THE CHRISTMAS SHOW.
The Christmas ‟show”—which now forms one of the items of the Christmas agenda—took place on Thursday last, and was by no means inferior to those of former years. The number of ‟prize beasts” brought to Portsmouth might have been less than usual; but the quality of the meat had not deteriorated, and neither the butcher nor consumer is likely to suffer from the circumstance referred to. The shops have been well filled with meat of an excellent description, for which there has been an active demand, and good prices (for the butcher, at all events) have been realised. The grocers and provision merchants no longer have a ‟show,” but the drapers adhere to the ‟good old custom,” and the dresses, bonnets, mantles, and other articles of feminine adornment, which are exhibited to so much advantage in their windows, have been as attractive to the fair sex as usual.
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Mr. Kent, Queen. street, exhibited some fine beef, fed by Mr. S. Seward, of Petersfield, and some prime wether mutton.
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Mr. Lane, of the Commercial-road, had the finest exhibition in the town. His stock consisted of ten splendid Hereford beasts, fed by Mr. Chase, of Weston, near Petersfield; ten Welsh runts from Lady Fetherstone-Haugh’s; four fine beasts, fed by Mr. Knight, of Hillash, near Petersfield; several other beasts; sixty-one splendid South Down wether sheep, fed by Mr. Jones, of Barngreen, near Hamnbledon; and a fine calf, fed by Mr. Corryton, of Liss, near Petersfield. An entire bullock, and a very fine specimen, was placed on the slab; and the shop, the frontage of which is superior to that of any other butcher in the borough, was tastefully decorated with evergreens, holly, and flowers. The exhibition was much admired by the thousands of persons by whom it was visited.
The ‟show” was visited on Thursday evening by some thousands of persons.