3 O M E /ACCOUNT
OF THE
OF
Sainf Glem^r
(WESTMINSTER)
PAST AND PRESENT.
COMPILED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
BY JOHN DIPROSE.
Bonbon t DIPROSE AND BATEMAN, 13 & 17, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn.
DIPROSK & BATEMAN, PRINTERS, 13 & 17, PORTUGAL STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.
;E1
HE compiler of this volume of Topography and History
IBS ESS! °f St. Clement Danes trusts that his book will be found 'i™™11 of interest both to the antiquarian and general reader, as giving — so far as it goes — a faithful account of one of the most remarkable parishes in the metropolis.
At the present moment, when the character of the parish is being rapidly changed by the wholesale demolition of houses and streets, to make room for the erection of a Palace of Justice, it becomes the duty of the chronicler to record the ancient features of some of the houses and streets, once so intimately connected with the literary and political history of our country.
He cannot presume to offer it to the public as a History of St. Clement Danes, in the usual sense of the word History, but chooses rather to submit it (as its title bears,) as " Some Account of the Parish." A mere casual perusal of the various articles and notes here collected will show that St. Clement Danes is no mean parish. In it have been enacted some of the most noteworthy events in the history of our country ; in it many great and worthy men, as authors, actors, statesmen, or lawyers, have been born, flourished, and died. On the other hand, time has unravelled in the parish many a plot against the Throne and the People, and it is not a little curious to find that on this very spot, which has been the scene of many a crime
iv PREFACE.
and deed of infamy, will be erected one of the most magnificent buildings ever dedicated to the great cause of justice.
In conclusion the compiler feels it his bounden duty to acknow- ledge the great services he has derived from the many authors whose able works he has consulted, and which he hopes, in all cases, are duly mentioned. He also desires to acknowledge the help afforded him by the London Newspaper Press ; and, further begs to acknow- ledge, with feelings of the deepest gratitude, the valuable assistance he has received from many gentlemen both in and out of the parish. In particular his warmest thanks are due to the following : — J. W. Anson, D. Betts, D. Bruton, W. B. Brook, J. Bullock, W. Burnett, J. F. Clarke, G. Crossley, R. Dansie, E. Du Bois, C. L. Gruneisen, R. Hardwicke, E. Hart, J. B. Hopkins, J. F. Isaacson, J. Johnson, Rev. R. H. Killick, J. Kilner, T. C. Noble, J. Prout, J. Reddish, W. H. Spilsbury, T. M. Stone, A. Wilkinson and E. T. Wood, Esquires.
JOHN DIPROSE.
November, 1868..
fl.ho ^Yofn ¥»(w
ERRATA.
Page 19 line 7 from bottom, for 14,000 raw/ 17,000.
,, 22 ,, 3, y£r twenty-eight read twenty-nine.
,, 152 ,, 2, for page 38 rma7 page 88.
,, 155 ,, 6 and 7, should read, —
* The Leg and Seven Stars,' ' The Scissors and Pen.' ' The Axe and the Bottle,' 'The Tun and the Lute.'
,, 211 ,, 14 from bottom, for only a read no.
Communications respecting Corrections, Additions, &c., will be thankfully received by the Publishers for the next Edition, Addressed to J. DIPROSE, 13, Portugal Street, Lincoln's Inn.
retained most largely the "Danish imprint.
Rough, but actuated by most just intent, were our Saxon ancestors in their notions of legal amercement and compensation. They be- queathed to us the animating spirit of our law — we have but improved upon its letter. No longer do we assess the fine for cutting off a human
iv PREFACE.
and deed of infamy, will be erected one of the most magnificent buildings ever dedicated to the great cause of justice.
|Uto fab Courts.
)R many years there had been gradually forming in the minds of the members of the various branches of the legal profession, I and perhaps still more in the minds of those whose fortune it is, more or less frequently, to become litigants before any of the superior tribunals, an impression of the desirability, which ultimately grew into a conviction of the necessity, of a concentration of the Law Courts of the Metropolis. Englishmen are proverbially fond of justice : therefore, if they think they have suffered wrong-doing of any kind, they are prone to repair to the fountain of English law ; for they believe that its princi- ples, precepts, and practice, constitute an embodiment of the primal foundations of justice. We have ever loved our Common Law — a term even more dear to us than our statutory glories of 1215 and 1688 — since the day when Edward the Confessor devised the pregnant and significant term, to indicate the fusion of the three pro- vincial codes which had hitherto held in the dominions of his much- loved and much-loving subjects. After his great act of codifying amalgamation, there was no longer one code for the Mercian, a second for the West Saxon, a third for him or her — whether of Teutonic or Scandinavian blood — who dwelt in those counties which retained most largely the Danish imprint.
Rough, but actuated by most just intent, were our Saxon ancestors in their notions of legal amercement and compensation. They be- queathed to us the animating spirit of our law — we have but improved upon its letter. No longer do we assess the fine for cutting off a human
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
being's ear at the fixed sum of thirty shillings — a pecuniary penalty to be multiplied if the hearing were lost in consequence of the brutality. Nevertheless, the nice exactness of the statutory and other provisions which stipulate graduations of punishments in proportion to the heinousness of offences, is but a more civilised and improved expan- sion and outgrowth of the old root represented by the Saxon usage.
If Englishmen love Law — that is their Law — because they believe it to be just, another characteristic of our busy and frugal people is a dislike, which amounts to abhorrence, of needless waste of time and money. That such waste, in both senses, has been abundantly and painfully caused by the wide isolation and severance of our various Courts of Law and Equity over a considerable section of the metro- polis— a section large enough to cover all but its suburban por- tions— is a fact too trite to demand more than passing reference. The truth of this fact having become recognised by all concerned, the only question which remained was — How, when, and where to set about the remedy? Cost, also, was an element of judicious con- sideration. And, accordingly, the legal profession, the nation, and its legislatorial representatives, acting on the truly national maxim, festina lente, spent a considerable, but not an excessive, period in deliberation ere the final details of the remedial plan were matured. The first step towards the conclusion ultimately arrived at, was the issuing, in 1858, a Royal Commission for the purpose of inquiring into the expediency of bringing together in one place or neighbourhood all the superior Courts of Law and Equity, the Pro- bate, Divorce, and Admiralty Courts, with their various offices. The Commission was directed to investigate the means for providing a site, and for erecting suitable buildings. The inquiry ended in a recommendation that the site of the proposed edifice should be an area of ground lying between Lincoln's Inn and that part of the Strand
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
between Temple Bar and St. Clement's Church. In 1861, a Bill was introduced for the purpose of carrying out the recommendation of the Commissioners ; but, from causes on which it is not here neces- sary to dilate, it was thrown out in the House of Commons by the narrow majority of 181 to 180. The further consideration of the matter was postponed until 1865, in which year two Acts of Parlia- ment were passed to carry out the well-matured recommendation. The first Act provided funds for the cost of the buildings, partly by a parliamentary grant, partly by a contribution of one million un- claimed interest on stock standing to the account of suitors in Chancery, and partly by a slight taxation of litigants in other courts. The second Act empowered Her Majesty's Commissioners of Works and Public Buildings to acquire the requisite site, to purchase the houses standing on it, and to provide the necessary accommodation for the New Courts and Offices.
Besides the authority given to the Commissioners of Works, Parliament called into existence another body, designated the " Courts of Justice Commission." By one of the enactments to which we have referred, the plan of the new buildings was to be deter- mined upon by the Treasury, "with the advice of such persons as Her Majesty shall think fit to authorise in their behalf;" and the Queen, in the exercise of this power, issued her Royal Commission to that effect.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE COMMISSIONERS:
1. The Right Honorable the Lord Chancellor for the time being.
2. The Right Honorable the Lord Cranworth, 40, Upper Brook Street, W.
3. The Right Honorable the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Treasury, Whitehall.
4. The Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice of England, 17, Park Lane.
5. The Right Honorable the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, 12, Prince's
Gardens, Prince's Gate, Kensington, W.
6. The Right Honorable the Lord Chief Baron, Hatton, near Hounslow, W.
7. The Right Honorable Lord Justice Cairns.
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
, COMMISSIONERS. — (Continued),
8. The Right Honorable the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty, 18, Eaton Place, S. W
9. The Right Honorable Sir James P. Wilde, 2, Grafton Street, New Bond Street, W,
10. The Right Honorable the First Commissioner of Works, 12, Whitehall Place.
11. The Honorable Vice-Chancellor Stuart, 5, Queen's Gate, Kensington, W.
12. The Honorable Vice-Chancellor Wood, 31, Great George Street, Westminster, S.W
13. The Honorable Vice-Chancellor Malins.
14. The Honorable Mr. Baron Martin, 75, Eaton Square, S.W.
15. The Honorable Mr. Justice Mellor, 16, Sussex Square, Hyde Park, W.
16. The Honorable Mr. Justice Smith, 119, Park Street, Grosvenor Square, W
17. The Attorney-General, u, New Square, Lincoln's Inn.
18. The Solicitor-General, i, Mitre Court Buildings, E.G.
19. The Queen's Advocate, 5, Arlington Street.
20. Sir Roundell Palmer, Knight, M.P.
21. Hugh C. E. Childers, Esq., M.P.
22. James Clarke Lawrence (Alderman), 18, Cannon Street, Mansion House, E.C,
23. The President of the Law Society for the time being.
24. Pearce William Rogers, Esq., Registrar's Office, Chancery Lane.
25. George Hume, Esq., Taxing Master's Office, Staple Inn, Holborn.
26. C. F. Skirrow, Esq., Staple Inn, Holborn.
27. Charles Manley Smith, Esq., Master's Office, Temple.
28. William Morgan Benett, Esq., Common Pleas Office, Serjeants Inn, Chancery Lane
29. William Henry Walton, Esq., 7, Stone Buildings, Lincoln's Inn.
30. H. Cadogan Rothery, Esq., Doctors' Commons.
31. Augustus Frederic Bayford, Esq., Doctors' Commons.
32. William George Anderson, Esq., Treasury, Whitehall.
33. Sir Alexander Young Spearman, Bart., National Debt Office, Old Jewry
34. Henry Arthur Hunt, Esq., 44, Eccleston Square.
35. R. P. Amphlett, Esq., Q.C., 7, Old Square, Lincoln's Inn.
36. D. D. Keane, Esq., Q.C., 4, Brick Court, Temple.
37. Thomas Southgate, Esq., Q.C., 4, New Square, Lincoln's Inn.
38. H. Bliss, Esq., Q.C., 6, Paper Buildings, Temple.
39. John Young, Esq., 6, Frederick's Place, Old Jewry.
40. William Strickland Cookson, Esq., 6, New Square, Lincoln's Inn.
The Commissioners having instituted elaborate inquiries into the sufficiency of the proposed site, and the amount of the accommoda tion to be provided for the several courts and offices proposed to be concentrated, they were enabled to prepare instructions for the guidance of the architects who might be invited to send irj designs for the new buildings. It became necessary at this stage to consider how the competitors were to be selected, and in what manner their designs should be adjudicated upon. It was ultimately determined to call a third body into existence, for the purpose of discharging these very
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
important duties. It was decided that this third body should consist of five members, and that they should be designated "Judges of Designs." Two were nominated by the Treasury, viz., The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, and WILLIAM STIRLING, Esq., M.P., now Sir WILLIAM STIRLING MAXWELL, Bart, M.P. Two were appointed by the Commissioners, viz., The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE of ENGLAND, and the ATTORNEY-GENERAL. The fifth member, and chairman of the body, was The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS. In order, however, that a change of Ministry should not change the tribunal, all the members were appointed by name and not by office. It may as well be stated here, although not chronologically in order, that an addition of two members of the architectural profession was subsequently made to the body, at the repeated request of the com- petitors and the demand of the House of Commons. The Judges, therefore, as now constituted, are: — The Right Honorable W. COWPER, M.P. ; The Right Honorable W. E. GLADSTONE, M.P. ; The Right Honorable SIR ALEXANDER COCKBURN, Bart. ; SIR ROUNDELL PALMER, M.P. ; SIR WILLIAM STIRLING MAXWELL, Bart., M.P. ; JOHN SHAW, Esq. ; and GEORGE POWNALL, Esq.
The Judges of Designs nominated six architects whom the Commissioners invited to send in designs ; more than one declined on the ground of large existing engagements. The number, however, was speedily made up and the competitors set to work, when the House of Commons interfered and required that the number of the competitors should be increased to twelve. Their names are as follows : — Mr. H. R. ABRAHAM ; Mr. E. M. BARRY, A.R.A. ; Mr. RAPHAEL BRANDON; Mr. W. BURGES; Mr. T. N. DEANE ; Mr. H. B. GARLING; Mr. JOHN GIBSON; Mr. H. F. LOCK- WOOD • Mr. J. P. SEDDON ; Mr. G. G. SCOTT, R.A. ; Mr. G. E. STREET, A.R.A. ; and Mr. ALFRED WATERHOUSE. Each of the com-
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
petitors to receive £800. One of the number — Mr. JOHN GIBSON— withdrew from the contest, reducing the number to eleven.
It was held by some, that only gentlemen directly responsible to the country, by virtue of their position of Cabinet Ministers, should be en- trusted to discharge the duties of Judges of Designs. The question was, very properly, brought forward for discussion in the House of Commons. In March, 1867, in going into Committee of Supply, Mr. CAVENDISH BENTINCK moved in his place in the House — "That, in the opinion of this House, it is expedient that all arrangements respecting the build- ing of the New Courts of Justice, should be effected under the sole responsibility of Her Majesty's Government." Mr. BERESFORD HOPE, a gentleman of equal eminence as a standard of architectural taste and an ensample of personal honour, rose to support (though not in every detail) the honorable and learned gentleman's proposition. Mr. COWPER, although not then an official, inasmuch as he had been Minister of Public Works when the bill was passed, justified the principle on which the selection of the Commissioners had been based. He disclaimed altogether the suggestion that the appoint- ment of non-Ministerial Commissioners had either been intended to, or would have the effect of, relieving Ministers themselves of direct Parliamentary responsibility for every iota of their transactions. The Commission (said he) had been appointed "simply to consider and report on the subject." As it comprised judges and others specially interested in the successful issue, and acquainted with the exigencies, of the project, he could not but still justify the policy and utility of its appointment. Lord JOHN MANNERS, who had succeeded Mr. COWPER on the accession of Lord DERBY'S Administration, expressed his entire concurrence with the opinion of Mr. COWPER, and with the considerations by which that gentleman had supported his views. He stated, distinctly, that Mr. BENTINCK'S motion, if carried, would in-
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
tercept altogether the action of the Commission, and constitute a "great misfortune." On this, Mr. BENTINCK at once withdrew his motion.
The architects having responded to the invitation given to them, the result is seen in the production of designs, which were hung in the temporary building erected for the purpose in New Square, Lincoln's Inn, designed and admirably arranged by the Architectural Clerk to the Commission, Mr. W. BURNET. The building of this fabric cost £1,500. All the architects exceeded in their estimates the costs contemplated by the Commissioners. The latter required that the building should not, if possible, exceed in cost £750,000. The lowest estimate is £1,074,278. The Commissioners specified the area on which the buildings were to be erected, but the architects require more space, thus adding probably £250,000 to the £750,000 already devoted to the purchase of the ground. The highest estimate for the buildings is £2,379,046, and the average excess over the stipu- lated amount is £570,506, irrespective of the quarter of a million extra for the additional land. The Commissioners require that there should be 1,100 courts and offices of certain dimensions, and for this they allow a space of about eight acres. The architecture con- templated is, in all instances, Gothic, unless we except one "alter- native design."
So much for a brief narrative of the course of discussion and legis- lation which has eventuated in the result now so happily attained. Ere long, one of the most historically interesting and socially squalid localities of the Metropolis will have been cleared of every one of its ancient or recently built tenements — the latter but few in number ; and gradually will there arise, on the now desolate waste, what can hardly fail to be the noblest and most truly imperial building in the Metropolis of the World — a Palace of Justice worthy of the premier amongst peoples.
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
Those traditionary and romantic feelings, which are as much English as are our oaks and elms, cannot fail to enable us to revere and cherish certain of the associations of this historic site — a site on which are centred some of the richest recollections of the City of Westminster, along with some of the most curious of those of the City of London. Old London is fast disappearing, and he who attempts to fix in letterpress some of its fading memories, ere they quite vanish, discharges a task neither thankless nor unpleasant.
The impending Law Courts have already so cast their shadow before their coming, as to clear away, not a rookery, but a very nest of rookeries. Above 400 houses in all have been destroyed, or are in rapid process of demolition ; or, in the case of some few, are only awaiting their early doom. Above 4,000 persons have been rendered homeless ; but of these, the great majority, wherever they may migrate with their families and slender household goods, must necessarily inhabit homes much more healthy than the houses in which they recently dwelt. In all, above thirty courts, lanes, and streets have been demolished. Even this will be only the beginning of the end ; for it is a matter inevitable, that the existing approaches to the mag- nificent edifice must be entirely remodelled. Accordingly, many more houses must be ultimately cleared away. From every part of the town there must be direct approaches to the noble building.
The Government, which of course had to pay the amounts for legal or beneficiary compensation, was well represented by GEORGE POWNALL, Esq., their appointed surveyor, and his able assistant, Mr. WALKER. The best proof of the skill with which they dis- charged duties which to some seemed to partake of harshness, is the fact, of which we are well assured, that on reflection, every- one was satisfied. When the wrath occasioned by the removal from old haunts and habitations, and the too lamentable difficulty of
THE NEW LAW COURTS.
acquiring new, had been appeased by the interval of a little time, every one, whether dwelling in street or alley, in high-rented shop or misery-haunted garret, acknowledged, not alone that justice had been done, but that it had been liberally tempered by dignity, integ- rity and gentlemanly consideration.
As .may well be supposed, even by those who are the least person- ally acquainted with the habits and belongings of the lower strata of society, many pages of the most interesting character — half saddening, half amusing — might be written about the steps which were neces- sary to be taken to procure the eviction of the tenants ere the tene- ments were overthrown ; and about the negotiations for pecuniary compensation in the cases of those inhabitants who had equitable claims for the loss incurred by compulsory removal. The whole of the intricate arrangements so involved were intrusted by the authorities to the eminent legal firm of FIELD, ROSCOE, FIELD and FRANCIS. These gentlemen discharged duties of the utmost difficulty in a manner which evoked admiration from all who were spec- tators, interested or otherwise, of their prolonged exercise. They also found fit representatives in Messrs. BROWNLOW and WHITE, of whom we say enough — and we could not in many sentences say more — when we state that they were worthy delegates to act for worthy principals.
A concrete example always brings most clearly to the mind's eye the general and generic statement of which it is the particular instance. How great, then, must have been the difficulties to en- counter— how great the tact and delicacy necessary to the successful and harmonious conclusion of the operation — in rendering tenantless over 400 houses, considering that in one court alone — Yates' Court — there were six small houses, tenanted by no less than 48 fami- lies, including, besides the ordinary complement of adults, 150
10 THE NEW LAW COURTS.
children ! Much of the rougher and more repellant work involved fell upon a Mr. WHATLEY, an able and judicious assistant of Messrs. FIELD and ROSCOE. He could many "a tale unfold" of the miseries disclosed to his necessarily close inspection and prying vision. He could tell our readers, for example, in terms more vivid than we could emulate, how the poorer class of tenants invoked blessings upon the heads of the donors of the liberal compensation which was given in all cases, even where, as in the case of weekly tenants, there were no legal claims. He could also tell how, when the donations so bestowed had been expended by some of the recipients in a few days of indulgence, the blessings were changed into cursings, and male and female mouths which erst had smiled beatifically, were now disfigured by imprecatory scowls. But all these subsequent and supervening difficulties were overcome by Mr. WHATLEY'S wonderful tact and good nature, for we can speak from our own observation of the many instances in which his good advice, humanity, and kindness aided him in performing his unpleasant duties in a manner which might well be considered worthy of the eminent firm he represented. Messrs. CAPES and HARRIS, the accountants, of Old Jewry, were re- tained by the Commissioners for the examination of the books and ac- counts of all parties claiming compensation ; we believe we are correct in stating that the last 1 8 months' profits were allowed in most cases.
COURT OF CHANCERY. — The annual return relative to the funds of the Court of Chancery, issued March i6th, 1867, shows that the receipts, including the previous balance, of the Suitors' Fund in the year ending Oct. I, 1866, amounted to £147,416 os. 4d. in cash, and £4,451,739 us. 5cl. stock. The total payments were — cash, £93,988 45. yd., and stock, £232,75095. 9d. The largest item of payment (more than £200,000) was on account of the New Courts of Justice. The Suitors' Fee Fund account shows a total receipt of £141,286 2s. 2cl., making with balance from previous year, £280,593 i8s. yd. The total payments for the year amounted to £194,932 175. lid., a considerable amount of which was spent under the Courts of Justice Building Act.
|
THE NEW LAW COURTS. II |
||||
|
The Site of the New Law Courts is situate in three parishes, viz. — |
||||
|
ST. CLEMENT DANES, LIBERTY OF THE ROLLS, |
||||
|
and ST. DUNSTAN-IN-THE-WEST. |
||||
|
The following Table shews the Names of the Places forming the Site, and also the |
||||
|
Number of Houses and Families occupying the same: — |
||||
|
NUMBER OF |
||||
|
NAME OF PLACE. |
NUMBER OF |
FAMILIES LIVING |
||
|
THEREIN. |
||||
|
Bailey's Court ... |
5 |
14 |
||
|
Bell Yard |
28 |
49 |
||
|
Boswell Court (Old) |
19 |
45 |
||
|
Boswell Court (New) |
18 |
28 |
||
|
Boswell Yard ... |
i |
i |
||
|
Brick Court |
<j |
8 |
||
|
Carey Street |
28 |
56 |
||
|
Chair Court |
6 |
16 |
||
|
Clement's Court |
4 |
10 |
||
|
Clement's Inn ... |
7 |
17 |
||
|
Clement's Inn (Foregate) |
6 |
5 |
||
|
Clement's Lane |
28 |
102 |
||
|
Cromwell Place |
7 |
7 |
||
|
Crown Court ... |
ii |
16 |
||
|
Crown Place |
6 |
3 |
||
|
Fleet Street |
••j |
5 |
||
|
Hemlock Court |
18 |
48 |
||
|
Horse Shoe Court |
3 |
7 |
||
|
Horse Shoe Court (Little) |
2 |
|||
|
New Court |
3 |
8 |
||
|
Newcastle Court |
16 |
4i |
||
|
Pickett Place |
4 |
6 |
||
|
Pickett Street |
14 |
29 |
||
|
Plough Court ... |
10 |
55 |
||
|
Robinhood Court |
2 |
ii |
||
|
Sawyer's Yard ... ... ... ... |
I |
i |
||
|
Serle's Place |
22 |
60 |
||
|
Serle's Place (Lower) |
29 |
101 |
||
|
Serle's Place (Middle) |
20 |
88 |
||
|
Ship Yard |
31 |
107 |
||
|
Ship and Anchor Court |
2 |
i |
||
|
Strand |
13 |
17 |
||
|
Star Court |
9 |
24 |
||
|
Yates' Court |
6 |
48 |
||
|
Not having any official returns before us, we have given the best account of the Number of Families we are enabled to do from our own inquiries. |
12 THE NEW LAW COURTS.
Clement's La'ne, which is the western boundary of the extensive piece of London destined for the site of the new abode of the British Themis, was entered from the Strand, as everybody will remember, through an open gateway flanked by massive stone pillars. The main length of Clement's Lane round the back of King's College Hospital, and communicating, by more than one obscure outlet, with New Inn and Clare Market, is merged, further on, in a wretched thoroughfare called Gilbert Street, which leads, indirectly, to the south-west corner of Lincoln's Inn Fields. Such are the ways for passing from the latitude of the Strand and Fleet Street to the latitude of Holborn, between the west longitude of Dniry and the east longitude of Chan- cery Lanes. Well may it be said that they manage these things better in Paris ! It is not yet determined, we believe, what broad, straight, and commodious streets are to be opened from north to south, in connection with the building of the New Law Courts ; this will be a question for the Metropolitan Board of Works. Mr. Dickens might have placed the scenes of his quaintest stories of cockney humble life a quarter of a century ago in the midst of this doomed quarter of London, which was the haunt of gaiety and pleasure in the reign of Charles II., and is associated with memories of the bloods and bucks of the Restoration, and the wits of the days of Queen Anne.
