Bashi Bazouks, Emperor Menelik and his Abyssinian chiefs at Anfield

Thursday, February 10 – 1898
The annual charitable theatrical gala, which year after year is promoted by a certain section of the Liverpool public for the benefit of several of our medical charities, &c., has been favoured to-day with surprisingly fine weather. The gala as usual, is held on the ground of the Liverpool Football Club at Anfield, which is lent and specially prepared for the occasion by the directors of the club.

The day’s proceedings started about noon with an extravagant “show” procession from Queen-square, in which about a hundred artists engaged at our several theaters and music halls joined in making the affair as eventful and attractive as possible. The “wild beast show” previously provided for the demonstration by Mr. W. Cross had partly arranged to supply  this part of the feast, but owing to the severity of the weather during the past few days he thought…