The Guildhall has hosted some of the city’s most lavish social occasions.
Food, drink, and hospitality have long been a central part of the Guildhall story. From the 1730s the mayor’s Mansion House held weekly banquets for the city, but the most lavish affairs took place in the Guildhall itself. Perhaps the biggest banquet that York has ever seen was held during the visit of Prince Albert in 1850.
The menu and meal was arranged by the leading celebrity chef of the day, Alexis Soyer. Five long tables were provided for 248 diners, including the mayors of all the northern cities and towns. The hall was decked with hangings, artificial lighting, and huge sculptures surrounded by piles of fruit and flowers.
The 72 dishes included peacock, turtle, and two giant pineapples. The grand centrepiece was the ‘Hundred Guinea Dish’ which sat on the royal table, consisting of the choicest parts from over 450 different birds, arranged on cocktail sticks around the heads and fins of five giant turtles.
The level of extravagance may seem shocking today, but as a display of York’s importance, and the wealth of the northern towns in Victorian England, it was unrivalled. Detailed illustrations accompanied glowing reports in the national newspapers, giving us a glimpse into this astonishing use of the Guildhall.