As far back as 1831 the Roll's Estate is mentioned in the "Legal Observer " as a desirable piece of land for the purpose of erecting the New Law Courts, and from the same work in 1837, we extract the following remark : —
"The recommendation for the New Law Courts has received additional strength, from the circumstance that the two last Masters nor the present Master of the Rolls have resided in the Roll's House. Sir Robert Gifford was the last lawyer who lived m the true professional air. Lord Lyndhurst could not resign the parish of St. George s, Hanover Square, for Chancery Lane. Sir John Leach would not exchange South Street, and his look out into Hyde Park, for the pleasing prospect ot the Cursitor s Office, and Lord Langdale has shown a similar preference
VIEWS IN ST. CLEMENT DANES
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH. 13
t.
anes'
THE CHURCH.
HE present edifice was erected in 1682, from a design by Sir Christopher Wren, except the lofty and picturesque tower, which owes its present elevation, of one hundred and sixteen feet, to Mr. Gibbs, by whom it was added in 1719 ; and was repaired in 1839 ; it contains a fine peal of bells, which at the hours of 9, 12, and 5, chime the tunes of Hanover, and the Lass o' Gowrie. On the north and south sides are domed porticos, supported by six Ionic columns. The interior is handsome and commodious, lighted by two stories of windows ; the altar is of carved wainscot, of the Tuscan order ; and the chancel is paved with marble. The top of the communion table is a very fine specimen of marble, which is supposed to have belonged to the old church, and worth at least .£500. The length of the Church is 64 feet; breadth 40 feet; alti- tude 34 feet. The galleries are very spacious, in which is one of Father Smith's organs. The Rev. R. H. KILLICK is the Rector at the present time ; the Curates are the Rev. F. G. LITTLECOT, and the Rev. T. D. GRAY.
Over the poor box in the centre aisle there is an antique piece of carved wood, which most probably was taken from the old church, and used, as now, to excite the sympathy of the benevolent.
As you have opportunity, Do good unto All, But Especially To them of the houshold of ffaith.
For to do good and to distribute,
With such sacrifices, GOD,
is well pleased.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH.
On the north and south sides of the communion table are placed three handsome tablets, the inscriptions of which are as follows : —
TO THE GLORY OF GOD
And for ye solemn worship of his Holy name this old Church being greatly decayed was taken down in ye yeare 1680 and rebuilt and finished in ye yeare 1682 by the pious assistance of ye Reverend Dr. GREGORY HASKARD Rector and ye Bountifull Contributions of ye Inhabitants of this Parish & some other NOBLE
BENEFACTORS Sr. CHRISTOPHER
WREN, his Mtis. survey or freely and generously
bestowing his great care & skill towards ye
contriving and building of it
WHICH GOOD WORK
To the Memory
of Richard Dukeson D. Deate Rector of this Parish
Fortie and four yeares A Reverend and Learned Divine
Eminent for
His great devotion towards God His firm zeal to the Church His unshaken loyalty to the King His unwearing endeavour for the good of his flock From which he was separated by the iniquity of ye Dureing the late unnatural rebellion [times By near Seventeen yeares Sequestration But being i estored he continued to the end of great
a contrite preacher
Both by his doctrine and life
He died Sepr. 17 Ann. Domin. 1678.
Etat suae 86.
[age
and of his only wife Anne the daughter of Anthony Hickman Esq.
Dr. of Lawes
She was a virtuous and goodly Matron
With whom he lived in holy matrimony 46 yeares
and had three sons and 12 daughters
She died Sepr. 22 anno Domini 1670
Etat suse 66.
Their bodies lye interred on the right side of the Communion table.
In verbo tuo Spes mea.
Was all along greatly promoted and incouraged by ye zeal & diligence of ye vestry
HUGH OWEN HALL J ARM AN ) CHURCH- THOMAS COX, WILLIAM [• THOMSON, JOHN PADFORD J WARDENS [being
II. CHRONICLES XXIV. XIII.
So ye workmen wrought & ye work was perfected
by them, & they set the house of GOD in his
state, and strengthned it.
SOLI DEO GLORIA. This was erected in ye yeare 1684.
ROGER FRANKLIN, JAMES ( CHURCH- PARMAN 1 WARDENS
Opposite to this place near the wall lieth the body of
Sn. EDWARD LECHE of SHIPLEY in the Coy. of DERBY
Knt. a Master of Chancery & a Member of ye Hon. house of Commons.
He died ye i2th day of July Ao. Dm. 1652. ^Etet 80 fere.
In a front pew at the east end of the north gallery there is also a. " silent record " of one of the brightest ornaments of the literary circle of his time, of which the following is an accurate copy : —
In this pew and beside this pillar, for many years,
attended Divine Service,
The celebrated DOCTER SAMUEL JOHNSON
The Philosopher, the Poet,
The great Lexicographer,
The profound Moralist, and chief Writer
of his Time. BORN 1709. DIED 1784.
In remembrance, and Honour
of noble faculties, nobly employed ;
some Inhabitants of the parish
of St. Clement Danes
Have placed this slight Memorial
A.D. 1851.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH. 15
The two following inscriptions are of minor importance ; one is a curiously carved scroll tablet placed on one of the centre pillars, and facing the south aisle ; and the other is a small octagon shaped brass let in the pavement of the centre aisle, and ornamented with a skull and cross bones : —
NEAR
This pillar lyeth ye body of SAMUEL TATHAM
Surgeon and Citizen of
London late of this Parish
who died ye i4th of Nober.
Anno Dom. 1691.
Here lies interd the
Body of Elizabeth ye wife
Of Thomas Browne daughter &
Only child of Thomas & Blanch Benskin
Both of this parish who departed
This life October 25th 1705 in
The 23 year of her age.
If youth & virtue could not save
A virtuous woman from the grave
Reader prepare to follow for you know
The debt that she has paid
We all do owe.
Aged 69 years.
The following is a copy of a brass plate, placed in the entrance to the Church : —
The Eight bells in this steeple were cast by Will : & Phill : Wight- man their Majties : Founders Ano Domi.
1693 In the Tyme of WM. DAVIS & ) CHURCH- " EDWo. CLARKE and) CHURCH-
And finishied when EDWD. CLARKE j WARDENS. HUGH MIILS were J WARDENS
T. C. Q. L. Weight Total 4. 13. 2. 8. The gift of EDWo. CLARKE.
A very old stone in front of the principal entrance to the Church, which must have been put up at the building or some subsequent restoration, contained, previous to 1860, the names of the church- wardens at the time, under which is also inscribed the words : "Thou God seest me." The names of the old churchwardens have been erased and others of a very recent date substituted.
INSCRIPTION ON THE 1st BOOK 1$ LARGE BLACK LETTER WITH FINE INITIALS.
A Register of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burialls in the parrish of St. Clement Danes
without Temple barr.
from the fifte of June, 1558, being the fourth and fifte yeares of the reigne of King Philip and Queene Mary.
This booke was bought when Robert Thomas and Edward Ryce,
weare Churchwardens.
Being injoyned to provide the same, by the Canons sett forth in ye Vlth yeare of the reigne of or Souereigne lady Elizabeth.
16 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH.
After the above there follows in small hand —
"And was continued by me John Morecroft, mynister
in the year of grace 1598. And continewed according to ye tyme limited by him who is beyond all tyme."
On the other side of the leaf is the following Latin acrostic to Queen Elizabeth :—
Floreat alma diu princeps precer
ELIZABETHA
R Roscida solatur rutilans ut gramina Titan N
E Et radio exhilerat cuneta elementa suo O
G Grata velut nutrix sic Anglis numina prebes
I Judith nostra (Deo preside) clara viget T
N Nobilis haec valeat in scaena haec femina semper R
A Ac nectar gratu libet in aetherea A
ANGLIC..
One of the earliest entries of baptism is the following : —
" June 6, 1563. — Master Robert Cicill (Sic) the sonn of ye L. highe Threasurer of England."
A passage in "Stow's Survey of the Cities of London and West- minster," published in 1633, is interesting, in reference to this entry, and also to the state of the streets round the former church : —
" Here, about this Church, and in the parts adjoining, were frequent disturbances, by reason of the unthrifts of the Inns of Chancery, who were so unruly a nights, walking about to the disturbance and danger of such as passed along the streets, that the inhabi- tants were fain to keep watches. In the year 1582 the Recorder himself with six more of the honest inhabitants stood by St. Clement's Church to see the lanthorn hanging out, and to observe if he could meet with any of these outrageous dealers. About seven at night they saw young Mr. Robert Cecil, the Lord Treasurer's Son (who was after Secretary of State to the Queen) pass by the Church, and as he passed gave them a civil salute, at which they said, ' Lo ! you may see how a nobleman's son can use himself, and how he putteth off his cap to poor men. Our Lord bless him ! ' This passage the Recorder wrote in a letter to his father, adding, ' Your Lordship hath cause to thank God for so vertuous a child.' This 'child ' rose to as high favour with the Queen as his father, Elizabeth's minister. As Sir Robert Cecil he sat for the City of Westminster in Parliament, became Secretary of State in 1596, and Prime Minister in 1599. Upon the decease of the Queen it was he who rode to Scotland to inform James I. of his succession. He was made by the latter monarch Viscount Cranbourne in 1604 and Earl of Salisbury in 1605, and he succeeded Sir Thomas Sackville as Lord High Treasurer in 1608. He died worn out with application to public business in 1612."
The parish registers, beginning thus in 1558, are continued in folio volumes up to the present date. They are kept in an iron safe in the
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH. 17
vestry, and are in excellent preservation, much better than in most parishes. It is curious to observe the great variety of handwriting which takes place in the 300 years as the pen dropped from one hand after another. The style in the oldest book (a hundred and twenty years anterior to the present Church), that of " Francis Morecroft, Mynister," is very distinct and regular, rather like the print of the present day; but from 1602 to 1614 the old character, illegible to inexperienced eyes, succeeds, which again gradually gives way to the present italic letters. The names also are often very quaint in the early books. Such female Christian names as " Syrophenissa," "Venus," "Sapio," "Cicely," are gone out now, although, on the whole, appellations have not changed much, and we are startled by seeing on one page, among the baptisms, in 1567, the familiar names of " Richard Cobden," and "John Bright."
Bishop Berkely, celebrated by Pope as having " every virtue under heaven," was buried here ; as also the poet Otway, interred under the Church, in 1685. Dr. Kitchener; — Oxberry, Sen.; and W. H. Oxberry were also buried here ; Powell, of Lincoln's Inn, was buried here in 1714. From the burial register: — "1611, Sept. 2. Wm. Ewins, Esquier, from Boswell House." The last burials at this Church, according to the register, were those of Emma Young, of 20, Vere Street, and Susannah Buckland, of n, Denzell Street, both dated June igth 1853.
The vaults underneath the Church were much crowded with dead. Upwards of seventy years ago they were discovered to be on fire, and continued burning for some days, many bodies being destroyed. After the Order in Council for closing the vaults and burial grounds was received by the parish, in 1858, the cofhns (many of which were very costly) were placed in one part of the vault, which was filled in, and the whole enclosed by a brick wall, at a cost to the parish of about ^300. Many persons of distinction have been buried here. One gentleman, an Admiral, gave ^250 for the privilege of having a small portion of the vault set apart for the members of his
i8 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHURCH.
family, when deceased, about two years only before the closing of the vaults.
The St. Clement to whom the old Church was dedicated, is sup- posed to have been that St. Clement, a disciple of St. Peter's, who was the Christian Bishop of Rome about A.D. 73 ; and who suffered martyr- dom A.D. 100. The word " Danes," is said to have been added because in the days of Canute and his immediate successors, it belonged to the Danes, who formed quite a colony in this neighbourhood. Many of their nobles found a last resting-place within its walls, not the least notable among whom was Harold, the eldest son and successor of Canute. He died at Oxford, and was first buried at Westminster, but after some few months the body was disinterred, beheaded, and thrown into the Thames, by order of Hardicanute, his half-brother and successor. It was subsequently recovered by some fishermen, and was re-interred within the Church in 1040. The Church was afterwards given by King Henry II. to the Knights Templars, and was finally included within the Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster. The building was repaired in 1608, and again in 1633 ; but being much decayed, was pulled down in the year 1680, and the present noble edifice erected on the site.
On the side of the churchyard facing Temple Bar, a stone-built house may be seen, looking like a burial vault above ground, which an inscription informs us was erected in 1839, to prevent people using a pump that the inhabitants had put up in 1807 over a remarkable well, which is 191 feet deep with 150 feet of water in it. Perhaps this maybe the "holy well" of bygone days, that gave the name to a street adjoining, once noted for old pictures, old clothes, and old books — a place that is fast going to decay.
King Henry IV., by his charter dated at Westminster on the 7th June, in the 7th year of his reign, granted to " Robert Palmer, Parson of the Church of St. Clement without Temple Bar, a certain void place adjoining the burial ground of the said church, containing towards the north in length 200 feet of land, and in width 24 feet at
ESSEX STREET AND CLARE MARKET CHAPELS.
the head towards the west, and 20 feet at the head towards the east, with license to enclose and build upon the same place, and the same so enclosed and built upon to hold to him and his heirs of the Lord the King; rendering, therefore, 23. per annum for all manner of services : to hold the same in aid of the sustentation of a certain lamp before the Image of the Holy Trinity, in the church aforesaid, to be burning day and night ; and in aid of other things for the use of the said church, according to the judgment of the keeper of the said church for the time being." This property cannot now be identified, and is consequently lost to the parish. It must have been about where the railway booking-office now stands, or where the street now is. The charter is enrolled among the charters of the period, and was accidentally discovered about five years ago.
THE ESSEX STREET CHAPEL.
THIS building, which was formerly an Auction Room, was planned and erected under the personal superintendance of a Mrs. Lindsey, of Richmond, Yorkshire, the wife of a Church of England minister ; a lady who in her lifetime was well-known and highly esteemed for her energy and benevolence. It is almost unnecessary to state that it is supported by those professing Unitarian principles. The Rev. Mr. LINDSEY and the Rev. THOMAS BELSHAM were the former resident chaplains. The present minister is the Rev. J. P. HAM.
CLARE MARKET CHAPEL.
THE Parish of St. Clement Danes contains a population of about 14,000; and the Clare Market District consisting of upwards of 6,000 poor people, the necessity of the above Chapel can be well conceived. We are glad to find if continues to receive the liberal support of W. H. Smith, Esq.; Sir R. Palmer; Messrs. Twining; J. G. Stilwell, Esq. ; Messrs. Essex ; and a large number of ladies and gentlemen who take an interest in the Clare Market Mission.
The Rev. F. ROSE is the clergyman appointed, whose stipend
20 CHAPELS, &c.
is partly paid ' from the Bishop of London's Fund, to whom the Chapel is leased, and partly by the Additional Curates' Society ; the remainder, together with all other expenses connected with the Mission, is supplied by voluntary contributions. The seats in the Chapel are all free, likewise the schools, classes, &c., which are as follows : — Celebration of Holy Communion every Sunday at 9 a.m. ; services 1 1 a.m. and 7 p.m. ; school 3 p.m. Wednesday, Service 7 p.m. Day and Evening Schools. Bible Classes. Mothers' Meetings. Sewing School for Girls. Choristers meet every Saturday evening for practice.
TEMPERANCE HALL, PORTUGAL STREET.
SUNDAY Temperance Meeting for Religious Purposes. „
MONDAY Friends of Labour.
TUESDAY Mrs. Stilwell's Mothers' Meeting; Band of Hope;
Building Society; Temperance Meeting. WEDNESDAY... Lady Radstock's Mothers' Meeting. THURSDAY ...Temperance Meeting.
FRIDAY Prayer Meeting.
SATURDAY ...Benefit Society and Penny Savings' Bank.
The St. Clement Danes' Christian Total Abstinence Society is also held here, presided over by R. MOSELEY, Esq.
Many persons might pass up and down Portugal Street, and hardly notice the unpretending little building to which the above title has reference ; but as has been stated by the Rev. R. H. KILLICK, a great work goes on there by means of Miss TWIN ING'S energy and experience. The poor are well acquainted with the little building in question, and many have been dragged out of the mire of sin and misery, and helped into habits of temperance and thriftiness, through the unwearied zeal and gentle persuasion of that beneficent lady.'
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. 21
Clement Jams' Cljaritks,
JALMER'S CHARITY, by will dated 1726, gave ^500 for the benefit of twelve poor widows (housekeepers) : the money is laid out in property in West Street, and produces i os. lod. for each, who receive it yearly on Lady Day. LADY MIDDLETON (in 1690) left £200; Lady Bridgman (in 1694) ^200; William Lawrence (in 1696) ^300; Richard Shalmer (in 1698) .£200 — making a total of ^900.
The monies derived from the four donors last named were laid out in the purchase of two houses on the north side of Saint Clement's Churchyard. Those houses were sold to the City of London under the provisions of various Acts of Parliament passed in and after 1793, for the improvement of the approaches to Temple Bar. The money received from the City was invested in the pur- chase of ;£i,797 155. 4d. Three per cent. Consols, in the name of the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery, to the credit of an account " Ex parte the Parish of St. Clement Danes." The dividends, amounting to .£53 i8s. 8d., are received by the trustees yearly. They have, from time to time, been apportioned agreeably to a recommen- dation of a committee appointed by vestry in the year 1816, and now amount (but varying with the rate of property tax) as follows : —
£ s. d.
To the Charities of Ladies Middleton and Bridgman ... 25 5 o To that of William Lawrence ... ... ... ... 17 4 2
To that of Richard Shalmer ... ... ... ... 7 17 6
0 6 8
22 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
The yearly sum of £2$ 55., appropriated to the Charities of Ladies Middleton and Bridgman, is paid to the churchwardens, who distribute half on New Year's Day and half on Good Friday. Twenty- eight poor and deserving widows of the parish receive on each of these days sums of 8s. each, and one 8s. 6d. ; 203. are paid to the minis- ter for preaching a sermon on New Year's Day, and another 203. for preaching a sermon on Good Friday, of which a register is kept.
The sum of £17 45. 2d., in respect of William Lawrence's gift, is given by the churchwardens on New Year's Day to poor and deserving housekeepers residing in that part of the parish which is in Westminster, in sums varying from 53. to 2S. 6d., but subject to the payment of 6s. 8d. to the vestry clerk for reading the will of the donor on New Year's Day, and keeping the register of the Charities, and 2 os. to the minister for a sermon.
The sum of £7 175. 6d., in respect of Shalmer's gift, is carried to the overseers' general account for distribution amongst the poor at Christmas.
PETER WRAXALL, in 1663, gave ^50 that "twenty poor widows or other poor people, not exceeding in the whole twenty in number, then being and from time to time thereafter to be, inhabitants of the said parish, might, every year, yearly for ever, receive and take of the churchwardens for the time being, upon every Christmas Eve at the church porch, the sum of £$, to be equally divided amongst the said twenty poor people, as a gift of him the said Peter Wraxall."
ANN WEBB, in 1807, left ^25 to the little children chimney sweepers of St. Clement's, and also St. Dunstan's-in-the-West, the yearly income from which was to be spent on Christmas Day, as she had always on that day given them a treat. The stock (which was reduced by payment of legacy duty) now amounts to ^38 95. 4d. The small dividend is received by the churchwardens from the Accountant-General of the Court of Chancery annually, and since the abolition by statute of climbing boys as sweeps, has been distributed in money or tea amongst the inmates of the old parish almshouses.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. 23
MUDFORD, date of will unknown, gave £3 per annum to be dis- tributed to eight poor widows residing in Milford Lane, in sums of 53. each ;. and 205. to the minister for preaching a sermon on Good Friday.
RUPERTIA HILL, in 1818, left ^400 Three per cent. Consols : To the clergyman who preaches the sermons in the parish church on Good Fridays and Christmas Days, £2 25. ; to the curate, for reading prayers, los. 6d. ; to the clerk, 55. ; to the sexton and pew openers, amongst them, 75. 6d., and the residue to the churchwardens, who first defray thereout the incidental expenses of lighting the Church upon those occasions, and distribute the balance annually amongst the deserving poor of the parish not receiving parochial relief.
