The Annual Fête of the Licensed Victuallers' School

This painting by the little known artist, EF Lambert, illustrates a fête being held at the Eyre Arms Tavern in St John's Wood on 24 June 1830. This annual event was organised to raise money for the Licensed Victuallers' School at Kennington, Lambeth. The School was established by the Society of Licensed Victuallers. The Society was founded as a charity to support members of the drinks trade in poverty, infirmity and old age. In 1803 the Society acquired premises on Kennington Lane and opened the School that year. The School was a charity for educating the children of Society members who were orphaned or destitute. When the School opened six boys and fourteen girls were admitted. There were one hundred and fifty pupils by 1830.

In the painting, the children can be seen in front of the marquee marching behind the military brass band. The children are wearing their school uniforms and a school master is shown carrying a banner bearing the school's name. The Duke of Gloucester's band performed for the crowds throughout the day and there was a fireworks display in the evening. According to the Morning Advertiser, the Society's newspaper, there were nearly two thousand people in attendance. The annual fête was subsequently held at the nearby Vauxhall Gardens in the 1840s.