Chapter I: Preface

IN presenting the MEMORIALS OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE to the public, apology must be made for the delay in its appearance since the announcement of its intended publication. This was occasioned by the sudden and protracted illness of its Editor: since his restoration, he has prosecuted the work with all the diligence which his time permitted.

The book is published in the hope that its critics may treat its Author kindly, since the brain that indited it is, alas! no more. It is the result of great assiduity and perseverance amidst peculiar difficulties, and was only completed just before the death of the compiler, who, towards its close, had laboured at it with greater energy than his weakened frame ought properly to have borne.

The immediate motive for publication was the Editor’s regard, it might almost be termed veneration, for its writer, seconded by favourable opinions expressed by several literary gentlemen who perused the manuscript, and knowledge that many notices by the same hand had already appeared in “Notes and Queries,” “The West Middlesex Advertiser,” and the various local papers that have occasionally been published in the neighbourhood.

The work was written from notes made at various times, some having been taken when its author was yet a boy. It may therefore be described as the labour of his short and painful life; and it was felt that so long as the result of his application was laid aside, so long did the Editor’s duty to his brother remain unperformed.

As some little notice of our historian may be desirable, the following sketch is subjoined:—

Henry George Davis was born at 4, Mill’s Buildings, on August 14th, 1830. While an infant he had severe inflammation of the lungs, which afterwards became confirmed pleurisy. He was educated at the Philological School in the New Road. Of this Institution he was to the last fond and proud. Having carried off many of its prizes, he always felt an identity with it. He was of a studious inclination—a disposition doubtless fostered by his infirmities; for he was never able to join in the sports of his fellows. As he arrived at manhood, his disease (increased in 1850 by rheumatic fever) became much more severe, and finally released his soul “to its Almighty source” on the 30th of December, 1857.

The Editor has to acknowledge obligations to O. B. Cole, Esq.; to the author of “Paddington, Past and Present;” to the Rev. M. Walcot, of “The Memorials of Westminster;” Mr. Cunningham, of “The Handbook of London;” Mr. Faulkner’s works; and to those sundry publications the name of which is given with each quotation. He hopes his readers may have that enjoyment in the perusal of the following History which was had in the providing of it for them.

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_St. Paul’s Schools_, _Knightsbridge_, _June_, 1859.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAP. I. Introduction 1
CHAP. II. Historical Associations 32
CHAP. III. Modern Parochial Divisions: The Streets, 48
Public Buildings, &c. Their Associations,
Eminent Inhabitants, &c.
CHAP. IV. Belgravia 216
CHAP. V. The Sub-District of St. Barnabas 244
CHAP. VI. Social and Political Summary 267

PERSONS.