RICHARD BEDDOE, of St. Clement Danes, by will, dated 3rd July, 1603, bequeathed to the churchwardens and feoffees of the said parish for the time being, for the maintenance of the poor of the said parish for ever, so many of his tenements as did then go for £20 per annum. He also bequeathed for the maintenance of the poor of the parish ;£ioo, to be lent to poor householders and young beginners, for two years a-piece, gratis, putting in good security to the feoffees and churchwardens for the time being. The ^100 for loans to poor housekeepers appears to be lost. The overseers distribute the residue. THE ALMSHOUSES* belonging to this parish are situate at the back of the Vestry Hall, entered by an iron gate from the " Foregate," or Clement's Lane. An inscription on the front reads : —
"These almshouses were repaired at the expense of the parish in the year 1850; William Webb Ellis, M.A., Rector; David Spencer, Robert Makin Bates, churchwardens; William Nex, Joseph Little, Charles Colwill, Robert Child, overseers."
DUCKETT'S CHARITY. — The parish is entitled, under the will of Isaac Duckett, who died 1620, to a moiety of the rents of a house
* In addition to these, there are some almshouses recently erected by the parish at Tooting, Surrey, ^consisting of 40 houses built in an elegant and most substantial manner, with a chapel and committee'room, baths and washhouses ; the supply of water is abundant from a fountain and artesian well. These are available for the reception of 40 poor persons, 20 of whom must be spinsters, or widows not less than 50 years of age, and the other 20 males of not less than 60 years of age. The male inmates must have been householders of the parish for five years, and the females must have been householders, or the widows or daughters of householders, for a like period. Official manager, W. Raimondi, Esq. The income for the year 1867 amounted to ,£4,000 from the Holborn Estate Charity.
24 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
and lands in the parish of Crayford, in the county of Kent, the house producing £20 per annum; and theMands held by Mr. Colyer for twenty-one years, at "a rental of -£$2 per annum. The rents are to be divided" equally between four maid-servants, two of the parish of St. Andrew, Holborn/'and two of the parish of St. Clement Danes, at their marriage, upon certificate from their masters of their having faithfully served and inhabited with one master or mistress five'years consecutively. The charity has derived a material accession of income during the past nine years by royalties on brick earth dug from a portion of the land on lease to Mr. Colyer, the proportion of St. Clement Danes now amounting to ^2,500 stock.
JOHN SHAW, in 1649, left in trust to be distributed by ten dis- creet and honest men yearly for ever amongst the poor the rental of a small piece of ground on the east side of Addle Hill, near Thames Street, whereon a blacksmith's forge was erected, and pro- duced ^30 per annum. This charity property has since been taken by the Metropolitan Board of Works for public improvements in the city, and the purchase-money invested in the like trust.
There is also received from the following Charities, dividends, &c., as under : —
Stock purchased from sale of houses in Holywell Street and Butcher's Row, £31 ; Read's Charity, paid by Sadlers' Company (yearly), ;£i ; Vale and Bissell's Charity, out of the Dog Tavern, Holywell Street (yearly), IDS. ; Warner's Charity, out of 220, Strand (yearly), 135. 4d. ; Jacob's Charity, paid by Vintners' Company (yearly), £4 ; Price's Charity, out of house, Strand, £2 145. ; Backhouse's Charity, out of house, 280, Strand, £i ; Foster's Charity, out of house, 161, Strand, £i ; Earl of Salisbury, ,£8 ; Hester Wright (biennially), £i 45. : total, £51 is. 4d.
This, together with the amount received from Beddoe and Shaw's Charities, is received by the overseers, and is annually expended by them in the purchase of coals, bread, and tea, which are given away by means of tickets at Christmas amongst the most deserving poor of the parish.
HENRY RUSSELL, in 1639, gave to the poor for ever ;£ioo for their use, but there is no account of it extant.
LOST CHARITIES (ALL YEARLY). — Herman Price, date unknown, 135. 4d. ; Shoren, 1625,^1 ; Holford, 1659,^1 ; Lowman, 1661, 153.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. 25
In 1786 a person of the name of DENNIE gave ^"200 to the poor, which also appears to be lost, likewise a sum of £60 given by the Duke of NORTHUMBERLAND. Several bequests of money to the parish, to be lent from time to time to poor tradesmen and young beginners, cannot now be found, and must have been lost from the insufficiency of securities or other causes.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' HOLBORN ESTATE CHARITY.
THIS Estate was, in 1552, purchased of one William Breton, in con- sideration of £160 paid him by the churchwardens of St. Clement Danes. It then consisted of twelve messuages and a void piece of ground, with a cottage and a tenement called the Slaughter House, and was conveyed to trustees to the intent that they should yearly pay the income to the churchwardens of the parish for the time being, to be distributed in alms amongst twelve poor parishioners,1 who had dwelt in the parish for twelve years and were of honest fame and opinion ; the stipends were payable weekly or monthly, as should seem best by the discretion, consent and oversight of twelve honest, good, and decent parishioners, who had formerly borne the office of churchwardens of the parish. In the year 1647 the income of the Charity had so increased that the churchwardens were enabled to distribute it amongst the poor of the parish generally, who had been parishioners twelve years. The rental of this estate subsequently increased to such an extent, that in the year 1844 a scheme was settled by the Court of Chancery, directing the application thereof as follows : —
^300 for Parochial Schools, and ^"800 for Building ditto, when required. ^i,5ooto be expended in building Infant Schools, MilfordLane, which were in 1851 erected on the site of the old Rectory-house : this property is held upon a lease for 99 years, from Christmas, 1850, at a rent of ^27 135. 4d. per annum, payable to the Rector. The School was opened 7th March, 1853. The other Infant School was subsequently erected in Houghton Street, and opened 4th August, 1862. ^400 is allowed per annum for the support of these Schools.
26 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
,£300 is given to Kings' College Hospital, provided the Hospital receive all of the sick poor parishioners who are sent by the managers.
/i oo is given to the Public Dispensary in Carey Street.
,£50 to the Society for Relief of Lying-in Women.
;£ioo to the District Visiting Society.
.£600 per annum is allowed for the support of the Grammar Schools, and ;£200 for the support of the Middle Class Girls' School.
In 1 849 a large amount of money was expended by the managers in the purchase of eight acres of land, in Garrett Lane, Tooting, whereon they erected Forty Almshouses, with a Chapel, Committee Rooms, Baths and Laundry. In these almshouses forty poor persons, of whom twenty are females, not less than fifty years of age, and twenty are males, not less than sixty years of age, and who have been householders assessed to the poor-rates of the parish for five years, or widows or daughters of such persons, reside ; the stipends of the inmates of these almshouses are ^,"30 per annum for each inmate. In working the scheme with respect to these almshouses, the managers found that on the death of a married almsman, they were compelled to expel his widow from these almshouses, as the scheme provides that twenty of the almspeople must be males and twenty females ; • in order, therefore, to afford some relief to the widows of the alms- men, the managers determined to apply to the Court for the with- drawal of the sum of ^200 per annum, which had been set apart by the original scheme for apprentice fees, and to apply annually out of the income of the Charity a sum not exceeding ;£ioo per annum in payment of pensions to the widows of deceased almsmen. Several of these pensions are now received by the widows.
In the year 1860 the managers purchased the old Peacock Inn, and some houses in Houghton Street and New Inn Passage, on the site of which they erected the Grammar Schools, with Master's resi- dence ; a Middle Class Girls' School and an Infant School, with a residence for a Mistress to each of the latter ; and also the Board Room and offices for the use of the managers. These schools were opened on the 4th August, 1862, and are now in full operation.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
27
The property belonging to the Charity consists of freehold land and houses situate as follows, viz. : the southern boundary extends along the north side of High Holborn, from a mark in the footway pavement in front of the house No. no, High Holborn, which is the south-western corner of the estate, to another mark at the south- eastern end of the house or shop No. 77, High Holborn, which is the south-eastern corner of the estate ; the eastern boundary extends from the mark along the eastern side of the premises to a mark at the north-eastern end of the same premises, which is the north-eastern corner of the estate ; the northern boundary is formed by an irregular line extending from the mark at the north-eastern corner of the estate, along the back of some of the houses in Eagle Street, to the north- western corner of the estate, where there are two marks ; and the western side of the estate extends from that corner in nearly a straight line to the mark in front of the house No. no, High Holborn.
On the site is erected the premises of the great blacking manu- facturers, Messrs. Day and Martin, the cost of which was ^12,000 ; and the Amphitheatre, the cost of which was ^8,000.
ABSTRACT OF THE ACCOUNT OF THE MANAGERS OF
THE ST. CLEMENT DANES' HOLBORN ESTATE CHARITY,
For the Year ending May ^ist, 1867.
|
DR. |
£ |
s. |
d. | CR. £ |
s. d. |
|||
|
To Balance on ist June, 1866 |
58 |
i |
8 By Annual Donations - 850 |
o o |
|||
|
,, Rent from Trustees |
4,122 |
*4 |
10 |
Aims-Houses - 1*670 |
9 6 |
||
|
„ Dividend on Accumulation |
Grammar School - - 1,013 |
3 4 |
|||||
|
Fund ----- |
31 |
10 |
7 |
Middle Class Girls' School |
241 |
i 5 |
|
|
,, Return of Income and Pro- |
Infant School, Houghton St |
4 3 |
|||||
|
perty Tax - |
74 |
6 |
7 |
Ditto ditto, Milford Lan |
I73 |
H 7 |
|
|
,, Rent of Aims-Houses Field - |
8 |
6 |
Apprentice Fees |
20 |
o o |
||
|
,, Grammar School Fees - |
367 |
5 |
o I |
Accumulation Fund |
31 |
10 7 |
|
|
„ Middle Class Girls' ditto |
172 |
o |
o |
Legal Expenses General Disbursements - |
148 |
7 8 2 0 |
|
|
Balance - 60 |
13 10 |
||||||
|
) |
£4,839 |
7 |
2 |
£4,839 |
7 2 |
Certified nth June, 1867. W. RAIMONDI.
(S. H. TWINING, Chairman. Audited 7tk June, 1867, \ HENRY MASON.
(GEO. ROSE INNES.
The Vestry Clerk (Mr. J. F. ISAACSON) has, for sixteen years, been the Receiver and Solicitor of the Charity Estate.
28 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' BENEVOLENT PENSION SOCIETY.
THIS Society was instituted January 5th, 1835, for the relief of decayed housekeepers of the parish, by monthly pensions of twenty shillings, and was established at the late Mr. JAQUET'S, of Clare Court, the Committee meeting by permission of the churchwardens, at the Vestry, the first Wednesday in every month. There are eight pensioners at the present time, seven of whom receive twenty shillings and one ten shillings, which is paid them by Mr. CROSSLEY, at his house, every month. The funded property of the Society i* ^rj500> the interest of which, together with the annual subscrip- tions of ,£30, being the total income. R. TWINING, Esq. kindly acts as Treasurer.
THE PEST HOUSE FIELD CHARITY.
THIS Charity was given conjointly to the parishes of St. Clement Danes, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields (with St. George, Hanover Square),* St. James, Westminster, and St. Paul, Covent Garden, by William, Earl of CRAVEN, in 1687, in consequence of the Great Plague, which began at the top of Drury Lane, in the winter of 1664, and continued to ravage London till July, 1666, as many as 12,000 persons dying in one week. De Foe declares that 100,000 perished. This was immediately followed by the Great Fire of London, which lasted four days and nights, and consumed 400 streets, 13,200 houses, St. Paul's Cathedral, eighty-nine churches, numerous chapels, and four of the City gates. The total loss of property was nearly ten millions.
The object of the Charity was to provide an hospital to give relief to the poor of the above four London parishes, suffering from con- tagious disorders. The present scheme for the management and application of the income was approved by an Order of the Court
* Only one-fourth of the Charity goes to St. Martin's and St. George's, in consequence of St. George s formerly being part of St. Martin's.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. 29
of Chancery, dated the 3oth day of May, 1864, made in the cause of " Attorney-General v. Earl of Craven," and requires the management to be under the control of twenty-one trustees, elected from the above parishes, the incumbent from each parish being included. The scheme also provides that the income of the Charity (which is likewise in accordance with the recommendation of the Master of the Rolls), be paid to the Governors of King's College Hospital upon the following conditions : — That
They shall set apart twenty-four beds for in-patients, sent by the Trustees of the Craven Charity ; also shall receive and supply with advice and medicine, as out-patients, all poor pei'sons, resident in the said several parishes, who shall be sent by the Trustees.
All in-patients requiring surgical or medical aid, and being fit cases for hospital treatment, shall be received indiscriminately, whether suffering from contagious or infectious disorders or not (small-pox alone being excepted) and shall be treated, in all respects, in the same manner as the other patients received into the hospital.
During the year 1866, 256 patients had been received from the various parishes interested in the Craven Charity. The trustees of the Charity have appointed certain members of their body to visit the hospital once a month, and the committee of the hospital continue to receive the most gratifying assurances of the great satis- faction of the trustees with the care and attention bestowed upon the patients during their residence within the walls of the hospital. The amount received from the Charity in 1866 was ^354 los. lod.
While the estate was in the hands of the Craven representatives, they, considering that the Charity was not a subsisting trust, let the Charity lands upon building leases, inserting a clause in such leases that if the Plague should return to either of the four parishes the tenants were to vacate their houses so as to allow the infected parishioners to be sheltered therein. When the present leases run out — about seventy years hence — the yearly income will be nearly ^"5,000, adequate to the formation of a great institution. At present the value of the " Pest House Estate " is as follows : — •
|
30 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. |
|||
|
j acn has giv< it is whi |
|||
|
Situation of Property. |
Rent now being paid for Occupation of the Buildings. |
Ground Een1 receivable by the Charity. |
Term of Building Lease. |
|
LEASE No. 1. No. 14, Craven Hill . . » !6, „ . . |
£ '. d. 150 o o 150 o o 180 o o 180 o o 180 o o 40 o o 40 o o 40 o o 40 o o 40 o o 40 o o 40 o o 210 0 0 240 o o 220 0 0 240 o o 240 o o 240 o o 145 o o 160 o o 170 o o 160 o o J5S o o |
£ s. d. 42 o o 42 o o 38 o o 500 500 6 10 o 6 10 o 6 10 o 6 10 o 6 10 o 6 10 o 6 10 o 27 4 o 500 500 500 500 500 700 700 21 O O 7OO 700 700 30 o o 30 o o 54 19 5 |
90 years from j March 25, 1844. ) 87 years from \ March 25, ) 1847. 1 83 years from \ March 25, 1851. 1 83 years from March 25, 1852. J ( Held on Lease of s which 2 1 years is (. unexpired. |
|
LEASE No. 2. ,, 1 8, Craven Hill . . »» 20, » » • • » 22, „ „ . . LEASE No. 3. ,, 6, Craven Mews j» 7> »> »» • »» &, » M • • ,, 9, ,, ,, . . |
|||
|
,. I0» M „ • • »» "» >» j» • „ I2» » „ LEASE No. 4. ,, 30, Craven Hill Gardens ,, 31, „ ,, „ |
|||
|
>» S2, „ » 33» '» » » » 34) » » j» ,, 7C, ,, |
|||
|
»> 3"» >» »> >, ,, 37, ,, ,, ,, |
|||
|
» 3^, M >, ,, ». 39, n M 40, ,, |
|||
|
» 42» >» ,, ,, |
180 o o 190 o o 54 19 5 |
||
|
» 43> » >» »> |
|||
|
LEASE No. 5. Craven Hill Lodge . . Total . . £ |
|||
|
3869 19 5 |
400 13 5 |
||
|
\ division of the parish of St James's, of 25 acres, has a population averaging 432 persons to the : ! ! ! — the most dense spot of all London. A division of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, of 42 acres, a population yielding an average of 287 to the acre. St. Clement Danes' parish, 54 acres, :s also 287 persons to the acre. This degree of density of population may be judged of when stated that the most crowded district of St. George's, Hanover Square, has but 95 to the acre, st of all London it is only 30. |
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES. 31
ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITY SCHOOLS.
THE Parochial School of St. Clement Danes is one of the earliest established on the principles first promulgated by the " Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge," and from the year 1700 to the present time the Institution has been an object of unceasing interest and utility to the inhabitants of the Parish.
The trustees, in the year 1778, introduced a new and important feature by the admission of eight girls into the school (as many as the funds would then permit), there to be wholly lodged, maintained, clothed, and educated, till they attained an age which fitted them for servitude. The number has since been increased to thirty.
In the other department, seventy boys are admitted, to be entirely clothed, instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, and taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, &c., that when of proper age, if of deserving character, they may be placed out as appren- tices, or engaged in some useful employment.
With a view to promote a wholesome feeling of self-dependence both in parents and children, a weekly payment has been imposed recently of two-pence for every child attending the schools, except in cases where more than one child of the same family attends, when an extra penny is levied for every additional child.
KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.
THIS Hospital was established in 1839, and is situate in Portugal Street ; and lying as it does between Holborn and the Strand, it is in the midst of a densely crowded district. It is entirely dependent upon voluntary subscriptions and legacies. The entire cost of con- ducting the Hospital cannot be estimated at less than ,£10,000 per annum. The annual subscriptions, we regret to say, do not amount to more -than ,£2,000; and the total income from all sources last year amounted to only ,£6,882 2s. 7d.
The Hospital receives liberal local support from the legal profession, Holborn Estate and Pest House Charities, also from a number of the most influential inhabitants of the parish.
32 ST. CLEMENT DANES' CHARITIES.
Since the opening of the Hospital there have been 36,697 in-patients, and 657,131 out-patients, making a total of 693,828. About 2,000 in-patients are admitted every year, and nearly 40,000 out-patients receive advice and medicine. In addition to the best medical and surgical skill, the patients have the benefit of the services of the sisters and nurses of St. John's House, this Hos- pital having been the first in London to recognize the advantages of the improved system of nursing afforded by that Institution. Ten beds are set apart, under the auspices of Miss NIGHTINGALE, and at the charge of the Nightingale Fund, for the reception of poor married women, of whom 148 were confined within the Hospital in 1866; and thus, in addition to the direct benefit conferred upon the poor, midwife-nurses are, by this means, specially trained for the important object of attending married women at their own homes, under the direction of medical men. A most important addition to the usefulness of the Hospital was made last year by the opening of a special ward for the diseases of young children, which was founded by Mr. PETER PANTIA RALLI, in memory of his deceased father, for which purpose he contributed the munificent donation of ^6,000. The ward was opened on the 5th of October, and con- tains ten beds.
This noble institution affords much relief to the neighbourhood. The patients are attended by the most eminent members of the medical profession, and nurses are provided to administer to every want; surgeons are in constant readiness to give immediate attention to cases of accident or emergency, the doors being open night and day. We regret to find the Hospital is so much in need of support. The Secretary, Mr. JAMES S. BLYTH, will thankfully receive subscriptions.
ANCIENT HOSPITALS. — The earliest Hospitals were probably nothing more than houses on the roadside, at which the chance traveller might obtain refreshment. Of this original design some traces were preserved until a late period. For instance, in the Hospital of St. Cross, near Winchester, the porter is still furnished, according to statute, with a certain quantity of bread and beer, of which any traveller who knocks at the lodge and calls for relief is entitled to partake gratis. At the time of HENRY VIII. the number of these hospitals mentioned are 387.
LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE MILLER. 33
LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE MILLER.
THE ground on which the King's College Hospital now stands was formerly one of the burial-grounds of the parish.
One of the most remarkable persons interred in this burial-ground was the celebrated JOE MILLER, the actor, and father (by repute) of all modern jokes. He died of pleurisy, in the year 1738, and was buried under part of the site of the present Hospital. A modest stone was erected by his friends over the spot, and the epitaph written by STEPHEN DUCK, the thresher poet of Charlton, was engraved thereon, a copy of which is here given : —
JOE MILLER'S TOMBSTONE.
" Here lie the remains of honest JOE MILLER, who was A tender husband, a sincere friend, A facetious companion, and an excellent comedian. He departed this life the I5th day of August, 1738, aged 54 years." " If humor, wit, and honesty could save The humorous, witty, honest from the grave, His grave had not so soon its tenant found, With honesty and wit, and humor crown'd. Or, could esteem and love preserve our health, And guard us longer from the stroke of death ; The stroke of death on him had later fell, Whom all mankind esteemed and loved so well."
Time, the devourer of all things, gradually gnawed and crumbled away the stone, and rendered the epitaph almost illegible, when Mr. JARVIS BUCK, one of the churchwardens of St. Clement Danes, in 1816 had a new stone, engraved with the above epitaph, &c., placed over the grave of the illustrious Joe, which stone may still be seen (though the grave has been swept away by improving time), in the King's College Hospital.
A few remarks on the life of the renowned Joe Miller, of facetious memory, may not be uninteresting to the rising generation. All that is known of his birth is, that he was born about the year 1684, but who or what were his parents, or where they resided, there is nothing left on record to enlighten us. His education appears to have been very scant, if any, for it is said that he took a wife to have somebody
34 LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE MILLER.
to read his parts to him. How he came to take to the stage is all conjecture, but when princes and other quality visited Bartelmy Fair, • Smithfield, as was the case in the beginning of the i8th century, perhaps Joe's bold voice got him the trumpet part in front of some booth, to invite and coax in an audience to see the many wonders, or to remind the people that they "Could tumble up and have the fun of the fair all for one penny — babbies half price, and old ladies for nothing !" There was no disparagement in all this- to Joe, for Thespis mounted a cart, and Kean played tumbler and harlequin before Richardson's Show.
The first appearance of Joe Miller on the London boards seems to have taken place on Saturday, April 3oth, 1715, when he played at Drury Lane the part of Young Clincher, in Farquhar's comedy of " The Constant Couple ; or a Trip to Jubilee," for the benefit of Bowen the actor; and on the following Saturday night, May yth, Joe and a Mrs. Cox had a benefit, when he acted the part of Old Wilful, in Gibber's comedy of the " Double Gallant ; or, the Sick Lady's Cure."
Joe soon after this took his stand as a useful actor — his talents lying among heavy fathers, countrymen, and idiots ; he also played broken French and Irish parts. His salary attests his merit, which began at three and rose to five guineas per week — not very bad pay in those days, considering all things. On April 25th, 1717, Joe had a benefit all to himself, a venture for any one, as it oftener led to the Fleet than to fortune. He got Hogarth (then a young artist unknown to fame) to engrave the card-plate of admission; it was a scene taken from Congreve's comedy of the "Old Bachelor," the play chosen by Joe for the occasion, and in which he performed the part of Sir Joseph Whittol. When one of the cards was shown to Spiller, the comedian, he was so pleased with it, that he exclaimed, "That's the Ticket!" — a phrase which has been in use ever since when anything is produced which is exactly the thing required. •
In 1736, Dodsley brought out his farce of "The King and the
LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE MILLER. 35
Miller of Mansfield," and Joe had the part of the Miller assigned to him. This piece is the parent of " Charles II. ; or, the Merry Monarch," and of " Cramond Brig." But the favourite character of Joe was Teague, in " The Committee ; or, the Faithful Irishman," though he played many other parts equally well, and was considered a most respectable actor in his line of business.
