Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 5.djvu/274

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io> s. v. MAHCH 2*.

established veterinary forge, at the corner of this street and Horse and Groom Yard, was removed in the first half of the year, which completed the demolition of all the houses from this spot to the corner of Church Street, No. 32 (for many years in the occu- pation of Gabetas Go wing, a carpenter and joiner) and No. 34 (formerly the residence of William Bowles, a verger at Westminster Abbey) being the last that were demolished. Wood Street was widened by June as far as the east side of St. John's Street, by which date two or three houses were down and Nos. 21, 22, and 23 empty.

Proceeding up Millbank Street, we find, at the end of the year to which these notes refer, that there were only two houses standing : the licensed premises at the corner of Church Street, known as " The Jolly Miller," were still open ; but the next house, formerly a coffee-house and dining- rooms, was closed. Thus, with the exception of the pumping station of the London Hydraulic Power Company, No. 64, at the corner of Romney Street, the ground was all cleared to that point. From Romney Street to the corner of Horseferry Road, nothing is now standing ; while in the latter thorough- fare to the east side of Carpenter Street all has been cleared away. Turning down this street, we reach again Romney Street, which is clear on its south side to Millbank Street.

By October a new broad street (unnamed) was open from the south side of Smith Square, across Romney Street, into Horse- ferry Road ; and before long Grub Street will be obliterated from the map of London. Champion's Alley has already

one. The whole of the south side of Smith quare has been cleared, and Scott's Rents closed. In the south-west corner No. 32 is still standing. This was the old Rectory House of the parish, and in it resided for a long series of years the Ven. Archdeacon Jennings, the rector of St. John's, before he migrated to No. 18, Dean's Yard. St. John's Chambers, on the west side of the square, with Lion Buildings, at the rear, in Tufton Street, were sold towards the end of the year and in course of demolition. Across the ground thus cleared will be formed a new street leading into Tufton Street, and probably before long into Marsham Street, when Little Tufton Street will be done away with. It may be said in this connexion that Lion Buildings and St. John's Chambers ought never to have been built, as there were many sets of rooms on which the sun could never shine, and, so I am informed,

not a few where artificial light was needed day and night. How people can be expected to lead decent lives in such places is a mystery, and it cannot be wondered at that the police had much trouble with the greater part of their inhabitants. The two houses adjoining St. John's Cham- bers, used for parochial purposes, are empty, as well as Nos. 8, 9, and 10 in the square, it being rumoured that several of the inhabited houses are in the hands of the L.C.C.

The houses on both sides of Little Tufton Street have been demolished, those on the north side in 1905 ; those on the other side, round the corner in Tufton Street, and still further round to 62, Romney Street, were alluded to in a previous paper of mine. Church Court had not been closed at the end of 1905. A considerable number of houses are still standing on the west side of Romney Street, of which 28, 20, and 16 are unoccu-

Eied, while the rest to No. 2 are inhabited, ut look in a very deplorable condition. In North Street Nos. 13 and 20, on the west side, and Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, and 11, on the east side, are empty. No. 13 was many years ago occupied by Mr. W. W. Grice, who after- wards became the secretary and librarian of the Westminster Free Public Library, Great Smith Street ; while in the same house lived, many years before, Robert William Elliston, the great actor, and lessee and manager of Drury Lane and the Olympic Theatres. Among the noted residents in this street were Dr. Coleridge in 1824, on the other side of the street, in days before he became Bishop of Barbadoes ; and the mother of Dr. Chel- sora, a scholar and usher of Westminster School, and finally rector of Droxford, Hants. Col. Robertson, of the Royal In- dependent Invalids, died here on 20 May, 1802 ; and William Capon, the antiquarian draughtsman, many of whose sketches of our old city are in the Crace Collection, died here in 1827. In the little cottage situated down a gateway between Nos. 5 and 7, and, I believe, known as No. 6, North Street, although situated at the rear, lived and died Barnes, the well-known pantaloon of the- London theatres. There was yet another theatrical resident, for at No. 11, among the- latest residents, if not the last of all, was Mr. Beerbohm Tree. The little cottage alluded to was at the close of the year still tenanted.

On the land long vacant adjacent to the chapel of the Society of St. John the Evan- gelist preparations were being made for the- erection of the parish hall in connexion with