PAGE Allen, John 181 Bennett, Rev. W. J. E. 97 Bensley, Richard 207 Birkhead Family 88 Blessington, Lady 138 Bellamy, G. A. 215 Bernal, Ralph 230 Bowles, Carrington 143 Broughton, Dr. 228 Buckingham, Anecdote of Duke of 27 Burton, Judge 115 & 185 Carlisle, Frederick Earl of 233 Caulfield, General 229 Chardin, Sir John 215 Cheselden, Mr. 182 Chudleigh, Miss 164 Clarendon, Hyde, Earl of 223 Clarke, Mrs. 265 Corbaux, Miss 266 Cornellys, Mrs. 156 Cromwell, Family of 75 Danvers, Family of 82 Derwentwater, Countess of 82 De Dunstanville, Lord 110 D’Oliveyra, Francis Xavier 210 D’Orsay, Count 141 Duncan, Sir H. 229 Egremont, Lord 232 Every, John 81 Eyre, Major Robert 37 Foote, Anecdote of 168 Gamble, Rev. J. 107 Gardiner, Sir R. 229 Gascoigne, Mrs. 154 George IV., Anecdote of 236 Grant, General Sir W. K. 227 Guthrie, Mr. 266 Harness, Rev. W. 100 Harrison, Thomas 207 Hawke, Honourable Miss 228 Higgins, Mr. M. J. 153 Howard of Escrick, Lord 34 Howard, Major 234 Humphry, Ozias 115 Humphrey, Sir William 82 Hunter, John 182 Inchbald, Mrs., Anecdote of 135 Jones, Gentleman 227 Lanesborough, Lord 180 Laremar, William 186 Lenthall, Sir John 75 Lens, Bernard 210 Lewis, Sir G. C. 110 Lewis, Lady Theresa 110 Lewis, William Thomas 265 Liddell, Hon. and Rev. R. 97 Liston, John 188 Liston, Mrs. 196 Louis Napoleon 139 Madan, Rev. M. 238 Maitland, Sir P. 229 Marsh, Charles 110 Marshall, J. 215 Miller, Robert 210 Milner, Isaac 138 Molesworth, Sir W. 229 Morgan, Lady 205 Morgann, Maurice 147 Morland, Sir Samuel 77 Morison, Dr. 200 Munster, Earl of 242 Murphy, Arthur 172 Nell Gwynne 258 Orrery, Countess of 211 Ossory, Lady 234 Penn, William 214 Pennington, Rev. Thos. 263 Pettigrew, Dr. W. V. 228 Pickett, William 188 Read, John 161 Reynolds, Sir Joshua 112 Richmond, Rev. Legh 226 & 240 Rodwell, H. 191 & 264 Rutland, John, Duke of 177 Ryland, W. W. 171 Skelton, William 264 Soyer, Mons. 142 Stirling, E. 107 Telfair, Cortez and James 146 Thornton, Henry 137 Thornton, James 257 Trevor, Sir John 200 Trotter, Thomas 177 Troubridge, Sir T. 229 Tytler, P. F. 97 Underwood, Dr. M. 177 Vandervelde, Cornelius 80 Villiers, Hon. George 109 Wakefield, Edward 215 Walcot, Rev. M. 100 Walpole, Robert 81 Ward, Seth 211 Warner, Captain 253 Wellesley, Marquis of 170 Wellington, Anecdote of Duke of 187 Wilberforce, William 137 & 241 Wilkes, John 136 Wilkie, Note on 258 Wright, Dr. Richard 215 Yarmouth, Countess of 215

PLACES.

Albert Gate 100 All Saints’ Church 98 Avery Farm Row 252 Baber’s Floor-cloth Factory 106 Belgravia 216 Belgrave Chapel 237 Belgrave Square 224 Belgrave Street, Upper 242 Blomfield Terrace 253 Bridge, The 20 Brompton Park Nursery 132 Brompton Road 103 Cake House, The 121 Cannon Brewhouse, The 113 Cavalry Barracks 118 Chapel Street 226 Chatham House 103 Chelsea Bun House 259 Chesham Place and Street 228 Chester Street 228 College of St. Barnabas 250 Commercial Road, The 253 Compasses, The 263 Downing’s Floor-cloth Factory 158 Dwarf, The 264 Eaton Place 228 Eaton Place West 229 Eaton Square 230 Eden Lodge 135 Ennismore Place and Terrace 103 Feathers, The 235 Five Fields, The 219 Fort at Hyde Park Corner 127 Fox and Bull, The 111 Gore House 136 Graham Street 257 Grosvenor Canal 249 Grosvenor Crescent 231 Grosvenor House 146 Grosvenor Place 218, 232 Grosvenor Row 257 Grove House 143 Half-Way House 179 Halkin Street 237 Halkin Street West 237 Hamilton Lodge 136 High Road 103 High Row 111 Hospital for Soldiers 235 Hospital, the Lock 238 Hyde Park 118 Hyde Park Corner 125 Infantry Barracks 187 Jenny’s Whim 253 Jenny’s Whim Bridge 253 Kensington Gore 131 Kent House 109 Kingston House 164 Kinnerton Street 144 Knightsbridge Green 144 Knightsbridge Grove 156 Knightsbridge Schools 91 Knightsbridge Terrace 146 Lanesborough House 180 Lazar House 52 Lock Chapel 241 Lock Hospital 238 Lowndes Square 149 Lowndes Street 242 Lowndes Terrace 155 Marble Arch, The 123 Mercer Lodge 135 Mills’ Buildings 117 Montpelier Square 159 New Street 159 Osnaburg Row 242 Park House 134 Park Side 160 Prince’s Gate 163 Queen’s Buildings 170 Queen’s Head, The 163 Queen’s Row 171 Ranelagh Grove 263 Ranelagh Terrace 263 Receiving House, Royal Humane Society 121 Ring in Hyde Park, The 122 Rising Sun, The 106 Rose and Crown, The 104 Rotten Row 125 Rutland Gate 178 Rutland House 177 St. Barnabas College 250 St. George’s Hospital 180 St. George’s Place 185 St. Paul’s Church 92 „ „ Appendix 280 St. Paul’s Schools, Append. 281 St. Peter’s Church 231 Serpentine, The 120 South Place 106 Spring Gardens 149 Star and Garter, The 264 Statue of Achilles, The 124 Stratheden House 110 Stromboli House 263 Swan, The 176 Tattersall’s 197 Trevor Chapel 200 Trevor Square 199 Trevor Terrace 106 Trinity Chapel 51 Trinity Chapel (Appendix) 279 Upper Belgrave Street 242 Upper Ebury Street 264 Westbourne, The 21 Westbourne Place 265 Westbourne Street 266 White Hart, The 163 White House, The 250 William Street 205 Wilton Crescent 206 Wilton Place 206 Wilton Street 243 York Hospital, The 266