Although Joe was a comedian, his style belonged to the joco- serioso school, —
' ' Ex gravita fecit fun, Till the tears, thro' laughing run ;"
for his face was of the most imperturbable mould, full of gravity and solemnity, and evidently not intended for laughter in itself, though it was admirably adapted to cause laughter in others. In private life he was the dullest of the dull, scarcely ever speaking ; and his friend Mottley, a merry wag of the time, used to poke fun at him" and make him his butt whenever opportunity offered, which Joe took ail in good part, for there was a kindly nature in him, even in his stolidity.
At the Old Black Jack Tavern, in Portsmouth Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, the actors and dramatists of those days were wont to assemble, and here Joe used to pass his evenings, puffing away at his pipe in solemn silence, and communing with his own thoughts, if he had any ; but Mottley declared that Joe had only one idea — and that was a wrong one.
This Black Jack Tavern was once a very noted house, and even is now much frequented by those sons of Galen, the students of King's College Hospital. For many years it was called the " Jump," because the notorious Jack Sheppard, being in the house and sought for by Bow-street officers, leaped out of the first-floor window and got clear off. In one of the attics is a sort of false chimney, where gentlemen in difficulties were often secreted till arrangements could be made with their creditors. As to the sign- "'Black Jack," that was taken from a leathern drinking-vessel -for-
36 LIFE AND TIMES OF JOE MILLER.
merly much in use and often covered with pitch, and thus called a pitcher ; such were the drinking cups preceding the use of pewter pots.
As Joe was of a taciturn and saturnine disposition, his boon com- panions were for ever quizzing him, or making him their laughing stock, so that when anything droll or funny was said, it was instantly declared to be Joe Miller's, with — "That's another Joe Miller!" though Joe never made but one joke in the whole course of his life, and that was as he was sitting one day near the window at the Sun Tavern, in Clare Street, Clare Market, a fishwoman and her girl passing by, the woman cried her fish, saying — " Buy my soles, buy my maids !" " Ah ! you wicked old creature," exclaimed honest Joe ; " what ! are you not content to sell your own soul, but you must sell your maid's also ? "
And Joe was quite as poetical as he was witty, for he has only left us one solitary distich, viz. —
" The only Comedian now that dare
Vie with the world, and challenge the fair ; "
referring, no doubt, to Bartelmy Fair, for Joe cannot surely mean the ladies fair, who, Dr. Johnson says, are only captivated through the ears ; and Joe's loquacity was silence personified.
Although Joe was neither a jester, a poet, nor a vocalist, his solemn gravity was the cause of much fun and merriment in others, and gave rise to many a good joke and happy saying. And Jack Mottley made the most of his friend in every way, not only whilst alive, but turning him to account when dead — for he collected all the repartees and smart sayings made in the parlour of the Black Jack, purloining not a few from other collections of jokes, and in 1739 published his work as "Joe Miller's Jests ; or The Wit's Vade-mecum ;" and thus Joe, the jestless, has been made the father of all jests, jokes and witticisms, past, present and to come — for whenever the parent- age of any funny or humorous saying is now in doubt, people exclaim at once "That's an old Joe Miller."
This first edition of " Joe Miller" contains 247 jokes. A copy of
THE PUBLIC DISPENSARY. 37
the work may be seen in the British Museum. It is so scarce now that, at a book sale, the slim octavo has been sold for £2 ios., whilst a copy of the second edition has fetched £i i 53., because it had some manuscript additions. Before the year 1740 four editions had been printed, and eleven editions by 1747, such was the great demand for this work. As to the number of editions published at the present day, that is quite unknown, but in 1846 a new "Joe Miller" came out, con- taining 1,286 repartees and jokes — of course, all the offspring of honest Joe of immortal fame, who will always be held in remembrance as a facetious humorist, a merry companion, and an honest fellow.
THE PUBLIC DISPENSARY.
THE object of this Institution is to relieve the poor with medicine and medical advice. Those within the limits of the following parishes or places are attended at their own habitations when requisite : viz., St. Clement Danes, St. Mary-le-Strand, the Precinct of the Savoy, St Giles-in-the-Fields, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. Paul, Covent Garden, St. George, Bloomsbury, St. George the Martyr, St. Andrew, Holborn, St. Sepulchre Within, St. Bride, Bridewell Precinct, Whitefriars, St. Dunstan-in-the-West, the Liberty of the Rolls, and any other places within the circuit named. The medical officers are: — J. WATERFIELD, M.D., D. HOOPER, M.D., C. EVANS, M.D., J. WOOD, Esq. and C. KELLY, M.D.
The total number of patients relieved from 1782 (the date of the institution of the Charity), is 294,488; of which number 58,319 have been attended at their own homes. The applicants for relief amount to between 4,000 and 5,000 annually.
R. TWINING, Esq., is the treasurer, and Mr. J. S. PHILLIPS, 5, Bishop's Court, the honorary secretary.
The Dispensary will shortly be removed from Carey St. to the new premises at the corner of Holies St. and Stanhope St., Clare Market.
Dispensaries were first established in 1770, when the Royal Dispensary was founded at Shaftesbury House, Aldersgate Street.-
38 BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE STRAND DISTRICT.
of St Ckimnt
1867-68.
]T the present time the Parish is under the management of the following Authorities and Officers : — Rector, two Curates, two Churchwardens, four Overseers, ten Assistants, elected under an old Act of Parliament, and forming a Board for the purpose of assisting the Overseers in making the Rates; nine Guardians, two Clerks to ditto, two Relieving Officers, twenty-four Vestrymen, who meet in Open Vestry under the "Metropolis Local Management Act," for the purpose of adjusting the Rates, electing the Members of the Board of Works, and the Officers of the Vestry ; five Auditors, fifteen Members of District Board of Works, two Clerks to ditto, two Surveyors, Medical Officer of Health, three Inspectors, and one Messenger ; two Collectors of Rates and Taxes, Sexton, two Registrars, two Medical Officers, Beadle, Vestry-House Keeper, and two Turncocks. For the Holborn Estate Charity : — twelve Trustees, twenty-four Managers, Treasurer, Solicitor to the Trustees and Col- lector of Rents, Clerk to the Managers, and Surveyor and Architect.
BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE STRAND DISTRICT.
THE offices are situated at 5, Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, and were erected by the Board shortly after the passing of the "Metropolis Local Management Act," in the year 1856.
The Board of Works consists of forty-nine members, elected from the following parishes :— St. Ann's, i8j St. Clement, 15; St. Mary-le-Strand, 3 ; St. Paul, Covent Garden, 9 ; The Liberty of the Rolls, 3 ; Precinct of the Savoy, i.
BOARD OF WORKS FOR THE STRAND DISTRICT. 39
Mr. T. M. JENKINS, Clerk to the Board ; Dr. C. EVANS, Medical Officer of Health ; Mr. G. F. FRY, Surveyor.
The total expenditure of the Board for twelve months ending March 1867, was ,£22,311 155. gd.
The amounts paid to the Board by the Parish of St. Clement Danes are: — for General Expenses, ,£4,547 193. 8d.; Sewer Expenses, ;£i,745 i6s. 8d. ; Main Drainage Rate, 1,195 I9S- °d. ; Incidental, £i os. i id. — Total, £"7,490 i6s. 3d.
We extract the following from the Report issued by the Board : —
ST. CLEMENT DANES IMPROVEMENT BILL.
" A company promoted a Bill in Parliament^ under the title of ' The St. Clement Danes Improvement Bill,' having for its object the removal of .' the blocks of houses on the north side of the Strand, between St. Clement Danes' Church and St. Mary-le-Strand Church, and the erection on the site of more valuable buildings. The promoters having agreed with the Board to insert a clause in the Bill, preserving, as a minimum, the existing assessment for the rates ; and also giving up gratuitously to the public, in order to widen the thoroughfare in the Strand, a strip . of ground, fifteen feet wide at the east end (near St. Clement's Church), and terminating in a point at the west end (near St. Mary's Church) ; and also to widen Wych Street ; the Board arranged with the promoters not to oppose their Bill, and the same became law."
WIDENING OF CAREY STREET.
"A favourable opportunity having arisen, by the demolition of several old houses, of widening the narrow portion of Carey Street at its junction with Chancery Lane, and the Board having, after considerable negotiations, received promises of sundry contributions from the Govern- , ment, the Metropolitan Board of Works, and others, towards the said improvement, to an extent of about ^"17,000, entered into a contract for the purchase of the necessary property for the sum of ,£17,000. The cost to the District will be from ^"1,200 to ^"1,500." The Board of Works con- tributed ,£5,000 and Her Majesty's Treasury ^£7,000 towards the expenses of widening Carey Street.
The paving, cleansing and lighting of the Parish was, until ' the passing of the "Metropolis Local Management Act," performed by a Board established by the 23rd George III., cap. 89.
The first Highway Rate was made in the reign of Edward III., and the first place repaired with the money so collected was the roadway between Temple Bar and St. Giles's Church, — Wych Street, Drury Lane, &c.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS OF THE STRAND UNION.
THE POOR OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
THIS Parish joined the Strand Union at the time the Union was declared, February 22, 1836. The amount paid by the Overseers of St. Clement Danes to the Union for maintaining the poor of their parish for the year ending Lady-day, 1867, was £12,212 153. lod. — the average weekly cost per head of the poor being, for provisions, necessaries and clothing, at the Workhouse, 43. iojd. ; at Edmonton, 33. 9fd. £$1® is. 6d. was the share of expense paid by the parish for collecting the rates.
THE WORKHOUSE DIETARY FOR ABLE-BODIED INMATES.
|
No. i. THE ORDINARY HOUSE DIET FOR MEN AND WOMEN. |
BRE •o i n |
AKFAST. |
DINNER. |
SUPPER. |
||||||||||
|
1 O pints |
rt H |
Bread. |
8 g |
Potatoes. |
Pudding. |
,c 8 n |
^ i |
13 § H |
Cheese. |
J3 2 M |
rt H |
|||
|
oz. |
pints |
oz. j oz. oz. 'pints |
oz. pints |
pints |
oz. oz. pints pint |
|||||||||
|
Sunday Monday Tuesday - Wednesday- Thursday - Friday- - « Saturday - "*•>'• |
6 6 6 6 6 6 6 |
3 i* :! ii |
«| |
|||||||||||
|
•• |
H |
•• |
5 |
2 |
•• |
|||||||||
|
5 |
2 |
•• |
||||||||||||
|
5 5 |
2 2 |
•• |
||||||||||||
|
DAILY DIETARIES FOR THE SICK, as directed by the Medical Officer. |
||||||||||||||
|
No. 2 — Or, Meat, daily No. 3 — Meat and Broth No. 4— Milk (fever diet) |
6 4 4 |
;; |
I i |
4 |
5 4 |
8 |
I i |
i i i |
||||||
|
i ! -- |
||||||||||||||
|
J |
4 |
•• |
||||||||||||
|
1 |
I |
To Nos. 2, 3, and 4, is added 5 oz. of Butter weekly. Suckling women are allowed, in addition to No. I Dietary, a pint of Beer daily, and Meat and Potatoes on Saturday in lieu of Soup. The Aged and Infirm have in addition to the able- bodied dietary, mutton broth, leg of beef soup, beef, bacon, and tea and butter every day. Children have milk, pudding, treacle, dripping, &c.
BOARD OF GUARDIANS OF THE STRAND UNION.
TABLE
SHEWING THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF MONEY LEVIED FOR POOR RATES
IN THE
PARISH OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
|
DATE. |
AMOUNT. |
DATE. |
AMOUNT. |
DATE. |
AMOUNT. |
DATE. |
AMOUNT. |
|
1813 |
9,896 |
1827 |
8,847 |
1841 |
9,203 |
I85S |
13,786 |
|
I8l4 |
9,344 |
1828 |
9,O22 |
1842 |
9,715 |
1856 |
J2,533 |
|
1815 |
8,123 |
1829 |
9,472 |
1843 |
9,544 |
1857 |
i4»35i |
|
1816 |
7,539 |
1830 |
9,353 |
I844 |
9,806 |
1858 |
12,635 |
|
1817 |
8,573 |
I83I |
11,684 |
1845 |
9,041 |
1859 |
12,400 |
|
1818 |
8,660 |
1832 |
n, 008 |
1846 |
10,682 |
1860 |
12,053 |
|
1819 |
6,921 |
1833 |
10,057 |
1847 |
10,440 |
1861 |
12,253 |
|
1820 |
8,306 |
1834 |
10,806 |
1848 |
11,140 |
1862 |
13,098 |
|
1821 |
10,114 |
1835 |
12,855 |
I849 |
12,489 |
1863 |
12,502 |
|
1822 |
10,115 |
I836 |
11,471 |
1850 |
11,218 |
1864 |
12,673 |
|
1823 |
8,529 |
1837 |
9,217 |
1851 |
io,454 |
1865 |
12,799 |
|
1824 |
7,927 |
I838 |
10,646 |
1852 |
10,071 |
1866 |
13.524 |
|
1825 |
7,401 |
1839 |
8,730 |
1853 |
10,629 |
1867 |
J5>275 |
|
1826 |
8,422 |
1840 |
8,940 |
1854 |
11,646 |
The Strand Union is under the management of a Board of Guardians elected from the following parishes forming the Union : — St. Anne, 9 ; St. Clement Danes, 9 ; St. Mary-le-Strand, 3 ; St. Paul, Covent Garden, 5 ; the Liberty of the Rolls, 3 ; the Precinct of the Savoy, i. Mr. JAMES KILNER is the Clerk to the Board. The total expenditure of the Union for twelve months ending Lady-day, 1867, was .£36,187 155. 8d. Arrangements are pending for this parish to amalgamate with the Holborn Union, who are about purchasing property in the Gray's Inn Road, adjoining the Holborn Union Workhouse, consisting of various plots of ground amounting to 37,013 superficial feet; this has been valued approximately by Mr. DENT at the sum of ^42,329, to acquire complete possession.
The Old Poor-House of St. Clement Danes, which joined the Graveyard in Portugal Street, was purchased by the inhabitants in 1638.
A SURVEY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES IN 1732.
jrwrkg 0f St Clement Jams,
MADE BY THE COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS
IN 1732.
JHE Old Church was built 730 years ago, and between 1608 and 1633 the repairs cost ^1586; in 1721 the Churchyard was beautifully paved. It is situated on the north side of the Strand, a little westward of Temple Bar, in the Liberty of the Duchy of Lancaster, in the County of Middlesex. It is a rectory in the gift of the Earl of Exeter, the value near ^"600 per annum, but some say that not above ^400 is collected : it is rated in the King's books at ^"5 2 73. id. The Rector is the Rev. Mr. BLACKWELL, and the Lecturer the Rev. Mr. PETERS. The Vestry is select.
"THE PARISH OFFICERS ARE —
6 Burgesses and their Deputies. 2 Churchwardens.
5 Overseers, of which 4 are Collectors. 2 Surveyors for regulating the Paving of the Streets.
THE PEACE OFFICERS ARE —
8 Constables. 8 Scavengers. 4 Surveyors of the H. W. 24 Jurymen for the Duchy Liberty. 4 Ale-Conners. 4 Flesh-Tasters.
"In the upper churchyard are three schools, one for seventy boys, who are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic by the master, who is allowed £40 per annum, and coals and candles. The boys are also instructed in the mathematics, and are taught to sing by masters who are paid for teaching them. In the second school are forty girls, under a mistress, who teaches them to read, sew, knit, &c., and she has £20 per annum, besides coals and candles. These girls have also a singing master to teach them ; and both boys and girls are
A SURVEY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES IN 1732. 43
clothed in blue. The third school is the Horn-book school, where thirty children are taught by the mistress.
" In the upper churchyard there are also six Almshouses with six rooms, and twelve poor women in each house, who are allowed 23. per week ; and in the lower churchyard are five rooms for poor women, each of whom has 23. 6d. per week; they have also coals at Christmas, if they can make interest to get them.
" This parish begins westward on the south side of the Strand at Cecil Street, including the east side of that street, and reaches to the house of Mr. Collins (exclusive) and begins again two doors west- ward from Strand Lane, and reaches to Temple Bar, taking in all the streets, courts, &c. in that compass to the River Thames. On the north side of the Strand it begins at Burleigh Street, and takes in the east side of that street, except the uppermost house, and extends to the house of Mr. Nicholson, the Pewterer, at the corner of Kathe- rine Street, and comprehends part of that house and the courts within that compass. It begins again two doors westward of the Five Bells Tavern, and extends to Temple Bar, taking in Holywell Street, commonly called the Back of St. Clements, and Butcher Row. It takes in also the west side of Sheer Lane, all Carey Street, the greatest part of Searl's Square, commonly called Lincoln's Inn Great Square, Portugal Street, Searl Street, Clare Market, Vere Street, and therein Bear Yard ; and from Vere Street it extends eastward on the south side of Duke Street to the Stable-yard, adjoining to the Ambas- sador's Chapel ; it takes in all Stanhope Street, except two houses. In Drury Lane it begins over against the Play-house, on the east side, and extends to Wych Street, taking in all the north side of that street, and the south side of the same, from the back door of the Five Bells Tavern, inclusive, and all the streets, lanes, courts, &c. within that compass.
"This parish is divided into two Liberties, viz., the Upper and the Lower. The Upper, which is in the Liberty of Westminster, con- tains four Wards, viz., Temple Bar Ward, Sheer Lane Ward, Drury
44
A SURVEY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES IN 1732.
Lane Ward, and Holywell Ward. The Lower Liberty is in the Duchy of Savoy and contains also four Wards, viz,, Royal Ward, Church Ward, Middle Ward, and Savoy Ward.
"STREETS, LANES, COURTS, ALLEYS, &c.
" Temple Bar Ward takes
Part of Butcher-Row
Peach Tree-court
Star-court
Newcastle-court
Bear and Harrow-court
Old Bosvile-court Part of St, Clement's-lane
Plow Stables-alley Yeats's-court
Part of Clare-market ,, Vere-street Bear-yard
Part of Duke-street.
" Sheer Lane Ward contains
Gilbert's-passage Carey- street Part of SearPs-sq., commonly called
Lincoln's Inn Gt. square Searl-street Portugal-street Cook's-court Grange -court New-court
Boswell- court Part of Sheer-lane
Little Sheer-lane
Crown-court
Hemlock-court
Peachy-court
Ship-yard
Cucumber-alley
Part of Drury-lane Drum-alley Kings Head-court Bennets-court White Horse-yard Clare-court Blackmoor-street
" In Drury Lane Ward are
Craven-buildings
Craven-passage Part of Maypole-alley
Stanhope-street
Peter-street, properly Denzile-
street Part of Clare-street
"/» Holywell Ward are
Part of Holywell-street, commonly
called the
Back of St. Clement's Kings Arms-court All Wych-street, except from
Little Drury-lane end, to
the back door of the 5 Bells
Tavern Wych- alley
Carpenters- court Part of St. Clements-lane ,, Clare-market ,, Clare-street Holies-street Clements Inn-passage Houghton-street New Inn-passage Part of Maypole-alley
A SURVEY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES IN 1732.
45
"Royal Ward has
Part of Temple-bar
Cross Keys-alley
Devereaux-court
Essex-street
Little Essex-street Part of North side of the Strand ,, Milford-lane, and therein
Milford-stairs
Essex-stairs Sadlers-court
Bakers-yard, & Tweezers-alley Greyhound-court Part of The south side of the Strand
The south side of Butcher-row The north side of St Clements Church
" Church Ward comprehends
The north side of St Clements
Church-yard
The west side of the same The south side of Holy-well- street, commonly called the Back of St Clements
The west end of the same The north side of the Strand
from the New Church to St
Clements Church Pi — ing-alley
: Middle Ward takes in
Milford-lane Water-street
Arundell-street, and therein Pear Tree-hall Norfolk-street
The Boarded Entry Angel-court Naked Boy-court Surry-street Strand-lane
"/;/ the Savoy Ward are
Part of South side of the Strand Dutchy-lane Savoy Savoy-alley White Lyon-court Green Arbour-court Jesuits-ground Fountain- court
"No. of Houses, 1,750.
Herberts-passage Beaufort-buildings Beaufort -street Worcester-ground Dirty-lane Part of Cecil-street
,, Burleigh-street, and therein Burleigh-court.
"ROBERT COX, Clerk."
In imitation of our Saviour's pattern of humility, the Kings of England formerly performed the annual ceremony, on Maundy Thursday, of washing the feet of as many poor men as they were years old. Cardinal Wolsey, at Peterborough Abbey in 1530, washed and kissed the feet of fifty-nine poor men, and afterwards gave to each twelve pence in money, three ells of good canvas to make them shirts, a pair of new shoes, a cast of red herrings, and three white herrings. Queen Elizabeth, when in her thirty-ninth year, performed this ceremony upon thirty-nine poor persons at her palace at Greenwich, after which, clothes, victuals, and money were distributed. This strange ceremonial, in which the highest was for a moment brought beneath the lowest, was last performed in its full extent by James II. King William left the washing to his almoner, arid such was the arrangement for many years afterwards. The custom has been entirely given up for a consider- able number of years, and since the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria an additional sum of money has been given in lieu of provisions.
46 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
St. Clement Mmm — |itstitntt0its,
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, ENGLAND.
]HIS Institution is situate on the south side of Lincoln's Inn Fields. It was erected from designs by Sir Charles Barry, R.A., in 1836, at a total cost of about ^"40,000. The exterior is remarkable for the great beauty of its portico, con- sisting of six lofty fluted columns of the Ionic order, selected* from the temple on the banks of the Illyssus at Athens. Some of the cornice mouldings and the echinas of the architrave are carved — the entablature bearing the following inscription, from the classic pen of C. J. BLOMFIELD, Bishop of London, then one of the Trustees of the Hunterian Collection : —
"Aedes Collegii Chirurgorum. Londinensis Diplomate Regio Corporati. A.D. MDCCC."
