The Royal Albert Hall complete with red London buses and
flag waving visitors.
At the suggestion of Prince Albert proceeds from the
Great Exhibition of 1851 were used to purchase land in south Kensington. The
intention was to create museums, libraries and a hall. In 1863 money to build
the hall was raised by selling 999 year leaseholds on seats costing £100 each.
This proved very popular and 1,300 were sold.
The building was designed by Captain Francis Fowke and
Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Darracott. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on
20 May 1867 and surprised everyone present when she decided to call it the
Royal Albert Hall.
The hall holds 8,000 seats and had the reputation as the
only auditorium were a musician could hear his music twice as the acoustics
were so bad. This was finally resolved in 1968 when large saucers were hung
from the ceiling. Many famous composers have performed in the Albert hall, such
as Richard Wagner (1877) and since 1941 have held the annual Sir Henry Wood
Promenade Concerts.
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