MISCELLANEOUS.

PAGE Act for Building Albert Gate (Appendix) 277 Address to Liston by Rodwell 191 Anecdote connected with the Duke of Wellington 187 Assassination, Intended, of William III. 36 Bad State of the Roads 24 Boscobel Oak, Trees from 130 Cattle ordered to be Slaughtered at Knightsbridge 33 Churchwardens of St. Paul’s 97 Club at the Fox and Bull 112 Cromwell Tradition, The (Appendix) 275 Cross-road Burial, The last 237 Dangers of the Five Fields 220 Derivation of Name 2 Description of Communion-plate at Chapel 62 Discovery of Curious Relics 34 and 153 Discovery of Human Remains at Fox and Bull 113 Duel between Hamilton and Mohun 122 Enlargement of the Chapel 61 Establishments similar to Lazar House 58 Extracts from the Chapel Accounts 85 Extracts, Curious, from Chapel Baptismal Registrars 70 Extracts, Curious, from Chapel Marriage Registrars 69 and 73 Geology of Knightsbridge 269 Government of Knightsbridge 271 Grant to Lazar House by James I. 52 Historical Anecdotes of Hyde Park Corner 126 Impromptu on Gore House 138 Innkeepers of Knightsbridge 27 Knightsbridge Volunteers 37 Knightsbridge a Family Name (Appendix) 275 Letter to Liston by Mathews, and reply 193 and 194 Letter to Earl Bathurst by Sheriff Waithman 41 Local Family Names 90 Manor and Parochial Divisions 4 and 48 Marriage Statistics of Knightsbridge Chapel 90 Ministers of Knightsbridge Chapel 63 Olden Time, The 23 Parochial Divisions 49 Patients discharged from Lazar House 56 Perambulation Festivities 50 Pimlico, Origin of Name of 245 Population of Knightsbridge 268 Reminiscence of the Compiler (Note) 104 Ditto of Shelley’s first Wife 112 Reputation of the Chapel for Suspicious Marriages 68 Restoration of Knightsbridge Chapel 58 and 61 Reviews in Hyde Park 119 Riots at Knightsbridge 40 Salubrity of Knightsbridge 269 State Visits to French Embassy 102 Tradition of Cæsar Crossing the Thames 250 Trees from the Boscobel Oak 130 Water Supply 30 Wyatt’s Insurrection Quelled 33 William III., Intended Assassination of 36

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE Knightsbridge, the Site of Albert Gate _Frontispiece_ The Westbourne, from the Park 22 Colours of the Knightsbridge Volunteers 39 Trinity Chapel 62 St. Paul’s Church 94 The Westbourne, looking north from Knightsbridge 101 The Cake House 122 Fort at Hyde Park Corner 128 Oak planted by Charles II. 130 Hyde Park Corner, 1824 131 Queen’s Buildings 172 Half-Way House 179 Lanesborough House 181 The Lock Hospital 238 Lock Chapel 241

ERRATUM

Page 235, line 19, for “Grosvenor Row” read “Grosvenor Place.” {0}