On entering the hall an inner vestibule is seen, and directly in front the arms of the College, which formerly appeared on the portico (with Machaon and Podalirus as supporters). This heraldic device is now let into the wall, and surmounted with the College crest — an eagle holding the mace. On the right of the entrance-hall is a smaller vestibule, leading to the Museum, an account of which is appended. On the left are the Secretary's offices, where the names of students are received for examination and registration ; and here, in October last, we find that as many as 1,125 gentlemen, including 355 freshmen, registered their attendances at the eleven metropolitan hospitals. In the rooms above, the students are examined, and during the collegiate year ending July, 1867, there were twenty-three
* From a previous design of the late Mr. Dance.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. 47
who passed for the Fellowship, and five rejected; for the Member- ship, the large number of 355 passed, and sixty-eight were referred to their hospital studies. For the Midwifery license forty-four passed, and seven were rejected. For the Dental license only ten offered themselves, all of whom passed to the satisfaction of the examiners. The annual receipts of the College, from Midsummer-day, 1866, to Midsummer-day, 1867, amounted to ^12,409 33. nd., and the dis- bursements during the same period to j£ 11,511 i2s. lod. The Council- room, in which the examinations take place, has some fine portraits, as that of John Hunter, the chef d'ceuvre of Reynolds; Sir Caesar Hawkins, by Hogarth • Sir Astley Cooper, by Lawrence ; the original cartoon, by Holbein, representing Henry VIII. granting a charter to the " Companie of Barber-Chirurgeons" There are also in this room numerous busts by Flaxman, Chantry, Weekes, Behnes, Turnerelli, Hollis, &c., and one has just been added of the veteran Lawrence, who died in July last, at the great age of eighty-five years. Adjoining the Council-room is the magnificent Library of the College, of which a short account is subjoined. Mr. J. CHATTO is the librarian.
The Council — the governing body of the College — consists of twenty-four members, three of whom, when no vacancy either by resignation or death has occurred during the year, go out in rotation annually in July, but are eligible for re-election by the Fellows of the College. The Court of Examiners consists of ten members, elected by the Council from the Fellows of the College. The gentleman who at present fills the President's chair is Mr. JOHN HILTON, F.R.S. Surgeon to Guy's Hospital : he has just deservedly been appointed Surgeon-Extraordinary to Her Majesty. The Secretary to the College is Mr. EDWARD TRIMMER, M.A. Cantab.
THE MUSEUM.
The Hunterian Collection, which forms the basis, and still a large proportion, of the contents of the present Museum of the College, was originally arranged in a building which its founder, John Hunter, erected for it in 1784, behind his house in Leicester Square.
48 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS,
John Hunter died October i6th, 1793, aged sixty-four. By his will he directed his museum to be offered in the first instance to the British Government, on such terms as might be considered reasonable, and in case of refusal, to be sold in one lot, either to some foreign state, or as his executors might think proper.
In the year 1799, Parliament voted the sum of ,£15,000 for the Museum, and an offer of it being made to the Corporation of Surgeons, it was accepted on the terms proposed by Government.
In 1806 the sum of ,£15,000 was voted by Parliament in aid of the erection of an edifice for the display and arrangement of the Hunterian Collection; a second grant of .£12,500 was subsequently voted, and upwards of ^"21,000 having been supplied from the funds of the College, the building was completed in Lincoln's Inn Fields, in which the Museum was opened for the inspection of visitors in the year 1813.
In consequence of the large number of additions, this building became too small for the adequate display and arrangement of its contents ; and more space being at the same time required for the rapidly increasing Library, the greater portion of the present building was erected, wholly at the expense of the College, in 1835, at a cost of about ;£4o,ooo, and the Hunterian and Collegiate Collections were re-arranged in what are now termed the Western and Middle Museums, which were opened for the inspection of visitors in 1836.
Further enlargement of the building having become necessary by the continued increase of the collection, the College, in 1847, pur- chased the extensive premises of Mr. Alderman Copeland, in Portugal Street, for the sum of ,£16,000, and in 1852 proceeded to the erection of the Eastern Museum, at the expense of .£25,000, Parliament granting ;£i 5,000 in aid thereof. The re-arrangement of the speci- mens was completed, and the additional portion of the building opened to visitors in 1855.
Among the contents are skeletons of O'Brien, the Irish giant ; Freeman, the American giant ; Caroline Crachami, the Sicilian dwarf;
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. 49
Jonathan Wild, the notorious criminal ; skeleton of " Chunee," the fine elephant, shot when in a paroxysm of madness, at Exeter Change, then a large menagerie in the Strand, where the great Hall now stands; some eggs of the Great Auk, which at recent sales have fetched upwards of ^30 each ; skeletons of the Gorilla, and the Whalebone Whale; portions of the bows of 'H. M.S. "Fawn," which had been pierced by the sword-fish, whose jaw had penetrated the copper sheathing, the felt, the deal and the hard oak timbers to the depth of fourteen inches, and nearly that extent of the sword had been broken off by the force of the blow, and retained in the wood ; and the embalmed body of Mrs. Van Butchell.
There have been four conservators of the Museum since its establishment, viz., Mr. William Clift, the apprentice of John Hunter ; Professor Owen, Professor Quekett, and the present worthy successor of those gentlemen, Mr. W. H. FLOWER, F.R.S.
The Museum is open on the first four days of the week, from twelve until five o'clock in summer, and until four o'clock in winter, to members and visitors introduced by them, personally or by orders.
A Synopsis for the unprofessional visitor is published for sixpence.
THE LIBRARY.
The formation of a regular Library may be said to have com- menced in the year 1801, at which time and in succeeding years presentations and bequests of books, often in considerable numbers, were made to the College ; the principal donors being Dr. Baillie, Sir Everard Home, Sir Charles Blicke, the widow of Mr. Sharp, Sir Lud- ford Harvey, Dr. Fleming, Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Long. The Court of Assistants also directed from time to time the expenditure of small sums of money for the purchase of books, and eventually voted a sum of ;£ioo per annum for this purpose. Sir Charles Blicke, in the year 1816, invested the sum of ^300, the proceeds of which were to be devoted to the same object. Some of the purchases thus made were considerable, as in the cases of the Libraries of Mr. Pitt, Mr. St. Andre, and Sir Anthony Carlisle. In this way a Library of
50 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.
considerable value was gradually accumulated, but it was only acces- sible to a limited number of persons. In 1827 active steps were taken to render it more generally useful, and with this object catalogues and extensive lists of desirable acquisitions were ordered to be prepared. Large sums of money were also expended during this and the ensuing two years, amounting in the aggregate to nearly ,£6,000. A Librarian was appointed, and in 1828 the Library, then containing 10,500 volumes, was thrown open to members of the College, and all other persons engaged in the pursuit of natural science were freely admitted. This large collection, thus opened, offered great facilities to the studious. It has no pretensions to be regarded as a curious or anti- quarian collection. It contains few books that are either typographical curiosities or remarkable for their rarity. But, on the contrary, it is eminently practical, containing a very large proportion of the books which the student, whether in pursuit of the history, the science, or the practice of medicine, and the collateral sciences, desires to con- sult. Its collections of periodical works, transactions of learned and scientific societies and journals is very large and remarkably perfect ; it has the transactions of almost every society of any note upon its shelves. The entire collection now contains 31,647 volumes, con- sisting of 13,220 works and 34,689 tracts, pamphlets, and theses. There have been three Librarians since the establishment of this valuable collection, viz., Dr. Robert Willis, Mr. T. M. Stone, and the present custodian — Mr. JOHN CHATTO.
The Library is open every day from eleven until five, except on Saturdays, when it is closed at one o'clock. It is also closed during the month of September, for the necessary dusting and re- arrangement.
Having said thus much of the new building, some account of the old institution called " Surgeons' Hall " may, perhaps, interest the reader. We find that in 1461 the Barber Surgeons were incorporated; and in this year the office of Serjeant-Surgeon was instituted, when William Hobbys was appointed, with a salary of forty marks per annum.
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. 51
These barbers practising surgery, having associated themselves, formed one of the guilds or companies in London ; and in the first year of the reign of Edward IV. obtained a charter to legalise their corporate capacity, and to give them authority over the rest of their mystery in and about the metropolis ; they kept little shops for cutting hair, shaving, bathing, and curing the wounded, particularly about the royal palaces and houses of the great, exhibiting the long band- aged pole which is still occasionally seen at their doors, 'as a symbol. In the year 1745 the surgeons applied for an Act of Parlia- ment to be separated from the barbers, which they obtained; and, leaving the hall of the latter in Monkwell Street, built Surgeons' Hall in the Old Bailey, where, as Pennant states, "by a sort of second sight the Anatomical Theatre was built near the court of con- viction and Newgate, the concluding stage of the lives forfeited to the justice of their country, several years before the fatal tree was removed from Tyburn to its present site. The hall was a handsome building, ornamented with Ionic pilasters, and with a double flight of steps to the first floor. Beneath was a door for the admission of the bodies of murderers and other felons, who, noxious in their lives, made a sort of reparation to their fellow-creatures by becoming useful after death."
When Earl Ferrers was executed at Tyburn, in 1760, the body was conveyed in his own landau and six to Surgeons' Hall, to undergo the remainder of the sentence, and was then publicly exposed to view. At this hall the Court of Assistants sat to examine candidates for the diploma, and as to their qualifications for admission into the medical service of the navy and army. Among others so examined the writer of this hurried notice discovered, in the books of the College of Surgeons, the following: — "James Bernard, mate to an hospital, and Oliver Goldsmith found not qualified for ditto." The hall was taken down in 1809. Down to a recent period, the bodies of all murderers executed at the Old Bailey were claimed by the College of Surgeons, and taken by Calcraft and his assistant
52
ST. CLEMENT DANES' SAVINGS' BANK.
to a hous.e provided for that purpose in Hosier Lane (No. 33). Here, in the presence of the sheriff, a member of the Council, or more frequently Mr. Clift, the conservator of the Museum would make a slight examination, after which the body or bodies would be distributed to the anatomical schools in the metropolis. The last so received, it is believed, was that of a man named Smithers, who was executed for firing his house in Oxford Street to defraud an insur- ance company, " killing and slaying " two female lodgers.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' SAVINGS' BANK.
This Bank, in connection with Government, was established in 1830. There are eight Trustees, a Treasurer, thirty-three Managers, an Auditor and Actuary. The Offices are at 40, Norfolk Street. An Act of Parliament orders all money to be invested in the Banks of England and Ireland, and the Officers of the Bank engaged are compelled to give good security.
Dr. AMOUNT OF LIABILITIES.
£ s. d.
To Total Amount due to all Depo- sitors 80,761 19 3
„ Clear Surplus (after all de- mands 318 4 ii
£81,080 4
ASSETS OF THE INSTITUTION. Cr.
£ s. d.
By Balance invested on the Gene- ral Account - 80,538 o i „ Balance in the hands of the
Treasurer .-••-. 542 4 i
£81,080
Examined and found correct, Certified by me,
(Signed) S. LOVELOCK, RICHARD TWINING,
Auditor appointed tinder the Act qfi86^. Treasurer.
aist DECEMBER, 1866. T. P. SCRIVENER, Actuary.
In this Parish the principle of depositing small savings has been extended still further by the establishment of a Penny Bank, which, as the title implies, receives the pence of the poor, under conditions similar to those that govern savings' banks generally. See p. 20.
WHITTINGTON CLUB. 53
WHITTINGTON CLUB.
THIS Club was established in 1846, under the auspices of the late Douglas Jerrold, Esq., and many other gentlemen eminent in literature, science, and art. The object of the Club is to combine a Literary Society with a Club House, upon an economical scale, for the middle classes. The present Club House, which is situated at 37, Arundel Street, Strand, was erected in 1858, at an outlay of nearly ^"15,000, and is governed by a managing committee, elected half yearly by the members. Besides the purposes of the Club, lectures, meetings, and entertainments of a superior class are held in the great hall, which is capable of holding 800 persons ; in it a weekly ball is held during the winter months ; there are also reading, billiard, smoking, chess, dressing rooms and lavatories attached. Mr. S. HOLROYD is the Secretary. A member's contribution is two guineas annually. Newenham's celebrated picture of "Whittington listening to Bow Bells," which was presented to the Club by its founder, may be seen here.
CROWN AND ANCHOR TAVERN.
THIS once celebrated resort of the great in political and literary circles stood on the ground now occupied by the Whittington Club, having an entrance also in the Strand. Its great room measured 84 feet by 35. The sign was taken from the anchor of St. Clement. The Academy of Music was instituted here in 1710. The famous Crown and Anchor Association against so-called Republicans and Levellers, as the Reformers were styled by the Government party in 1792, owed its name to this tavern. In 1725 there was a great ferment in the parish of St. Clement's, in consequence of an order from Dr. Gibson, Bishop of London, to remove at once from the Church an expensive new altar-piece, supposed to contain portraits of
54 CROWN AND ANCHOR TAVERN.
the Pretender's wife and children, painted by Kent, who was originally a coach-painter in Yorkshire, but then patronized by the Queen, the Duke of Newcastle, and Lord Burlington. This picture, caricatured by Hogarth, was for some years one of the ornaments of the coffee- room of the Crown and Anchor, whence it was removed to the vestry- room of the church, over the old almshouses in the churchyard. After 1803 it was transported to the new vestry-room on the north side of the churchyard, where it remains at the present time. In 1798, upon the occasion of Fox's birthday, 2,000 persons were entertained at a banquet at this tavern. Here Dr. Johnson occa- sionally supped with Boswellj and Macintosh, Rogers, the Poetical Banker, and other eminent men were frequenters. It afterwards became celebrated for public and political meetings. Here, during the Westminster elections, the candidates on both sides have often addressed the electors. The recollection of the Crown and Anchor will long live amongst the people of England.
The King of Clubs was instituted here about 1801, by Mr. Robert (Bobus) Smith, brother of Sydney, a friend of Canning's, and Advo- cate-General of Calcutta. It sat every Saturday, the house at that time being famous for its dinners and wines, and a great resort for clubs. Politics were excluded. One of the chief members was Mr. Richard Sharpe, a partner in a West India house, and a Parlia- mentary speaker during Addington's and Percival's administrations. John Allen, and M. Dumont, an emigre and friend of the Abbe de Lisle, were also members. Erskine, too, often dropped in to spend an hour stolen from his immense and overflowing business. He there told his story of Lord Loughborough trying to persuade him not to take Tom Paine's brief. He once met Curran there. A member of the club speaks of the ape's face of the Irish orator, with the sunken and diminutive eyes that flashed lightning, as he compared poor wronged Ireland to " Niobe palsied with sorrow and despair over her freedom, and her prosperity struck dead before her."
From the platform of this tavern the silvery notes of Burdett, the
48TH MIDDLESEX VOLUNTEERS. 55
stern sense of Cobbett, and the impassioned appeals of O'Connell to the people of England respecting the wrongs of Ireland, and other great questions, will long be remembered. Some scenes which now and then took place in this ancient Temple of Freedom are to be looked back upon now with regret.
It was at the Crown and Anchor that O'Connell first assailed that venerable champion of civil and religious liberty — Henry Brougham, the setting of whose sun is now watched by the people of England with' pious and affectionate solicitude. It was here that Cobbett fell foul of Sir Francis Burdett, who at once angrily responded by stating that Cobbett owed him a thousand pounds ; Cobbett acknowledged receiving the money, but stated that it was a gift, and consequently not a debt. But these giants of democracy have passed away, and the popular forum has become a club-house.
48TH MIDDLESEX ("HAVELOCK") RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.
THIS Corps, the head-quarters of which are at No. 6, Cook's Court, Carey Street, was first formed in Surrey, as the " 24th Surrey," and originated by some young teetotallers inducing an ardent brother teetotaller, Mr. GEORGE CRUIKSHANK, the artist, to assist them in raising a temperance regiment, to consist entirely of total abstainers. LORD LOVELACE, the Lord-Lieutenant of the County, having given permission to form such a corps, Mr. Cruikshank was induced by his friends to take the command of the same, as Captain of the " 24th Surrey." Upon going round to the different temperance societies, for the purpose of "recruiting," it was discovered that another party of teetotallers in the City had also been endeavouring to form a temperance corps, and had succeeded, all but being accepted by the Lieutenancy of the City, and as it was found, in recruiting, that these two bodies of Teetotal Volunteers clashed, it was
56 48TH MIDDLESEX VOLUNTEERS.
thought by, both parties that it would be best for them to amalgamate, and as men were fast joining the corps, Mr. GEORGE CRUIKSHANK informed LORD LOVELACE that there was a sufficient number of men to form a battalion ; but, as a great many of these men resided in different parts of the metropolis, and as his Lordship would not accept any men who were not " domiciled " in Surrey, the Corps was dissolved in that county and re-formed in Middlesex, and accepted by the MARQUIS OF SALISBURY, the Lord-Lieutenant of the county.
The number of men on "the Roll" being sufficient to form a battalion of eight companies, Mr. G. CRUIKSHANK became Lieutenant- Colonel. They have two bands, a " Brass Band " and a " Drum and Fife Band."
When first formed, this regiment was a total temperance corps, from the colonel down to the drummer-boy ; but being opposed by many of the temperance people, particularly the Peace Society, it was found necessary, in order to keep up its numbers, to admit "all comers," and it is therefore no longer a total temperance corps.
The Corps is composed principally of clerks and artizans. The commissioned and non-commissioned officers appointed to the corps by the War Office authorities are Major HOCKLEY as Adjutant, who having seen twenty years' service, is an officer of considerable experience ; and JOHN SPOONER, who having also seen twenty years' service, performs the duties of Sergeant-Major in a most satisfactory manner. There are also two Sergeant Drill Instructors, one formerly in the Foot Guards, and the other in the Rifle Brigade.
As Sir Henry Havelock was a total abstainer, and as Lady Havelock was one also, application was made to her Ladyship to allow the corps to bear their name ; and her Ladyship kindly giving permission, the corps became honoured by the adoption of the name of " Havelock."
MANCHESTER UNITY OF ODD FELLOWS. 57
MANCHESTER UNITY INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
THE " City's Pride " Lodge of this Society is held at the Wheat Sheaf Inn, Vere Street, Clare Market. It consists of 128 Members, who are entitled, when ill, to a payment of 125. per week for twelve months, and 6s. per week afterwards, so long as the illness may con- tinue. On the death of a Member, his widow or representative is entitled to a sum of £"12, and, on the death of a Member's Wife, he is entitled to a payment of £"6. At the present time the City's Pride Lodge has a capital of £"1,228 73. 2d. It was established in 1846. There is also a Widows' and Orphans' Fund in connection with this Society. On the death of a Member his Widow is entitled to a bonus of £15, or 8s. per calendar month, so long as she remains a Widow. Children under fourteen years of age are entitled to 25. each per month. In the case of parentless children, the amount given is, in the discretion of the Committee, within 8s. per month.
The North London District, of which the above-named Lodge is a branch, consists of eighty-eight Lodges, and 11,621 Members, and has a capital of upwards of £"92,000. In addition to this sum, the Widows' and Orphans' Fund has a capital of over £"10,000.
The entire Unity, at the end of the year 1866, consisted of 405,255 Members. Its Lodges are spread nearly all over the civilised world. The receipts for 1866 are as follows :—
In Contributions ... ... ... ... .. £380,617 19 o
,, Admission Fees ... ... ... ... ... 13,512 :5 Io
,, Interest .. 70,796 14 o
£464,927 8 10
Expended for Sickness Benefits ... £235,689 7 o „ Funeral Benefits .. 75,803 5 2
311,492 12 2
Showing a gain on the year of ... ... ... £153,434 16 8
The total Capital of the Society is ,£2,408,404 135. lod.
58 MISSION HOUSE, CAREY STREET.
ST. CLEMENT DANES' MISSION HOUSE,
35, CAREY STREET.
President, Rev. R. HENRY KILLICK, M.A. ; Treasurer, FREDERICK TWINING, Esq. ; a Committee of Ladies and Gentlemen ; the Parochial Clergy, ex offido ; Lady Superintendent ; Librarian, Miss SARAH HATTON ; Matron, Miss BROWN ; Bankers, Messrs. TWINING, 215, Strand; Secretary, Mr. CHARLES LIVETT; Collector, Mr. GEORGE CROSSLEY, 23, Newcastle Street, Strand.
Attached to this Institution is a Library of 600 volumes, for the use of the inhabitants. The late Archbishop Sumner presented all his works to the Rev. R. H. Killick ; as also the American poetess, Mrs. Sigoursy. The Treasuser of the Inner Temple sent a large supply of Bibles and Prayer Books.
It is a House of Call for all the parish workers, and for the poor to come and state their troubles, which are entered in a book, and the cases are immediately visited. The sick are provided with beef- tea, mutton-chops, and wine during the year. In the winter the Soup Kitchen is in constant use.
The Mission House Shop is opened for the sale of articles at cost price, with the view of giving employment to poor women at their own homes. Lodgings are provided for eight young women out of place, at 2S. per week. On Thursday evenings there is a plain service for the poor ; also regular Bible Classes. During the Winter a Night School is held. On Sundays there is a School for Children that have never attended any other school. The Dinners and Laundry are suspended for want of suitable premises. It will, perhaps, not be out of place here for us to say a few words about the
OLD MISSION HOUSE, CLEMENT'S LANE.
If there is any feeling more pure and sacred than another which lives in the human heart it is the desire to perpetuate the past. To this noble and God-like feeling we are indebted for those records which
MISSION HOUSE, CLEMENT'S LANE. 59
lend an undying interest to some of the lone spots of earth, and hold up as it were a perpetual light for the future guidance of unborn ages. The deeds of great men are not permitted to perish. Why should the deeds of the good be forgotten? — those who upon earth far more resemble their Heavenly Master. When we visit in distant lands the spots where heathen temples once stood and where now are found but silence and decay, it awakens strong emotions within us ; but surely the spot once consecrated to Christian labours should awaken far holier feelings. In the vast improvements which our City, both for purposes of utility and of beauty, is now undergoing, there will be swept away from their present sites many institutions the memory of which we do not wish to die. Surely if the street in which Milton was born or Newton lived are still held in pious regard by a thought- ful nation, the spot upon which God-like charity was once dispensed and immortal souls saved for light and glory, should awake still holier emotions.
