The History of Kennington. By H. H. Montgomery, D.D. (H.
Stacey Gold ; Hamilton, Adams, and Co.) — Dr. Montgomery, formerly Vicar of Kennington, and now Bishop of Tasmania, put together, in such leisure as his pastoral work allowed him, various facts about his parish and its past history. He published them in monthly parts. These he now republishes in a volume. We need hardly say that there are many curious and interesting matters in it. There is an account, for instance, of Vauxhall Gardens. In 1826, the Gardens produced a net profit of nearly four thousand pounds, the number of admissions being 120,000. Seventeen years afterwards, the proprietors became bankrupt. At the coronation of William 117., the Government paid them £750 to open the Gardens free. When the present Queen came to the throne, things were done "on the cheap." The "Champion" was abolished, and £200 only was offered to the proprietors. This they declined. Not the least interesting among Dr. Montgomery's papers is that on " Surrey Cricket." The Oval, its present head- quarters, was opened in 1846, the 'Bee-Hive ground' in Walworth having been taken two years before for building. It was very nearly given over to the builder a tow years afterwards. Mr. Driver, solicitor to the Duchy of Cornwall, was bringing a Bill into Parliament for building two half-crescents on the ground ; but Prince Albert, who was administering the Duchy of Cornwall estates for the young Prince of Wales, saved it, declaring that " the Oval should be available for cricket at a light rental, so long as the people of South London wished to uphold cricket." Honour to his name !
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