Mary Berry in The Magdalen Hospital, Southwark - 14 April, 1811, in the afternoon

from Diary of Mary Berry, 14 April 1811, page 472:

After five, went to the Magdalen. We got there early, before the chapel was a third part full; but before the service began it was full in every part, containing, I suppose, at least six or seven hundred people. Everything about it very decent, and well kept and ordered. It was well lighted up with no less than ninety-six spermaceti candles. The preaching not good; the singing of the hymns and psalms from the women behind the high screen of green stuff, which entirely hides them from the audience, agreeable and affecting; indeed, I think the Evening Hymn always so. One or …   more >>

cite as

Mary Berry, Diary of Mary Berry, 14 April 1811. In Lady Theresa Lewis (ed.), Extracts of the Journal and Correspondence of Miss Berry from the Year 1783 to 1852, volume 2 (London, 1865), p. 472. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1542106491085 accessed: 25 April, 2024

location of experience: The Magdalen Hospital, Southwark

Listeners

Mary Berry
Author, literary hostess, Playwright
1763-1852

Listening to

hide composers
hymns and psalms performed by the choir of the Magdalen Hospital
Evening Hymn performed by Choir of the Magdalen Hospital

Experience Information

Date/Time 14 April, 1811, in the afternoon
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Notes

The Magdalen Hospital was a home for the rehabilitation of 'penitent prostitutes'. Founded in 1758, it moved to premises in Southwark in 1772, where its octagonal chapel became a fashionable place of worship, and the money raised in collections provided useful funds for the Hospital.


Originally submitted by lcc5 on Tue, 13 Nov 2018 10:54:52 +0000
Approved on Sun, 02 Dec 2018 09:08:52 +0000