June 1881

In June 1881, the first ball was held for the Chelsea Hospital for Women. The Hall was transformed into an English village for the Old English Fayre.

February 1883

A fancy dress ball in aid of the Bolingbroke House Pay Hospital.

11 July 1883

The Savage Club Entertainment in aid of the Royal College of Music was held on 11 July 1883. Those attending went to great lengths to ensure their costumes were as authentic as possible. Peace pipes were smoked, and wild dancing went on until dawn.

Around 1884

The cover of sheet music from around 1884 showing the Royal Horticultural  Gardens with the Hall in the background, and a canal in the foreground.  There is a river running beneath the Hall which used to provide water for the  Hall and gardens.

1886

Adelina Patti in 1886. She first sang at the Hall in June 1882, but it was in  1886 that her long association with the Hall really began, ending with her  official  farewell performance here on 1 December 1906.

March 1889

In aid of The West End Hospital, an Ice Carnival was held in March 1889 in the arena, featuring an ice palace of Montreal, snow shoe races for adults and children, comic skaters and a fancy bazaar.

5 May 1890

On the evening of Monday 5 May 1890 the Royal Geographical Society held  a meeting to receive the explorer Henry Morton Stanley on his return from  Africa.

July 1891

The visit of the German Emperor, July 1891, seen here seated in the Queen's box. Her box is the only double box in the Hall.

December 1894

The Truth Toy Show in December 1894. This annual show was organised by the Truth weekly magazine, where huge numbers of dolls, toy soldiers and  cuddly toys were exhibited, a prize being presented for the best dressed doll. The toys were then distributed to children in hospital.

9 June 1903

Four thousand people attended, many having paid ten times the ticket price of a guinea for this charity event. The Hall was festooned with roses, and an international quadrille was danced  by eight sets, dressed to represent the great nationalities of the world.

2 July 1904

On 2 July 1904 there was held a demonstration of Greco-Roman wrestling between the Estonian George Hackenschmidt, who lived most of his life in London and American champion Tom Jenkins, Hackenschmidt winning the purse of 2,500 pounds.

1906

The Central School of Speech and Drama was founded at the Hall in 1906 in what was the West Theatre – now the Elgar Room. Famous actors such as Laurence Olivier, Peggy Ashcroft, Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench trained at the Hall. In 1957 the Central School transferred to its present home in The Embassy Theatre.

1 December 1906

A poster announcing the farewell appearance of Adelina Patti on 1 December  1906.

1907 - 1913

The Civil Engineers Conversaziones were held at the Hall from 1907 – 1913,  the set demonstrating the early versatility of the Hall as a venue.

5 December 1908

On 5 December 1908 Lloyd George, the Chancellor, addressed a meeting of  the Women’s Liberal Federation. Although he delivered a speech largely in  favour of votes for women, the more militant suffragettes constantly  interrupted. A Miss Ogston, who was seated in a Second Tier box and who  alleged she had been burnt by a lighted cigar and suffered a blow to the  chest,  defended herself with a dog whip. She was eventually removed by  stewards.

1909

Two Welsh National Eisteddfodau were held at the Hall, one in 1887, one in 1909. In 1887 Prince Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales attended and in 1909, with the Prime Minister Asquith as guest speaker, suffragettes used this chance to cause disruption.

18 December 1909

On 18 December 1909 a  marathon of 26 miles 385 yards or 524 circuits of  the arena was run by Londoner C W Gardiner and Italian Dorando Pietri. Pietri retired in the 482nd lap; Gardiner completed the race in 2 hours and 37  minutes.

Around 1910

An early photograph of the exterior of the Hall taken around 1910. The  chimney in the centre of the photograph was built around 1883-1887 with designs by Henry Y D Scott, the Royal Engineer who was the main architect of  the Hall, in order to serve the flues; it replaced another that was further south- west. It sits above the main steam boilers and is still in use  today, carrying  CO2 from the boilers. The chimney is a listed building along with the Hall.

22 February 1911

Since the turn of the century, the Chelsea Arts Ball was held by local artists on Mardi Gras, initially in their Chelsea Studios, then at Chelsea Town Hall and later Covent Garden.

As the  event became more popular, in 1910 it was moved to the Royal Albert Hall.  Originally held in March, the date was eventually changed to New Year's Eve and the Balls were renowned for their exuberance and extravaganza. Unfortunately the high spirits  got out of hand in 1958, when a smoke bomb was thrown and several revellers needed treatment. The Ball was banned until a revival in 1984/5 by the Chelsea Arts Club.

The event was themed each year, e.g. Old English in 1914, Prehistoric in 1920, Looking Backwards in 1935 and in 1950 The Crystal Festival. Art schools participated by  decorating floats, which were driven on to the Great Floor and demolished at midnight. Dancing, dining and drinking continued until the early hours, and  fancy dress or evening dress  essential although nudity was not unheard of.

20 June 1911

For the Shakespeare Ball of 20 June 1911, designer Sir Edwin Lutyens transformed the interior of the Hall into an idyllic Italian garden with pillars, clipped yew trees, vine clad bowers, grassy slopes and a brilliant blue sky. Crowned heads of Europe dressed in Elizabethan costume danced until dawn.