We have been led to these remarks by reflecting upon the countless Christian benefits conferred by the Mission House of St. Clement's Lane; nor are we willing that it should pass away from its present site without recording some of its many virtues. A great writer commences a great work by saying that " posterity may not be deceived ;" but, although we cannot appeal to so awful a tribunal, still, perhaps, when we are gone some Christian young man or woman may pause and say, " Oh, here once stood the Mission House of St. Clement's Lane, and I have a little record of its good deeds in my pocket." It may not be presumptuous to think that in the eyes of gentle woman may come some hallowed tears, when she reflects how in the days gone by (for the present will then be the past) many of her sisters were saved from worldly degradation and eternal loss by the labours of the old Mission House of Clement's Lane. She will learn how in this unpretending yet noble institution, food, clothing, mental culture, healthful and practical employment, religious instruction, and Christian tuition, were all provided for the less fortunate children of earth, thus rescuing
60 QUEEN'S (WESTMINSTER) VOLUNTEERS.
them with a strong and all-potent arm from the million wrecking lights of London. She will bring to mind the names of benefactors of the St. Clement's Lane Mission House, then enjoying, through God's help, the rewards of the just — who proved how easy it was in those days for benevolent beings to diffuse Christian light around them ; to dig a fountain of perpetual delight in the midst of a wilderness ; and make everything in their vicinity freshen into smiles and human comfort. We do not believe that, for its limited means and compass of action, any little institution rendered more practical and Christian benefits than our Mission House has. It sprang up in one of the most poverty-stricken and debased neighbourhoods of the great City, and still made its moral influence felt around.
Although the stately temples of justice in classic proportions arise upon the spot where once stood the Mission House, still be its holy labours ever unforgotten, and let the pomp of worldly knowledge succumb to the teaching of Him who permitted "little children to come unto Him."
QUEEN'S (WESTMINSTER) RIFLE VOLUNTEERS Is formed of companies from each parish in the City of Westminster. St. Clement Danes sends one company, consisting of captain, lieute- nant, ensign, and eighty men — the officers are Captain SCRIVENER, Lieut. BERRY, and Ensign FARLOW. Its armoury-house is at 22, Surrey Street, Strand, by the permission of the DUKE OF NORFOLK. The Lieut-Colonel Commandant of the regiment is EARL GROS- VENOR, M.P. ; the Lieut.-Colonel being LORD GERALD FITZGERALD. The regiment musters 1,200 — its Head-Quarters are in Belgrave Road, Pimlico. The company is very strongly supported by the 'parishioners, and the prize lists are large, being of the value last year °f £>1Q' There is also a Challenge Cup in the company, subscribed for by the parishioners, value ,£63, which is competed for half- yearly, and will become the property of any member winning it three times successively. Members can be enrolled on application to the officers. Hon. Sec. J. F. ISAACSON. Esq., 40, Norfolk Street, Strand.
CITY OF WESTMINSTER ELECTIONS. 61
(Elections*
|HE contests for the representation of the City of West- minster form some of the most important epochs in the political history of this country. From the days of Cecil, the wise and brilliant courtier, down to the oldest champion of civil and religious liberty — CHARLES JAMES Fox, and from his period to EVANS — the " bravest of the brave " — it has always been the most severely contested representation on the political map of England.
It was in this ancient city that the celebrated Duchess of Devon- shire lavished her unrivalled charms to sustain the great Whig cause,* then frowned down upon by a King and shaken by the rapid and matchless conquests of Napoleon. She used to relate, towards the close of her life, that of all the compliments paid to her during a long reign of ascendancy, the drunken Irishman who asked to " light his pipe by the fire of her beautiful eyes," paid her the highest. Upon the hustings of Covent Garden were oft seen the massive form of Demosthenic Fox, and the eminently patrician form of Sir FRANCIS BURDETT.
The election at one time lasted for forty days ; and in illustration of the slow mode of voting adopted, it is said that as the solitary voter presented himself, there arose from the multitude a cry of cheerful recognition — "Fox, here's another!"
*" Array'd in matchless beauty, Devon's fair
In Fox's favour takes a zealous part ; But, oh ! where'er the pilferer comes — beware !
She supplicates a vote, and steals a heart." Written in consequence of Her Grace's Canvass in support of Mr. Fox.
|
62 FORTY DAYS' POLLING— FOX, HOOD & WRAY. |
|||||||||
|
The following table, showing the numbers polled each day during |
|||||||||
|
the "Forty-days' poll" of 1784 (from April ist to May lyth), will |
|||||||||
|
clearly illustrate the method of returning " a fit |
and proper person " |
||||||||
|
to represent |
the ancient City of Westminster : — - |
||||||||
|
DAYS |
THE NUMBER OF EACH |
DAYS |
THE NUMBER OF EACH |
||||||
|
OF POLLING. |
DAY'S POLI |
OF POLLING. |
DAY'S POLL. |
||||||
|
Hood. |
Fox. |
Wray. |
Hood. |
Fox. |
Wray. |
||||
|
First Day |
264 |
302 |
238 |
Twenty-second |
52 |
79 |
40 |
||
|
Second |
970 |
941 |
866 |
Twenty-third |
39 |
77 |
29 |
||
|
Third |
951 |
680 |
871 |
Twenty-fourth |
39 |
56 |
36 |
||
|
Fourth |
1,077 |
945 |
1,010 |
Twenty-fifth |
25 |
38 |
23 |
||
|
Filth |
674 |
545 |
637 |
Twenty-sixth |
16 |
42 |
12 |
||
|
Sixth |
522 |
414 |
495 |
Twenty-seventh |
14 |
29 |
13 |
||
|
Seventh |
299 |
3°3 |
Twenty-eighth |
12 |
24 |
12 |
|||
|
Eighth |
80 |
75 |
69 |
Twenty-ninth |
H |
33 |
II |
||
|
Ninth |
341 |
271 |
299 |
Thirtieth |
12 |
35 |
5 |
||
|
Tenth |
246 |
205 |
207 |
Thirty-first |
H |
20 |
ii |
||
|
Eleventh |
117 |
97 |
Thirty-second |
10 |
9 |
8 |
|||
|
Twelfth |
151 |
1 86 |
116 |
Thirty-third |
II |
21 |
9 |
||
|
Thirteenth |
H3 |
J43 |
JI3 |
Thirty-fourth |
23 |
15 |
19 |
||
|
Fourteenth |
96 |
82 |
79 |
Thirty-fifth |
5 |
16 |
6 |
||
|
Fifteenth |
81 |
75 |
65 |
Thirty-sixth |
5 |
17 |
6 |
||
|
Sixteenth |
68 |
65 |
68 |
Thirty-seventh |
4 |
12 |
3 |
||
|
Seventeenth |
54 |
73 |
41 |
Thirty-eighth |
3 |
7 |
2 |
||
|
Eighteenth |
65 |
76 |
49 |
Thirty -ninth |
6 |
17 |
5 |
||
|
Nineteenth |
35 |
51 |
27 |
Fortieth |
*3 |
16 |
ii |
||
|
I wentietn Twenty-first |
l> |
45 56 |
49 38 |
Total |
6,694 |
6,234 |
5,998 |
||
|
Nor was this contest untainted by blood — for, |
in one of the many |
||||||||
|
skirmishes which took place between the various partizans, two men |
|||||||||
|
were killed and the accused tried at the Old Bailey. The trial |
|||||||||
|
was converted into political capital, but the accused |
left the dock |
||||||||
|
amidst the |
tumultuous rejoicings of the people. But those were |
||||||||
|
great days |
of earnestness, of political belief, and heartfelt politics. |
||||||||
|
Then appeared upon the broad stage of life those pioneers of freedom |
|||||||||
|
through whose glorious exertions the long closed and ponderous gates |
|||||||||
|
of the constitution have |
been at length opened to all |
ranks of our |
|||||||
|
countrymen. |
THE LATE THOMAS PROUT, ESQ. 63
In these struggles no portion of the ancient city played a more prominent part than the parish of St. Clement Danes. As we write the words, there arises before us the well-known form of the late
THOMAS PROUT, ESQ.,
for forty years a resident of that parish, and who went from amongst us on July 25th, 1859. He was the liberal supporter, and an eminently useful and practical member of that glorious league which brought the golden sheaf to England; and in supplying our own wants from the abundant resources of other nations, taught us that wise mutual dependence recorded in holy writ—
" The kings of Arabia and Sheba will bring gifts. Here shall be a handful of com on the earth — on the top of the mountain."
Thomas Prout was a Member of the Ballot Society, which he deemed to be the necessary shield and protection of the English voter. Upon his death, that distinguished society paid the following tender and glowing tribute to his memory : —
"At a Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Ballot Society, held at their offices in Guildhall Chambers, on 2nd August, it was proposed by Major-General Thompson ; seconded by S. Harrison, Esq. ; supported by E. C. Whitehurst, Esq., and unanimously resolved :— That this Committee, on the occasion of its first meeting after the lamented decease of their colleague, Mr. Thomas Prout, desire to record on their minutes and to express to his family their sense of the irreparable loss which this Society and the cause of reform in general sustains by the decease of Mr. Prout. The Committee gratefully acknowledge his unwearied devotion, his self- denying exertions, and his generous liberality on all occasions to this Society, and they feel bound to acknowledge that in the earliest and most critical periods of the Society's existence its continuance depended on the sacrifices cheerfully made by their departed friend. The Committee further desire to record their sense of the disinterestedness evinced by Mr. Prout throughout his long political career, and they feel that they cannot better close this imperfect tribute to the memory and services of their colleague than by expressing the feeling that the best monument they can raise to his memory is to continue and increase every possible exertion until the ballot becomes the law of the land, when among those who contributed to the success of the cause of electoral purity and freedom the name of Thomas Prout will deservedly be placed in the highest rank."
THE LATE THOMAS PROUT, ESQ.
Mr. Prout 'was a warm and liberal supporter of the Westminster Liberal Registration Society throughout his long political career, believing that one of the best means to secure the interest of the Liberal cause was to properly and thoroughly revise the List of Voters ; and further, by uniting the Liberal party in Westminster, the election of the best Liberal representatives would be secured. He also took a very active part at the following Westminster Elections : —
July, 1841.
Hon. Capt. H. J. Rons .. (C) 3338
John T. Leader (L) 3281
Sir De Lacy Evans (L) 3258
On Capt. Rous becoming a Lord of the Admiralty.
February, 1846. Sir De Lacy Evans Hon. Capt. H. J. Rous
August,
Sir De Lacy Evans Chas. Lushington Chas Cochrane Visct. Mandeville
Juiy» i
Sir J. Shelly, Bart. Sir De Lacy Evans Lord Maidstone ... William Coningham
March, 1857.
Sir De Lacy Evans (L)
Sir John Shelley, Bt (L)
April, 1859.
Sir De Lacy Evans (L)
Sir John Shelley, Bt (L)
( The above fads and figures are extracted from "Adand>s Poll-Book, 1 832-64.")
At the Annual Meeting of the members of the Westminster Liberal Registration Society, the following resolution was passed, and printed in the Report for 1858-9 : —
"The cause of Reform in Westminster has, however, since the last Elec- tion, sustained an irreparable loss, by the death of one of its most valuable supporters ; namely, the late Thomas Trout, Esq. To those who knew
|
December, 1832. |
|
|
Sir Eras. Burdett (L) |
3248 |
|
Sir J. C. Hobhouse (L) |
32I4 |
|
Col. De Lacy Evans. (L) |
1096 |
|
On Sir J. Hobhouse's acceptance |
|
|
of the C.H. |
|
|
May, 1833. |
|
|
Col. De Lacy Evans (L) |
2027 |
|
Sir J. C. Hobhouse (L) |
1835 |
|
Bickham Escott (C) |
738 |
|
January, 1835. |
|
|
Sir Eras. Burdett (L) |
2747 |
|
Col. De Lacy Evans (L) |
2588 |
|
Sir T. J. Cochrane (C) |
1528 |
|
On Sir Eras. Burdett's accept- |
|
|
ance of the C.H. |
|
|
May, 1837. |
|
|
Sir Eras. Burdett (C) |
3567 |
|
John T. Leader (L) |
3052 |
|
August, 1837. |
|
|
John T. Leader (L) |
3793 |
|
Col. De Lacy Evans (L) |
37J5 |
|
Sir Geo. Murray (C) |
2620 |
|
(L) .is ...(C) O _ |
3843 2906 |
|
847. (L) (L) (L) (C) |
3139 2831 2810 1985 |
|
52- '.'.'. '.'.'.(L) (C) (L) |
4199 3756 3373 1716 |
GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANS. 65
Mr. Prout, the announcement of his death must have been received with rever- ence and respect ; his unremitted and disinterested devotion to the Reform cause in Westminster, during the last fifty years, has been unsurpassed ; the profound attention he bestowed on every subject affecting its political inte- rest, gained for him the confidence and esteem of all earnest Reformers."
It has not pleased the Great Disposer of human events to spare our warm and generous-hearted friend, Mr. PROUT, to witness the glorious strides which the cause he lived and struggled for through life has made at the present hour. His well-trusted friend and fellow labourer in the vineyard, GILBERT POUNCY, is gone, too ; likewise ALEXANDER WRIGHT, DAVID MALLOCK, R. ENGLEFIELD, and GEORGE HUGGETT, the well known Secretary of the Society for upwards of twenty years;* and of the illustrious band, the great chieftain
GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANS
still remains, the gallant and illustrious survivor of many a well- fought field, the consistent and faithful representative of the people of Westminster for thirty-five years, during which time he neither made enemies in the House nor sought favours from any Government, and we feel it is only due to so great and just a man as General EVANS to record that a more honourable and independent Member never sat in the House of Commons ; for we can speak from our own knowledge that it was entirely in consequence of the earnest desire and request of the leaders of the great Liberal party in Westminster, that he was induced to remain in the House so long.
* At a meeting of the Reformers of all shades of opinion in Westminster, called by the Westminster Liberal Registration Society, by adjournment of their annual meeting held at Caldwell's, July 4th, 1866, a Provisional Committee was appointed from that meeting, for the purpose of extending the objects of the Westminster Liberal Registration Society. Mr. THOMAS GILBERT, Jun., of 47, Charing Cross, was elected Secretary to the Society, at a meeting of the Com- mittee held at Mr. Storr's, Covent Garden, July loth, 1866. Messrs. JOHN PROUT, W. LANE, and S. SAINSBURY, of this parish, have for many years been active and liberal supporters of this Society.
|
66 |
WESTMINSTER ELECTIONS. |
||||||||||
|
A COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE POLLINGS AT THE ELECTIONS OF 1837 AND 1841. |
|||||||||||
|
Name and Date. |
<u • c < w |
St. Clement Mary& Savoy. |
h n |
|1 o8! |
rt •— » |
C >— > |
! |
Martin. |
1 |
||
|
CO |
w |
CO |
CO |
OT |
W |
CO |
|||||
|
Evans, 1837 Evans, 1841 Leader, 1837 Leader, 1841 Murray, 1837 Rous, 1841 |
235 254 |
317 239 |
561 409 |
512 499 |
759 619 |
315 329 |
320 322 |
549 449 |
149 138 |
||
|
248 265 |
3l6 248 |
572 381 |
529 517 |
780 60 1 472 544 |
324 364 |
331 320 |
566 455 |
147 140 ~6 log |
|||
|
123 135 |
322 326 |
651 867 |
267 348 |
177 265 |
I76 ' 294 |
365 470 |
|||||
|
Th< Th< LE^ bee ver rep ti Dedi votin |
^ majority of Rous over EVANS being 80, and over LEADER 57. * plumpers for Sir DE LACY EVANS were 59, and those for Mr. \.DER 99. If the plumpers given for the Reform Candidates had n split between them they would have been successful. The table hereunder shews that in 1846 Westminster again reco- rd the position which it maintained from 1807 to 1841, of being resented by Reformers. |
||||||||||
|
NAME OF PARISH. |
ROUS. |
1841 Num- ber voted. |
EVANS. |
||||||||
|
1841 Num- ber voted. |
1846 Num- ber voted. |
!846 Loss. |
1846 Gain. |
1846 , Num- ber voted. |
1846 Gain. 92 94 2OI 97 59 32 7 15 12 |
1846 Loss. |
|||||
|
St. Anne ,, Clement's - ,, George ,, James' ,; John ,, Margaret - „ Martin - ,, Mary „ Paul - The Savoy |
135 290 1196 543 265 294 470 25 109 ii 3338 |
158 227 i°i5 480 208 284 4i3 27 86 8 2906 |
63 181 63 57 10 57 23 3 457 |
23 2 25 |
254 202 908 619 329 322 449 £ 6 3258 |
346 296 1109 , 595 426 38i 481 38 153 18 |
24 |
||||
|
3843 ' |
609 |
24 |
|||||||||
|
546. Evans' gain over preceding Election, 609 ; Rons' loss, 457 ; — Difference in voting, 1,066. ict Rous' majority in 1841, 80 ; gain present Election, 25 ; Evans' loss, 24 ; — Difference in g, 129. Majority declared by the High Bailiff, February igth, 1846, 937. |
GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANS. 67
Previous to the Election in 1847 General EVANS had obtained at four contests in Westminster the majorities of 937, 1,066, 1,095, and 1,132. Since that time, with one exception, he has been at the head of the poll at four elections.
From the following extracts from Minutes of the Annual Meeting of the members of the Westminster Liberal Registration Society, held at Caldwell's Rooms, Dean Street, Soho, March i3th, 1865, HENRY BIDGOOD, Esq., in the Chair, on the occasion of Sir DE LACY EVANS announcing his intended retirement from the representation of West- minster, we may form some opinion of the esteem in which the general was held by his constituents : —
" The CHAIRMAN, in calling attention to the retirement of General Sir De Lacy Evans, in very complimentary terms noticed the fact that his pro- motion had been owing to his great services, talents, and time, without the aid of any aristocratic friendship or relationship. (Hear, hear.) He had served the country faithfully, and hoped that his merits would be duly recognised and appreciated. (Hear, hear.) The Chairman further stated that the General had never sought a favour from the Government, and spoke of him in most glowing terms as their representative, and concluded by calling upon the Secretary to read Sir De Lacy Evans's address.
" The SECRETARY then read as follows : —
"To THE CONSTITUENCY OF THE CITY OF WESTMINSTER.
"Gentlemen, — It is not without a feeling akin to sorrow that I have to acquaint you that at the next election I shall not be a candidate for your kind and generous suffrages. The fact is that whatever degree of energy I may have possessed is now exhausted, and I should no longer be capable of fulfilling the duties which would devolve upon me as your representative.
"The position of the City of Westminster has rendered you at all times peculiarly cognizant of the conduct of public men and the course of public affairs, and I have, therefore, felt additionally nattered by the favour and confidence you have so long and conspicuously shown me.
" Before I came into Parliament, now some thirty-five years back, I had ex- pended some of the best years of my life as a soldier. A general peace was fortunately concluded. On becoming a member of the Legislature, I united myself heart and soul with the (then) Liberal party. This was not very advantageous to me as a professional man. From that period, however, followed a series of improvements in the laws and prosperity of this country,
68 GENERAL SIR DE LACY EVANS.
unequalled during any similar interval in the long course of our national history, or probably in the history of any other country. I allow myself to look back with, I trust, pardonable complacency to my honest, if not adroit, support of the great and salutary measures which led to those results.
"Knowing, as I had ample opportunities of doing, the pure and independent qualities by which you were actuated, I felt a pride in being associated with you personally and with your political interests. My career is now closing, and I shall only permit myself further to hope that you will continue to regard me as having been a faithful comrade in the often recurring contests for the promotion of the public welfare.
" Gentlemen and dear friends, I remain most sincerely yours,
"Feb. 4. "DE LACY EVANS, General.
" Mr. GEORGE said during thirty-five years the General had supported many useful reforms. Among other matters advocated by him were the following : —
"i. The vote by ballot.
"2. An extension of the suffrage to every householder in the kingdom ; and that each constituency returning two members to Parliament ought to consist of at least 5,000 electors.
"3. The repeal of the 27th clause of the Reform Act, which makes the pay- ment of rates and taxes (before a particular day) a condition of the franchise.
"4. Triennial Parliaments.
"5. A more extensive reform of municipal corporations, especially those of London and Ireland.
"6. A repeal of the window and corn taxes, so grievously pressing upon the industry of the country.
"7. The abolition of all pensions not merited by known public services.
"8. The removal of all taxes which impede the diffusion of knowledge amongst the people, but most especially the stamp duty upon newspapers.
" 9. The reform of the Church Establishment.
" 10. A proper application of the funds known to exist in the country for the purposes of education.
"Mr. GEORGE concluded by moving the appointment of a sub-committee to draw up an address to General Sir De Lacy Evans, which would be a faithful exposition of the views of the Reformers of Westminster.
"Mr. INGLEFIELD seconded the motion.
" Mr. MALLOCK spoke in highly eulogistic terms of the General's conduct.
"After some further remarks from the meeting, the Chairman put the proposi- tion, which was carried unanimously.
" The following gentlemen were then elected to draw up an address to Sir De Lacy Evans, viz., Messrs. Bidgood, Nelson, George, and Mallock."
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, ESQ.
69
When General EVANS took leave of Westminster, closing a life varied in all things, except in Steadfast political honour and spotless chivalry, it was felt we took leav* of one age and were embracing another. Nor did an unworthy representative of this new age appear. For the first time since the days of Elizabeth, the parish of St. Clement Danes sent forth one of its own sons, in the person of
WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, ESQ.,
of the eminent firm of W. H. SMITH and SON, of the Strand. Those who knew him best gave him the most fervent support, and in his own parish he received the support of 378 voters, being more than double the amount. polled by either of the other candi- dates, as will be seen by the state of the poll at the last Election for Westminster, July nth, 1865, and detailed in the table below. The total number of Registered Electors was 13,375.
|
DISTRICT OR PARISH. |
GROSVENOR. |
MILL. |
SMITH. |
|
St. Ann's . . |
2OQ |
226 |
14-7 |
|
St. Clement's St Mary-le-Strand |
J59 27 |
170 26 |
378 •?C |
|
Savoy. ... . |
o. |
8 |
fl |
|
St. Paul's St. George's Inwards . . |
78 «6 |
92 r 14. |
I04 CC4 |
|
St. George's Outwards |
1,217 |
I,2O2 |
Q2I |
|
St James's |
6q8 |
727 |
y 647 |
|
St. Margaret's Ward No. I St. Margaret's Wards 2 & 3 St. Peter's |
140 335 3 |
133 306 8 |
99 280 c |
|
St John's |
762 |
762 |
270 |
|
St. Martin's |
345 |
356 |
359 |
|
Totals |
4,534 |
4,525 |
3,824 |
A greater number of votes was recorded in his favour than for any other Conservative in Westminster, and we may confidently assert that the "position he obtained at the last Election was not altogether because he is so much esteemed by his neighbours and the constituents of Westminster generally, for the great interest he
WESTMINSTER M.P.'s
takes in the welfare of our city, or because he is ever ready to sup- port the cause of charity, but in consequence of his being a Liberal Conservative, and his great commercial knowledge and position; for by his own energy, added to that of his late honoured father, he has become so large a dispenser of the current literature of the day, that through his vast establishment there flows an unbroken stream of knowledge and hourly intelligence to all parts of the civilized world. The late
SIR JOHN VILLIERS SHELLEY, BART.,
represented Westminster from 1852 to 1865, during which time he paid considerable attention to the Parliamentary and local business of the city. In his address to the Electors on his retirement, issued May 3oth, 1862, he said: — "I am determined, however, to be no party to a course which must bring about the triumph of the political party to which I am opposed; and I have therefore decided on resigning any claims which I may have upon you in consequence of long and faithful service in your interest."
