232 EEPOET or THE COMMITTEE. 



OPENING CEREMONY. 



The Museum was formally opened to the public by His Royal 

 Highness the Prince of Wales on the 20th August, 1884, by 

 the express desire and arrangement of Sir William and Lady 

 Armstrong. Though a short time only was devoted by His 

 Eoyal Highness to this duty, yet the Museum was filled with a 

 very gay assemblage of the members and friends of the Society 

 to welcome their Eoyal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of 

 Wales, Prince Edward Victor, Prince George, and their Suite, 

 Sir William and Lady Armstrong and party, and the Mayor and 

 Corporation of Newcastle. After inspecting under the guidance 

 of Mr. John Hancock some of his unrivalled groups of birds, the 

 Prince, at Sir William's request, formally declared the Museum 

 open. Afterwards the Royal Party retired to the Ladies' Room, 

 which had been elegantly furnished and decorated gratuitously 

 for this occasion by Messrs. Robson and Sons and Mr. G. G. 

 Laidler, in the West Wing. Their Royal Highnesses signed 

 the Yisitor's Book, and partook of Coffee, kindly provided by 

 Miss Watson, Millfield House. The Committee were greatly in- 

 debted for the advice and assistance of the following gentlemen : 

 Messrs. G. A. Penwick, H. IST. Middleton, G. H.Philipson, M.D., 

 P. Page, M.D., T. Morgan, members of the Society, who most 

 obligingly rendered every assistance to the General Committee, 

 and enabled them to carry out with greater precision the neces- 

 sary arrangements for the Opening Ceremony. 



Some months after the completion and formal opening of the 

 main portion of the Building Mr. Hancock announced to the 

 Committee that a friend had offered the loan of £3000, on con- 

 dition that the West Corridor be commenced with at once. This 

 generous offer was accepted and ratified by the General Committee 

 in June, 1885, and tenders were obtained by Mr. P. W. Rich, 

 who was appointed Architect for the West Corridor. It was 

 agreed by the Committee to accept Mr. Walter Scott's tender, 

 and include in It the contracts for the whole work for the sum 

 of £3164 15s. 3d. All the work connected with the erection 

 of the Building was finished in December, 1886, but there 



