{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1246716"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1246716/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH5547/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH5547/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH5547","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2014GW6419","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1246716/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1246716","accessionNumber":"S.444-2012","objectType":"Sheet Music","titles":[{"title":"Lounging in the Aq","type":"published title"}],"summaryDescription":"<i>Lounging in the Aq</i> was performed by George Leybourne in answer to Alfred Vance's <i>Walking in the Zoo</i>. It shows Leybourne by one of the fish tanks in The Royal Aquarium and Winter Garden, the ambitious  establishment in Toothill Street, Westminster, Westminster, opened in January 1876, intended to rival the Crystal Palace as a venue for exhibitions, concerts and plays. It was covered with a roof of glass and iron and decorated with palm trees, fountains, pieces of original sculpture, thirteen large tanks meant to be filled with curious sea creatures, an orchestra capable of accommodating 400 performers, and an unusually large organ installed under Sullivan’s supervision. Arthur Sullivan was on the board of directors, along with Henry Labouchere and William Whiteley.\n\r\nThe Aquarium adopted an expensive system of supplying fresh and sea-water from four cisterns, sunk into the foundations. This quickly ran into operating problems, and although fish were there for a short while, for most of its existence there were none, which became a standing joke; but the directors did display a dead whale in 1877. The all-day variety entertainments at the Aquarium gradually became less respectable, with billiards matches, novelty acts and side-shows of all kinds, and commercial stalls offering perfumery and gloves.  George Robey made his first professional appearance at the Aquarium in 1891.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Cover of the sheet music for 'Lounging in the Aq'. The foreground depicts George Leybourne in front of one of the aquariusm at The Royal Aquarium, while the construction of the Royal Aquarium can be seen in the background, probably its central apse. Credits of the song are printed above and below the image. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Alfred Lee","id":"AUTH317774"},"association":{"text":"composers","id":"AAT25671"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"T.L. Clay","id":"AUTH318821"},"association":{"text":"lyricist","id":"AAT25675"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Alfred Concanen","id":"A8266"},"association":{"text":"lithographer","id":"AAT25175"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Stannard","id":"AUTH320680"},"association":{"text":"printer","id":"x30811"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Charles Sheard & Co.","id":"A26658"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lithography","id":"AAT53271"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lithograph","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2006AH5547","2014GW6419"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES356696"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"sheet music","id":"AAT26430"}],[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1880","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1884-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed and published","id":"x35383"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"36","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"LOUNGING IN THE AQ/\n\nLOUNGING IN THE AQ/\nTHAT AGAINST ALL OTHER MODES OF KILLING TIME I'LL BACK/\nFUN THAT'S NEVER SLACK EYES BROWN BLUE &amp; BLACK/\nMAKE ME FEEL IN PARADISE WHILE LOUNGING IN THE AQ/\n\nWRITTEN BY T.L. CLAY/\nCOMPOSED BY ALFRED LEE/\n\nSUNG WITH GREATEST SUCCESS BY GEORGE LEYBOURNE/\n\nLONDON:CHARLES SHEARD, 192, HIGH HOLBORN WC.\n\n\n\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Text on front of cover."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Music sheet cover for <i>Lounging in the Aq</i>, composed by Alfred Lee and lyrics by T.L. Clay, sung by George Leybourne, published by Charles Sheard. Colour lithograph by Alfred Concanen, ca. 1880","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Westminster","id":"x29482"}],"contentPerson":[{"text":"George Leybourne","id":"N6256"}],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"George Leybourne","id":"N6256"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":["Lounging in the AQ"],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.444-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"444","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-06","recordCreationDate":"2012-05-01","availableToBook":true}}