In consequence of the retirement of Sir JOHN V. SHELLEY and General EVANS, both seats became vacant at the same time, and again Westminster returned two Liberal representatives :
CAPTAIN THE HON. R. W. GROSVENOR, M.P.,
who belongs to a family intimately connected with Westminster, the members of which have ably and consistently occupied a foremost position in all the struggles for civil, religious and political freedom in this country for a considerable time ; and
JOHN STUART MILL, ESQ., M.P.,
the first political economist of the day, who declared that he would not pay anything for his seat and also declined to give any pledges as to his votes, or to undertake much of what is called local business. Westminster accepted the terms of the great scholar and thinker, and few constituencies can boast so distinguished a representative.
[Westminster first returned members to Parliament ist year of the reign of Edward VI., 1548.]
LYCEUM THEATRE. 71
0f
LYCEUM.
]HIS theatre is situated in New Wellington Street, Strand. The original premises, in 1675, were occupied by a Society of Artists. Afterwards GARRICK, who died 1799, bought the lease, to prevent them being turned into a theatre. From 1789 to 1794 the premises were let for various entertainments. In 1795 Dr. ARNOLD bought the lease, and built a theatre. The license being suspended, it was then let for musical and other entertainments. In 1809 the theatre was enlarged by Mr. S. A. ARNOLD, and opened as the Lyceum. WRENCH first appeared here, October 7th, 1809 : he died in Pickett Place in 1843. HARLEY first appeared at this theatre, 1815. It was rebuilt in 1816, and opened with an address spoken by Miss KELLY, who was twice shot at while acting. In 1818 the late Mr. MATHEWS gave his entertainment of the " Mail Coach Adventures," at this theatre, which ran forty nights. It was de- stroyed by fire February i6th, 1830 ; again rebuilt, and opened with English Opera, July i4th, 1834. The great object of Mr. Arnold being to divert public patronage from foreign performers and music to English histrionic and musical talent, the opera of the " Mountain Sylph" was produced, and attracted crowded houses. At first success appeared certain, but, subsequently, Mr. Arnold's losses became so great, that in the middle of the season of 1835 he shut up the house.
The English Opera Company, under the management of Mr. BALFE, opened in 1841. Equestrian performances were introduced,
72 OLYMPIC THEATRE.
January i6th, 1844 : on April 8th, the same year, it opened under the management of Mrs. KEELEY. Madame VESTRIS and CHARLES MATHEWS held it from 1847 to 1856. Madame RISTORI appeared here in 1856. Opened by Mr. GYE, for forty nights, April i4th, 1857, and by PYNE and HARRISON, September 2ist, 1857. Messrs. G. WEBSTER and E. FALCONER'S management commenced July, 1858, and closed April, 1859. Madame CELESTE held the theatre in 1859-60; and the Savage Club performances took place here during March, 1860 ; Italian Opera, from June 8th, 1861 : followed by Mr. FECHTER, whose management commenced in 1862, and termi- nated at the end of 1866.
OLYMPIC.
IN 1803 PHILIP ASTLEY purchased the Old Craven House in Wych Street, and built the Olympic Pavilion, which he intended for Equestrian feats. It was first opened September i8th, 1806. In 1813 he sold the lease to ROBERT ELLISTON (born 1774, appeared first, 1797), who produced a piece called "Rochester," founded on the well-known anecdote of Henry V. It ran one hundred nights in succession, and attracted the fashion of the West end of the town to a theatre which had before been considered amongst the very lowest in London. He also produced "Giovanni in London," which met with most decided success. Afterwards Mr. Elliston became lessee of Drury Lane Theatre; and in 1822-3 Mr. EGERTON undertook the management of the Olympic, for some time with tolerable success.
The following celebrated actors and actresses have appeared at this theatre : — Elliston, Power, Edwin, Oxberry, Charles Kean, Fitzwilliam, Charles Mathews, Keeley (born in George Court, Carey Street, 1794), and G. V. Brooke (who was lost in the "London," January nth, 1866). The first character he played at this house was " Othello," and with such success, that it was considered the theatrical event of 1848.
OLYMPIC THEATRE. 73
In 1832 Madame VESTRIS (who was born 1797, died August 8th, 1856), undertook the management of this theatre, and continued it till 1839. The versatile talents of this popular actress, together with the great favourite actor LISTON (whose first appearance in London was June, 1805, and last, May 3ist, 1838), attracted the most fashionable audiences. He lived at 147, Strand, for some time. The profits are supposed to have been at least ^4,000 per annum. Madame Vestris was first brought out as Prospero in a ballet founded on the " Tempest." Her appearance was most suc- cessful. It was about this time she was unfortunate enough to attract the notice of George IV., whose too rigid attentions annoyed her considerably. One night he seized hold of her under the piazza of His Majesty's Theatre, and tried to take her away in his carriage, but was prevented by her mother and attendant. She was engaged by the two rival houses, Covent Garden and Drury Lane, for three nights a week, a-t^ioo from each.
In 1840, Mr. GEORGE WILD became the proprietor. He was born the 28th April, 1805, took to the stage in 1825, and with mingled success and misfortune was the proprietor of the West London, Tottenham Street, and other theatres.
About this time the house was under the management of Mrs. BROUGHAM; and Mr. DELAFIELD opened it with great splendour.
On November nth, 1844, Miss DAVENPORT appeared ; and Mr. WATTS became manager in 1848. It was burnt down March 29th, 1849 ; rebuilt, and opened by Watts on Boxing Night of the same year. Mr. FARREN became manager in 1850; Mr. A. WIGAN on October i7th, 1853, and continued till 1857.
The late Mr. F. ROBSON (who was bom at Margate, 1821 ; played at the Grecian Saloon, as a comic actor and singer, from 1846 to 1849) joined Mr. FARREN (who was born 1787, and took farewell of the stage, 1855) in the early part of 1853, and in conjunction with Mr. EMBDEN, held the management from 1857 to 1863. Here he displayed his talents, and acquired a great reputation in various
74 STRAND THEATRE.
pieces, viz., "The Yellow Dwarf," "To Oblige Benson," "The Lottery Ticket," and " The Wandering Minstrel." After this Mr. WIGAN again became the lessee, producing the " Ticket of Leave Man," which had an enormous run, and in which Mr. H. NEVILLE'S acting was so much admired. It is now under the management of Mr. B. WEBSTER, and is drawing fashionable and crowded houses by means of Mr. and Mrs. CHARLES MATHEWS.
STRAND.
THIS theatre was originally Barker's Panoramic Exhibition. It was first used for dramatic entertainments, and called Punch's Play- house, in 1831, under the management of Mr. RAYNER and Mrs. WAYLETT, the singer ; and there was introduced at this house, by Mr. HAMMOND (whose management commenced 1839), some of the best burlesques of the day. ATTWOOD (who died about this time), was a great favourite at this theatre. Mr. FARREN took the manage- ment in 1849; Mr. HOLCROFT in 1855. Some of Douglas Jerrold's earlier plays were produced here. GREGORY, the proprietor of " The Satirist," performed a round of Shakspearian characters with much ability. Some of Charles Dickens' Christmas pieces were dramatised and produced here with great success. Miss SWANBOROUGH, under whose management Miss MARIE WILTON appeared, and the late Mr. ROGERS, so celebrated in burlesque female characters, was manageress from 1858 to 1861 ; Mr. SWANBOROUGH, Sen., 1862 ; and Mr. W. H. SWANBOROUGH in 1863. Mrs. SWANBOROUGH is the present pro- prietress.*
ANCIENT DRAMA.
As two of the earliest English theatres were established in St. Clement Danes, it may prove not uninteresting to our readers if we give a brief account of the rise and progress of the drama.
" Anson's Dramatic Almanack," and " Haydn's Dictionary of Dates."
ANCIENT DRAMA. 75
It would appear that Edward III., during his reign ordained by Act of Parliament "that a company of men called vagrants, who had made masquerades throughout the whole city, should be whipt out of London, because they represented scandalous things in the little alehouses and other places where the populace assembled." Thus it would seem that these amusements had existed for some time in London, but had received no check previously. Edward's absolute decree was the -means of preventing the acting of any play that was not of a religious character, and thus through the representation of sacred pieces, which no doubt was patronized by the wealthy and noble, the theatre began to assume a tangible form.
In the year 1378 the clergy and scholars of St. Paul's School presented a petition to Richard II. praying His Majesty "to prohibit a company of unexpert people from representing the history of the Old Testament, to the great prejudice of the said clergy, who have been at great charge and expense in order to represent it publicly at Christmas."
From 1378 to 1520 there is no account of the performance in London of any farce or play otherwise than of a sacred character. In the latter year Hollingshed's Chronicles say, "The 7th day of May, 1520, the King caused a masquerade to be prepared, and ordered a stage to be raised in the Great Hall at Greenwich, &c. The King, Queen, and nobility came there to the representation of a good ' Comedy of Plautus,' being the first perfect one ever played."
The first perfect tragedy was played before Queen Elizabeth. It was termed " Forrex and Porrex," and performed by the gentlemen of the Inner Temple before Her Majesty on the i8th of January, 1565. The first royal licence was granted 1574. In the year 1590 there were professional comedians in London, but they had no established theatre and played no tragedies. About this time William Shak- speare having come to London and commenced as a player, wrote his rich and admirable comedy, the " Merry Wives of Windsor " at the request of Queen Elizabeth, who, to show her satisfaction, granted a
7 6 THEATRICALS IN PORTUGAL STREET.
patent to the comedians, declaring them her servants. They were then formed into a company, with proper appointments, and granted the use of a theatre, the prices for admission at which were : gallery, 2d. ; lords' room, is. In the year 1596 Shakspeare,* at the age of thirty-three, produced his first tragedy, " Romeo and Juliet ;" and in the following year "Richard the Second."
Upon James I.'s accession, he confirmed the privileges to the comedians granted by Elizabeth, and named nine new actors. The license recites, amongst other matter: — "And we permit them to perform the said plays, tragedies, interludes, moral pieces, pastorals, stage plays, and such like in public, and for their greater advantage (when the infection of the plague shall cease) as well in our house called the Globe, in our county of Surrey, as in the cities, halls, public places, or any other privileged place, and in any borough of our said kingdom."
Kynaston, the actor, played female characters in so very pleasing a manner, that, coupled with the fact of being exceedingly handsome, the ladies of quality prided themselves in taking him out for a ride in their coaches to Hyde Park in his theatrical costume, after the per- formance, which was at that time in the afternoon. An excuse made to the King for the actor's late appearance at the theatre on the occa- sion of a royal visit, was that "the barber had not arrived to shave the Queen ! " and his Majesty accepted the excuse with a good laugh.
In 1639 Charles I. granted to Sir William Davenant a patent for theatrical representations, &c., after the manner of early kings. On the north side of Portugal Street, supposed to have been then called Por- tugal Row, was built one of the earliest theatres — called the " Duke's Theatre" from its great patron the Duke of York, and the "Opera" from its musical performances. It was previously a tennis-court, but was altered by Sir William Davenant, and opened in 1662, with his operatic lk Siege of Rhodes," on which occasion appropriate scenery was first in- troduced upon the English stage. Here also, on March ist, 1662, was
Shakspeare died on his fifty-second birthday, April 23rd, 1616.
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA. 77
acted for the first time, Shakspeare's "Romeo and Juliet." Here also female characters were first sustained by women. The first play-bill was issued, April 8th,, 1663. At this period theatrical costumiers were unknown, although the dresses worn on the stage were magnificent and costly, being the left-off clothes of royalty and the nobility — for instance, in 1671, in Lord Orrery's play of " Henry the Fifth" at this theatre, the actors Betterton, Harris, and Smith wore the coro- nation suits of King Charles, the Duke of York, and Lord Oxford. In this year the company removed to Dorset Gardens; and the King's company being burnt out from Drury Lane, played at the Duke's Theatre till 1673-4 when they left it, and it once more became a tennis-court. It was re-opened in 1695, when, for the first time, Congreve's comedy of " Love for Love " was produced. The great star of this theatre was Betterton, who acted Hamlet and Othello admirably, and created no less than 130 characters. He died in 1710. Steele says of him, " He was the jewel of the English stage." He was the friend of Dryden, Pope and Tillotson. The house was afterwards taken down and a new one built for Christopher Rich, and opened by John Rich in 1714, with Farquhar's comedy of the " Recruiting Officer." Rich introduced the first pantomime, playing harlequin himself. Here Quin sustained his best cha- racters. The first English opera was introduced in 1717-8. From the circumstance of Quin's being on one occasion engaged in some disturbance, the Serjeant's guard at the theatre royal was established. In 1727-8 the " Beggar's Opera " was produced, and played sixty-three successive nights. The success was so great that people were wont to say, " It made Gay rich and Rich gay."
At this theatre, Nell Gwynne having been abused by a spectator, a William Herbert took up her quarrel, when a sword fight took place between the two factions in the house.
This extraordinary woman is said to have been born in a cellar in Coal Yard, Drury Lane, and early in life obtained her living by selling oranges in the play-house.
78 NELL G WYNNE.
Her first appearance on the stage appears to be in 1663, and she is supposed to have quitted it in 1672. Bishop Burnet speaks of her in these terms : — " Gwyn, the indiscreetest and wildest creature that ever was at Court, continued to the end of the King's life in great favour. The Duke of Buckingham told me that when she was first brought to the King she asked only ^500 per year, which the King refused ; but when he told 'me this four years ago, he said she had got of the King above sixty thousand pounds."
Pennant says she resided at her house in what then was called Pall Mall ; it is the first good one on the left side of St. James's Square. One of the rooms was entirely of looking-glass ; over the chimney was her picture. At this house she died in the year 1691, and was interred in the parish church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields. Dr. Tenison preached her funeral sermon, believing that she died penitent. Charles loved her to the last — "Let not poor Nelly starve," were his dying words. She is most to be remembered for her exertions in behalf of Chelsea Hospital, which would never have existed but for her persevering and benevolent enthusiasm.
In 1732 Rich built a theatre in Covent Garden, and removed there, the "Duke's Theatre " being given oyer to Italian opera, in which some of the best singers from Italy appeared. Macklin, who died 1797, killed his brother actor Hallam by accident in a quarrel scene of an opera performing, May loth, 1795. Tne last entertainments given here were oratorios, balls, concerts, exhibitions, &c. Betterton, Harris, Smith, a barrister of Gray's Inn, Sandford, Nokes, Quin, Eliz. Davenport, and many other celebrities appeared at this theatre.
Little Lincoln's Inn Theatre stood in Bear Yard, Vere Street, for- merly Gibbon's tennis-court. Thomas Kelligrew turned it into a theatre in 1660. The poet Ogilby had a lottery of books here, June, 1668. Performances were continued until 1695. Betterton, of Drury Lane Theatre, appears to have been the last manager, for after he quitted it it was used as a carpenter's shop, slaughter house, &c., and destroyed by fire September yth, 1849.
CLARE MARKET BUTCHER BOYS. 79
At an early period plays were acted on Sundays only. One piece composed the whole entertainment, which generally lasted about two hours. The audience, before the performance began, amused them- selves with reading, playing at cards, drinking ale, smoking tobacco, &c. The critics sat on the stage, and were furnished with pipes and tobacco, the curtain being drawn back to each side instead of upwards, and the stage lighted with branches like those hung in churches. Changes of scene were at one time unknown. It is sup- posed that the names of places were written in large characters on the stage — stating, for instance, this is a wood, a garden, Thebes, Rome, or Alexandria, as the case might be. Such was the state of the stage at the commencement of the seventeenth century.
The butcher boys were the gods of the galleries, who puffed up or damned both plays and players, led the theatrical rows, were the great musicians at actors' weddings, and the chief mourners at players' funerals, — for most of the sons of Thespis were then interred in Portugal Street burying ground or the churchyard of St. Paul's, Covent Garden. Of such consequence, in those days, was the criticism of these men of grease, that many a strolling manager gave the bumpkins to understand, that his performances "had been highly approved of by the butchers of Clare Market ! "
In 1624, Edward Alleyn, of Dulwich, in Surrey, founded a fair hospital for six poor women, six poor men, and twelve children belonging to the theatres of London. Sir Richard Baker,, in his " Chronicle of England/' says — " This man may be an example, who, having gotten his wealth by stage playing, converted it to this pious use, not without a kind of reputation to the society of stage players." In our own time, through the liberality and great exertions of B. Webster, J. Reddish, R. Churchill, G. B. Child, W. W. Dale, T. Williams, J. J. Stainton, W. R. Sams, and Nelson Lee, Esqs., efficiently aided by their indefatigable secretary, J. W. Anson, Esq., the benevolent example set by Edward Alleyn has been faithfully and nobly followed by the establishment of the Royal Dramatic College.
8o GRAVES OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
(Srafoea 0f j$t* €ltmv& ams.
CHURCHYARD AND VAULTS.
|HE Churchyard contains 12,779 square feet, the ground behind the Vestry 3,219 square feet, and the vaults under the church 13,916 cubic feet. From the parish books it appears that during twenty-six years, ending 1848, the number of bodies buried in the churchyard amounted to 2,759; m tne poor ground, 705, and in the vaults, 213. The burial fees received by the Churchwardens for fourteen years, previous to 1847, amounted to .£2,237 i2s. od. The charges for interments were : — In the vaults, £6 i2s. 4d. ; in the churchyard — for adults, £i 175. 2d. ; children, £i los. 2d. ; non-parishioners, £2 155. lod. At the Portugal Street Ground, the following amounts were charged : — for adults, 145. lod. ; children, 6s. 4d. ; non-parishioners, £i 35. 2d. for adults, and i2s. 4d. for children. (See page 17.)
GREEN GROUND, PORTUGAL STREET.
UPON that site where a noble hospital now rests (seepage 31) once stood the pestiferous Church yard of Portugal Street ; upon the spot where the stricken are now healed, and the sorely afflicted are tended with all the care which philanthropy and skill can command, there was once to be found perishing mortality, and the dismal process of the grave always going on. The imagination itself shrinks from its
GRAVES OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
81
contemplation. A Committee, appointed by the parish, sitting upon this subject, in 1848, reported* that the ground contained 14,968 super- ficial feet, or rather more than one third of an acre; and that the number of bodies deposited in this space during the twenty-five years preceding 1848 were 5,5 1 8. The Committee also discovered that a bulk of coffins which would occupy one acre 5,510 feet if deposited together with- out any earth intervening, had by some unknown means been packed into a space of 14,968 feet or little more than one-third of an acre. The leading members of that Committee were G. A. Walker, Esq., M.R.C.S., Mr. W. Lane, Mr. T. Chapman, Mr. J. H. Dobby, the late Mr. Bateman, and the late Mr. George Huggett, who devoted much time and attention to the subject. The former gentleman, like many of the benefactors of mankind, has never yet received the public honour which his vast services have so well deserved ; although the
* In consequence of that Report, and the agitation of the public mind on this subject, Parliament, in August, 1850, passed an Act prohibiting interments within the limits of the metropolis, and empowering the Government to " remedy the evils and guard against the dangers of burying the dead among the living." These powers were delegated by the Government to the Board of Health. The metropolis benefited greatly by the passing of this Act, but we very much question if a better state of things exists at the suburban cemeteries ; for, according to Mr. Loudin's account, the graves in the London cemeteries are dug fifteen feet deep, in which ten bodies are deposited at a charge of ^i 55. each, which amounts to the enormous sum of .£45,375 per acre. The Government reports show that it is the custom at all these cemeteries to place many bodies intermingled from various families in one grave ; a custom repugnant to decency, and condemned and discontinued in all the other countries of Europe. Contrast this with the practice at the Woking Cemetery, where in all cases a separate grave is assigned for each interment, which is not afterwards opened, except at the desire of surviving friends for the reception of other members of their own family ; and the charge for a separate grave, including the conveyance of the body from Westminster-road station, funeral service and interment, is only twenty shillings. The lowest charge at other cemeteries for a private grave is £5 55. ; the dimentions being, surface measurement, 6| feet by 2^— area i6j square feet. The charge for a private grave at the London Necropolis is £2 IDS. ; and, by the provisions of the Company's Act, the space of land appropriated to such purposes, in each case, is, surface measurement, 9. feet by 4 feet — area 36 square feet. The Government inspectors, some years ago, reported that 9 feet by 4 feet were the smallest dimensions which ought to be allowed for the grave of a person over sixteen years of age ; and this recommendation is sanctioned by the Burial Regulations of the Secretary of State for the Home Department. This cemetery consists of two thousand acres, and is of a firm sandy formation, covered with peat. It is therefore easily drained, or rather is self- draining ; and graves 14 feet and more deep are dug without the aid of shoring, and when dug are perfectly dry. Owing to the great extent of the ground, this system of separate interment might be applied to the whole mortality of London for four centuries to come.
M
82 GRAVES OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
Committee of 1848, in their report of March 23rd in the same year, highly complimented that gentleman, and gracefully acknowledged that their labours had been greatly facilitated by the valuable informa- tion and assistance rendered by him.
