The Autumn Exhibition was very good in quality, and the Art 

 Union in connection with it realised ^105 6s. 



In the Spring Exhibition, a number of Continental pictures were 

 again added, much to the improvement of the collection, and the thanks 

 of the Committee are due to the proprietors of the Hanover Gallery 

 for kindly lending these from their collection. Special thanks are also 

 due to H. Evans Broad, Esq., M.P., for the loan of the fine picture 

 presented to him, and painted by Professor Herkomer, R.A. 



The Summer Exhibition consisted of pictures kindly lent by private 

 owners, mostly residing in this neighbourhood, and proved a great 

 success. The Committee are under obligation to those gentlemen who 

 so kindly responded to their request for loans, and, as the experiment 

 was so successful, they, when a sufficient time has elapsed, hope to 

 repeat it. Among those residing at a distance who kindly contributed 

 were John Aird, Esq., M.P., J. Fellows, Esq. (of West Bromwich), E. 

 M. Kidd, Esq. (of Nottingham), Mrs. W. J. Smith (of Lichfield), Messrs. 

 A. and F. Pears, and the Proprietors of the "Graphic." 



The Exhibition now in progress has thus far been very satisfactory, 

 no fewer than 8,100 visitors having passed the turnstiles during the 

 four weeks it has been open. It may be mentioned that, as a proof of 

 the growing estimation in which the Gallery is held by artists, the 

 Hanging Committee had about seven hundred pictures submitted to 

 them for this Exhibition, but the space at their disposal only allowed 

 of about four hundred and thirty being selected. 



The annual change of objects on loan from the South Kensington 

 Museum took place at the usual time, and the cases now contain some 

 excellent specimens of wrought iron work, potter)-, and electrotypes of 

 armour. The Committee desire to acknowledge the readiness with which 

 any suggestion they make as to suitable objects for loan is acted upon by 

 the Museum authorities, and anxiety evinced to send such objects as may 

 be useful to the various industries of the town and neighbourhood. 



The eighth season of Promenade Concerts, organised by the Curator, 

 took place during last winter. Eighteen Concerts were held, attended 

 by over 3,400 persons, and yielded, as usual, a substantial profit. As 

 a new feature, three Literary evenings were introduced in the series, 

 when short lectures were given by the Curator on the life and works of 

 Tennyson, Longfellow, and Shakespeare, and were interspersed with 

 musical illustrations. The Lectures having proved so successful, further 



