the Waterloo terminus, and within an hour after two others were despatched from Victoria. Arrived at Windsor the Belgians were received by the Mayor and Corporation, wearing their robes of office, and a guard of honour composed of the Windsor and Maidenhead company of the Berkshire Rifles. The band of this corps preceded the foreign riflemen and played them up to the Castle. Unfortunately, just as the principal column set out heavy rain began to fall and the weather continued wet till about 3 o’clock in the afternoon. but the weather did not appear to interfere much with the general rejoicings throughout the town. Directly the troops began their march the chimes in the Belfry Tower commenced to ring out, and the people at once set up a cheer which continued almost unbroken till Henry the Eighth’s Gate was reached. The windows were filled with spectators, flags floated over the heads of the men, and the Belgian colours were displayed in various devices.’
The men, over 2,000 in number, were taken over St George’s Chapel, where they were first shown the statue of King Leopold I of the Belgians executed by the sculptor Boehm for Queen Victoria. They also saw the monument to Princess Charlotte, the King’s first wife. After this they went through the State Apartments where, The Times rather condescendingly reports: ‘Nothing could have been more creditable than their behaviour during their passage through the various rooms. There was no confusion, no pushing, no loud talk; nor was any one of them seen to lay a finger on any article of furniture or any work of art’.
They were then escorted to the Royal Riding School for dinner. The building had been decorated to present ‘a substantial elegant appearance. The walls were nearly covered with draperies and festooned in Belgian colours. From the roof of the Riding School a number of large wire baskets were suspended, and these were filled with evergreens which hung nearly to the tables. Amid the viands at intervals of a few feet were stands, in which were placed pots with choice flowers. There were many hundreds of dishes filled with grapes of extraordinary size and richness, and a regal profusion of fowls, meats, pastry, jellies etc‘. Mr Staples of the Albion Tavern supplied the enormous quantity of food consumed while the wines came from the Queen’s cellars. After the dinner there were speeches and toasts and, at the mention of the Queen’s name, the Belgians indulged in ‘the loudest, longest and heartiest cheering ever heard in Windsor’, according to an account in Annual Register, and jumped on their chairs waving their napkins and glasses. It appears to have taken the combined efforts of the Burgomaster of Brussels, who had accompanied them, and their officers to induce them to descend and cease cheering while the remainder of the toast was given.
After more cheering and walking around the Castle grounds for some time, the Belgians finally left there just before 6 o’clock, returning through the town to the Station. At the sound of their buglers, the men collected and, led by the band, marched out of the Castle, to the ringing of bells from the Curfew Tower.
‘As the Riflemen approached the gate by which they had entered they felt much flattered at finding a double line of the Fusileer Guards presenting arms. They returned the compliment by removing their shakoes and giving the Fusileers a hearty cheer’. Even larger crowds than had welcomed them were in the town to bid the Volunteers farewell . Carriages with ladies and gentlemen seated in them lined the roadway , while people stood on the balconies of the hotels and at their windows waving flags and handkerchiefs, and the soldiers on guard at the Castle lined the wall overlooking the High Street. The Volunteers reached the station through the cheering crowds and returned to London in four special trains.
E. H. Cuthbert
Windsor Local History Group 