If sorrow for the dead be the holiest of sorrows — the only grief which even if we could we would not be divorced from, the love which is the noblest attribute of the soul — then doubtless is he a never-to-be-forgotten benefactor who has, through his untiring exertions, made the graveyards of England a mournful ornament and a lasting beauty, in place of a foul and dishonouring national reproach. Mr. Walker is such a benefactor : his exertions were not merely confined to Portugal Street Church-yard, but he revealed the hideous and revolting mysteries of Enon Chapel. What loving child — what husband — what brother — what mother that saw her darling child perish like a flower nipped in the bud — nay, what lover whose passionate adoration the gloomy portals of the tomb could not crush — who amongst this sad and long line of mourners is not indebted to Mr. Walker ? " We adorn their graves," says quaint old Evelyn, " with flowers and redolent plants, just emblems of the life of man, which has been compared in Holy Scripture to those fading beauties, whose roots being buried in dishonour, rise again in glory " Again, Bourne says — " We place flowers upon their graves to show that their course is finished with joy, and that they have become conquerors." It has been the custom of other nations by their laws and religion to separate the dead from the living, and the construction of tombs at a distance from cities was always kept in view. But until Mr. Walker arose, as far as this great metropolis was concerned, the grave was without honour or Christian remem- brance. The decent and peaceful grave, which the thoughtful mind of an Englishman is ever desirous to give to those who have taken up their everlasting rest, was unknown in London.
* Note from " Medical Directory," of Mr. Walker's numerous and valuable contributions on this important subject.
VAN LOADS OF COFFINS, 83
ENON CHAPEL.
AT the eastern entrance to Clement's Inn, through a gateway in the right hand corner of a narrow dingy court, once stood a building which, in 1823, was converted into a chapel for Dissenters, known by the name of Enon Chapel ; and these pious people, looking very naturally to ways and means, turned the vaults beneath their meeting house into a burying-place, which soon became filled with coffins up to the very rafters, so that there was only the wooden flooring between living youth and the festering dead; for a Sunday school was held in the Chapel as well as the congregational meetings. This truly extra- ordinary state of things was allowed to continue till 1844, when a new sewer having to be made in the locality, and passing under the building, the Commissioners of Sewers discovered this loath- some charnel-house, and had the place closed, but left the bodies to lie there and rot, heedless of all consequences. The upper pre- mises then became tenanted by a set of teetotallers who, among other uses, turned it into a dancing room — one of the sixpenny hops of the day — where the thoughtless and the giddy went to foot it away over the mouldering remains of sad mortality — part of the by- gone generation then turning to dust beneath the dancers' feet.
This loathsome abomination ceased in 1847-8, when Mr. G. A. Walker, Surgeon, gained possession of the Chapel, with the intention of removing the remains to a more appropriate place. The work of exhumation was then commenced, and a pyramid of human bones was exposed to view, separated from piles of coffin wood in various stages of decay. This Golgotha was visited by about 6,000 persons previous to its removal ; and some idea may be formed of the horrid appearance of this scene when it is stated that the quantity of remains comprised four upheaved van loads.
Application was made by Mr. Walker to the Board of Directors of the Abney Park Cemetery for sufficient space to inter these remains, but permission was refused by the chairman of the board, the Rev. Dr. Russell, except on payment of thirty pounds ; the direc-
84 THE DUST HOLE.
tors of trie Norwood Cemetery, however, promptly gave Mr. Walker the required space, and he, at his own cost, had the whole, consisting of many thousand bodies, decently interred in this ground, while an enormous quantity of coffin-wood was consumed by fire at Sydenham.
In the passage leading into the Chapel adjoining this cellar (or as it was called by the undertakers, the " Dust-hole "), at that time was pointed out a copper, in which it was stated, and with good reason believed, that the linen, &c., in which the bodies therein deposited, but not buried, were clothed, was boiled previously to being disposed of in various ways by parties purchasing. It was abundantly proved by Mr. Walker that the bodies were rapidly disposed of by the use of quick-lime.
We cannot, in justice to Mr. G. A. Walker, leave the contempla- tion of this place without testifying, from our own personal know- ledge, to the indomitable energy and perseverance with which that gentleman laboured, and the pecuniary and unrequited sacrifice made by him to suppress one of the then prevailing, most dangerous, and in very many cases most disgusting of the nuisances of the metropolis, viz., intramural interments.
It is hardly possible to conceive, but such is the fact, that within a few feet of the Strand no less than four burying grounds, viz., Green Ground, Enon Chapel, Poor Ground, and Church- yard and Vaults, were permitted so long to exist, and the living breathing on all sides an atmosphere so impregnated with the odour of the dead.
Enon Chapel, after having been turned into a concert-room, casino, prize-fighting ring, penny theatre, bath-room, &c., was about seven years since fitted up plainly but decently as a school during the day and for service. A careful arrangement and attention to details have given it a church-like look ; and it is now well known as Clare Market Chapel. (See page 19.)
DR. JOHNSON IN ST. CLEMENT DANES. 85
ir. $0]jtt80it m St, CUiwitt Jams.
|N Sundays, as the bells of St. Clements were heard invitingly ringing, Dr. Johnson might be seen entering the church, as if anxious to escape all notice. The whole of the service was evidently with him a something real, for on one occasion we find him, after church, in the "good resolution" state of feeling, solemnly record- ing his determination to go to church every Sunday and read the Scrip- tures. Again, on Good Friday, 1773, Boswell tells us, he breakfasted with his tremendous friend (Dr. Levett making tea), and was then taken to church by him. " Dr. Johnson's behaviour," he says, "was solemnly devout." I never shall forget the tremulous earnestness with which he pronounced the awful petition in the Litany — ' In the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, Good Lord deliver us.' " We also find he repaired to St. Clement Danes' Church on April 2ist, in the last year of his life, at the age of seventy-five, to return " thanks to God " for his recovery from an illness which lasted one -hundred and twenty-nine days.* (See page 14 )
Dr. Johnson has been often heard to say that, when he saw a worthy family in distress, it was his custom to collect charity amongst such of his friends as he knew to be in a state of affluence, and on those occasions he received more from Garrick than any other person.
At the Essex Head Tavern, the year before he died, Dr. Johnson established a club called " Sam's," from the landlord Samuel Greaves, who had been an old servant of his friend Thrale, the great brewer.
* Johnson's Dictionary was published 1755.
86 DR. JOHNSON IN ST. CLEMENT DANES.
It was not so select as the Literary Club, but cheaper. Johnson, writing to Sir Joshua Reynolds asking him to join it, says — " The terms are lax, and the expenses light ; we meet thrice a week and he who misses forfeits two-pence."*
Dr. Johnson used to sup at the Turk's Head coffee-house, No. 142, Strand, for the purpose, as he said, "to encourage the hostess, who was a good, civil woman, and had not too much business." Boswell mentions supping there with Dr. Johnson on July 28th, 1763.
Dr. Brocklesby, who was a very amiable and generous man, offered Dr. Johnson an annuity of one hundred pounds per year, to enable him to travel for his health, which Johnson gratefully declined.
It was at Clifton's eating-house, in Butchers' Row, in 1763, that Boswell with fear heard Dr. Johnson disputing with a petulant Irish- man about the cause of negroes being black. " Why, sir," said Johnson, with judicial grandeur, " it has been accounted for in three ways — either by supposing that they were the posterity of Ham, who was cursed ; or that God created two kinds of men, one black and the other white or that by the heat of the sun the skin is scorched and so acquired a sooty hue."
On the 2nd of March, 1737, the City of Lichneld had the honour of sending forth, on one day, the two greatest geniuses, in their respective paths, that the world has known, — Samuel Johnson and his pupil David Garrick, — who had previously exchanged senti- ments, and resolved on an expedition to the metropolis, in order that they might enlarge their views.
In Exeter Street, Dr. Johnson, when he first came to London, lodged and dined for fourpence halfpenny a day, at a staymakers. He and Garrick were compelled to borrow five pounds on their joint note from Mr. Wilcox, the bookseller. Such was the position of two men, to whom perhaps this temporary pecuniary assis- tance was the means of displaying that genius which afterwards shone
* About 1763, Goldsmith, Burke, Gibbon, Jones, Garrick, Reynolds, Langton, Bennett, and other distinguished men joined the Johnson Club, of which the Doctor was president.
DR. JOHNSON IN ST. CLEMENT DANES. 87
so brightly in their respective walks. At the Pine Apple, Dr. Johnson dined very well for 8^/. — a cut of meat, 6d., bread, iff., waiter, id., observing that " the waiter who is forgotten, is apt to forget."'*
In 1764 and 1765, Dr. Johnson was busily engaged with his edition of Shakspeare.
A gentleman being in the company of Dr. Johnson at the Crown and Anchor, in the Strand, while enforcing arguments for drinking added this — " You know, sir, drinking drives away care, and makes us forget whatever is disagreeable ; would you not allow a man to drink for that reason ?" To which Johnson replied, — " Yes, sir, if he sat next you."
Dr. Johnson was most particular in not permitting a lady to walk from his house to her carriage unattended by himself, and his appear- ance in Fleet Street always attracted a crowd, and afforded no small diversion. Johnson's fondness for tea is well known, but it is doubtful as to the number of cups he could drink. A lady once poured out for him seventeen cups — the cups were small China ones, and at that time the Bohea was 385. a pound.
Dr. Johnson gives Earls Arlington and Ossory the credit of being the first to import tea into England. He says that they brought it from Holland in 1666, and that their ladies taught women of quality how to use it. Pepys, however, records having sent for a cup of tea, a China drink of which he had never drunk before. By an Act of Parliament of the year 1660, a duty of eightpence per gallon was levied on all sherbet, chocolate and tea made for sale. Coffee was first imported from Arabia in 1454.
Leaving Gough Square, where he lost his beloved wife, Letty, Dr. Johnson went to reside in Inner Temple Lane, from thence to No. 7, Johnson's Court, and finally, in 1766, to No. 8, Bolt Court, where he died on the ipth December, 1784, in his seventy-sixth year.
But, after all, the memory of the heroic, and much-enduring Hercules of the eighteenth century, Samuel Johnson, must ever remain most indelibly associated with this parish.
* Leigh Hunt's " Town," 1867.
88 NOBILITY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
0f St. CLenwiit Jaws,
the earlier and later Stuart days, Boswell Court was the abode of the quality. Here dwelt, from 1622 till 1625, Lady Raleigh, widow of the martyred Sir Walter. Another distin- guished resident was Sir Edward Lyttleton, successively Solicitor- General and Lord Chief Justice of England, in 1639.
From Boswell House, Gilbert Talbot wrote a letter of London gossip to his father, the celebrated Earl of Shrewsbury, of Elizabeth's reign, in 1589. This letter is printed in the second volume of Lodge's " Illustrations."
Among the eminent inhabitants of the court were Sir Richard and Lady Fanshawe. In the Memoirs of Lady Fanshawe, we find the following : — " In his absence, I, on the 1 6th, took a house in Boswell Court, near Temple Bar, for two years, immediately moving all my goods thereto."
Sir John Trevor, first cousin to the infamous Judge Jeffreys, a corrupt, though an able lawyer, who rose to be Solicitor-General, was twice Master of the Rolls, a Commissioner of the Great Seal, and twice Speaker of the House of Commons, was a parishioner. He, Sir John, had the courage to caution James II. against his arbitrary conduct, and to warn his cousin Jeffreys against his violent proceedings. But, through his own malpractices, he had the great mortifica- tion, as Speaker, of having to put the question to the House, "Whether he, Sir John, ought to be expelled for bribery?" The answer was, " Yes." He died at his residence in Clement's Lane, May 2oth, 1717, and was buried in the Roll's Chapel, Chancery Lane. How true the mighty poet was when he wrote " Sermons in
NOBILITY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES. 89
Stones ! " Never truer words came from the pen of man. Parlia- ments are said to have originated in the reign of Henry I.
Exeter House was founded by Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter, who was Lord Treasurer of England in the reign of Edward II. It became the town residence of the bishops of that see, and is said to have been very magnificent. Lacy, Bishop of Exeter in the reign of Henry VI., added a great hall. The first Lord Paget laid violent hands on it in the grand period of plunder ; improving it greatly, and calling it after his own name. The great Earl of Leicester resided here, and changed its name to Leicester House, leaving it by will* to his son-in-law, Robert, Earl of Essex? the unfortunate favourite of Elizabeth, who from thence made his frantic and imprudent sally, in the vain hope of exciting the City to arm in his behalf against its sovereign. The memory of Exeter House and these transactions is kept alive in the names of Essex Street, Essex Stairs, and Devereux Court.
Bath's Inn, inhabited by the Bishops of Bath and Wells, was wrested from them in the reign of Edward VI. by Lord Thomas Seymour, High Admiral, and received the name of Seymour Place. This house afterwards passed to Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, and was called Arundel Palace. f The Due de Sally, who was lodged in it during his embassy to England on the accession of James I., says it was one of the finest and most commodious of any in London. The views from its extensive gardens up and down the river were exceedingly fine. Here was kept the magnificent collection of statues formed by the Earl. The palace was pulled down during the last century, but the names and titles of its illustrious occupants are re- tained in the names of the streets— Howard, Norfolk, Arundel, and Surrey — which rose on the site. After it came into possession of the Duke of Norfolk (the same who presented his library to the Royal Society) that learned body were permitted to hold their meetings
* Sydney Papers, i — 73.
t The Earl of Arundel introduced coaches into England, 1583.
90 NOBILITY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES.
in Arundel House ; but on its being taken down, the meetings were removed to Gresham College.* The great family of the Drurys had a mansion in this vicinity, which was probably built by Sir William Drury, an able commander in the Irish wars.
Craven House, Wych Street, was in the possession of William, Earl Craven, in 1673, who rebuilt it. This nobleman was very inde- fatigable in preventing the ravages of fire in those days ; and he and the Duke of Albemarle (the noted Monk) heroically stayed in town during the dreadful pestilence, and, at the hazard of their lives, preserved order.
Beneath a tomb with his figure expressed in brass, was buried, in Saint Clement Danes, John Arundel, Bishop of Exeter, who died in 1503, at Exeter House, the town residence of the bishops of that see.
In the old church of St. Clement's Sir Charles Sedley, the delightful song writer and oracle of the licentious wits of his day, was baptized. He was born in Shire Lane.
In the Register of Baptisms of St. Clement's Church, we find the name of the son of Lord Paget, of Clement's Lane.
Sir Arthur Atie Knight, 'secretary to the great Earl of Leicester, and attendant on the unfortunate Earl of Essex, lived in Shire Lane. He died 1604.
Oliver Cromwell once resided in Clement's Lane.
Peter the Great lived in Norfolk Street, Strand.
John Holies, the second Earl of Clare, resided in a splendid mansion, in magnificent style, on a site adjacent to Clare Market. His son Gilbert, the third Earl, died in 1689, and was succeeded by his son John Holies, created Marquis of Clare and Duke of New- castle, May i4th, 1694. He died in 1711, when all his honours became extinct.
Between Arundel and Norfolk Streets, in the year 1698, lived Sir Thomas Lyttleton, Speaker of the House of Commons.
Salisbury and Cecil Streets were built by Sir Robert Cecil.
* Memoirs of the Howards, p. 94.
NOBILITY OF ST. CLEMENT DANES. 91
We cannot pass the name of Cecil without casting our eyes back- wards upon the long line of glory with which it has been associated. Its great founder, Sir William Cecil, shared captivity in the Tower with the great Duke of Somerset, and he who was a prisoner in the brief and inglorious reign of the boy Edward, was destined in the fulness of time to be the wisest minister England ever had. As Secretary of State, while still Sir William Cecil, he signed the patent for the succession of Lady Jane Grey, thus casting aside the claims of Mary and Elizabeth, and recognizing the line of Suffolk. This was almost the solitary act of his great and wise career which he is said to have deplored, alleging that he signed the patent merely in the capacity of a witness, and not that of a minister.
On the accession of Elizabeth he was made Secretary of State, and the Church of England owes to him two great and transcendant services. When the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots fled to England, Cecil advised his royal mistress to take active measures for the security for the Protestants of Scotland — a step which, although it might awake jealousy in the Court of Erance, would draw away the disaffected spirit from England. When, too, the Reformers returned from the Continent, armed with the purer spirit of Protestantism which they had acquired by the waters of Geneva, Cecil gave to them his best aid, and counteracted as far he could the still compromising spirit towards the ancient faith, which, like her father, Elizabeth carried with her to the grave.
When Mary Queen of Scots was impeached with the murder of her husband — a crime instigated by a desire to carry on her illicit amour with Both well— Cecil was appointed one of the Commissioners to investigate one of the most delicate and important accusations to be found in the pages of history. His vast sagacity, his knowledge of the human heart, his imperturbable wisdom, his calm and dignified bearing, won even the admiration of his enemies. He it was who afterwards was delegated with the important mission to the unhappy Mary, and who drew up the articles of agreement or treaty between the Scottish Queen and Elizabeth.
92 LORD BURLEIGH'S TEN PRECEPTS.
He Had now achieved the zenith of his fame, and was created Lord Burleigh.
Nor can we take leave of this great man without submitting to our readers a priceless treasury of wisdom which he has left behind him. In an age like the present, when spurious and doubtful mental food is supplied for the young, we would fain bring them back to a healthier nutriment, and supply them with that which will lend vigour and buoyancy to their footsteps throughout the journey of life.
Lord Burleigh has left behind aphorisms to guide us in our daily intercourse, which affect daily ordinary life more than the wise sugges- tions of Bacon, and stand inferior but to the deathless wisdom of the suffering and inspired Psalmist. We invite both old and young to those undefiled fountains of wisdom, to slake their thirst with waters that do not poison, but invigorate.
" I. When it shall please God to bring thee to man's estate, use great provi- dence and circumspection in chusing thy wife ; for from thence will spring all thy future good or evil ; and it is an action of life, like unto a stratagem of war ; wherein a man can err but once. If thy estate be good, match near home and at leisure ; if weak, far off and quickly. Enquire diligently of her disposition, and how her parents have been in- clined in their youth ; let her not be poor, how generous soever ; for a man can buy nothing in the market with gentility ; nor chuse a base and uncomely creature altogether for wealth ; for it will cause contempt in others and loathing in thee ; neither make choice of a dwarf or a fool ; for by the one thou shalt beget a race of pigmies, the other will be thy continual disgrace, and it will yirke thee to hear her talk ; for thou shalt find it, to thy great grief, that there is nothing more fulsome than a she- fool. And touching the guiding of thy house, let thy hospitality be moderate, and according to the means of thy estate, rather plentiful than sparing, but not costly ; for I never knew any man grow poor by keeping an orderly table ; but some consume themselves through secret vices, and their hospitality bears the blame ; but banish swinish drunkards out of thine house, which is a vice impairing health, consuming much, and makes no show. I never heard praise ascribed to the drunkard, but for the well-bearing of his drink, which is better commendation for a brewer's horse or a drayman, than for either a gentleman or a serving-man. Be- ware thou spend not above three of four parts of thy revenues ; nor above a third part of that in thine house ; for the other two parts will do no
LORD BURLEIGH'S TEN PRECEPTS, 93
more than defray thy extraordinaries, which always surmount the ordi- nary by much : otherwise thou shalt live like a rich beggar, in continual want : and the needy man can never live happily or contentedly, for every disaster makes him ready to mortgage or sell ; and that gentleman who sells an acre of land, sells an ounce of credit, for gentility is nothing else but ancient riches ; so that if the foundation shall at any time sink, the building must needs follow. — So much for the first precept.
' II. Bring thy children up in learning and obedience, yet without outward austerity. Praise them openly, reprehend them secretly. Give them good countenance and convenient maintenance according to thy ability, otherwise thy life will seem their bondage, and what portion thou shalt leave them at thy death, they will thank death for it, and not thee. And I am persuaded that the foolish cockering of some parents, and the over- stern carriage of others, causeth more men and women to take ill courses, than their own vicious inclinations. Marry thy daughters in time, lest they marry themselves. And suffer not thy sons to pass the Alps, for they shall learn nothing there but pride, blasphemy, and atheism. And if by travel they get a few broken languages, that shall profit them no- thing more than to have one meat served in divers dishes. Neither, by my consent, shalt thou train them up in wars ; for he that sets up his rest to live by that profession, can hardly be an honest man or a good Chris- tian ; besides it is a science no longer in request than use : for soldiers in • peace are like chimneys in summer.
! III. Live not in the country without corn and cattle about thee ; for he that putteth his hand to the purse for every expense of household, is like him that keepeth water in a sieve. And what provision thou shalt want, learn to buy it at the best hand ; for there is one penny saved in four, be- twixt buying in thy need, and when the market and seasons serve fittest for it. Be not served with kinsmen, or friends, or men intreated to stay; for they expect much and do little ; nor with such as are amorous, for their heads are intoxicated. And keep rather too few, than one too many. Feed them well, and pay them with the most, and then thou mayest boldly require service at their hands.
TV. Let thy kindred and allies be welcome to thy house and table ; grace them with thy countenance, and farther them in all honest actions ; for by this means, thou shalt so double the band of nature, as thou shalt find them so many advocates to plead an apology for thee behind thy back ; but shake off those glowworms, I mean parasites and sycophants, who will feed and fawn upon thee in the summer of prosperity, but in adverse storm, they will shelter thee no more than an arbour in winter.
94 LORD BURLEIGH'S TEN PRECEPTS.
"V. 'Beware of surety-ship for thy best friends ; he that payeth another man's debts, seeketh his own decay; but if thou canst not otherwise chuse, rather lend thy money thyself upon good bonds although thou borrow it ; so shalt thou secure thyself, and pleasure thy friend ; neither borrow money of a neighbour or a friend, but of a stranger, where paying it thou shalt hear no more of it : otherwise thou shalt eclipse thy credit, lose thy freedom, and yet pay as dear as to another. But in borrowing of money be precious of thy word, for he that hath care of keeping days of payment, is lord of another man's purse.
" VI. Undertake no suit against a poor man without receiving much wrong ! for, besides that thou mayest make him thy compeer, it is a base con- quest to triumph where there is small resistance ; neither attempt law against any man before thou be fully resolved that thou hast right on thy side ; and then spare not for either money or pains ; for a cause or two so followed and obtained, will free thee from suits a great part of thy life.
"VII. Be sure to keep some great man thy friend, but trouble him not with trifles ; compliment him often with many, yet small gifts, and of little charge ; and if thou hast cause to bestow any great gratuity, let it be something which may be daily in sight ; otherwise in this ambitious age, thou shalt remain like a hop without a pole, live in obscurity, and be made a football for every insulting companion to spurn at.
"VIII. Towards thy superiors be humble, yet generous ; with thine equals familiar, yet respective; towards thine inferiors show much humanity,