Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 7.djvu/625

 10 s. VIL JUNE 29, 1907.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

513

explanation of Slender's speech as to mill-sixpences and Edward shovelboards, will be found in The Numismatic Chronicle, Fourth Series, vol. v. (1905), p. 307.

THE OCTAGONAL ENGINE HOUSE ON HAMPSTEAD HEATH (10 S. vii. 424). This curious building was razed to the ground some weeks ago. The real reason for its demolition was that some time since severa ominous cracks appeared in the structure and it had to be shored up with large struts of timber ; and as it would have cost a good sum of money to repair it properly, it was thought better to pull it down. It was, however, a picturesque landmark, and many must regret its disappearance. The pumping machinery had long since been removed, and the house had for many years been used as a dwelling-place for one of the turncocks of the New River Company.

According to Baines's ' Records of Hamp- stead,' 1890, the well under it was sunk in 1835 ; but this cannot be quite correct, for in a manuscript diary of a Heath keeper, 1834-9, part of which I reproduced in the ' Hampstead Annual ' for 1902, is recorded, under date 16 July, 1834, " The well-house boiler brought for erection."

MR. HARLAND-OXLEY will find no refer- ence to this round house in Park's ' History of Hampstead,' since this work, published in 1814 (second edition 1818), was written some years before either the well was dry or the engine house built. I have never heard of any story such as is related by MR. HARLAND-OXLEY ; but it is no uncommon thing to see more than one " mysterious woman in black " hovering around this spot at night, some of whom occasionally make their appearance before the magistrates next morning. E. E. NEWTON.

7, Achilles Road, West End, Hampstead, N.W.

ST. GEORGE : GEORGE AS A CHRISTIAN NAME (10 S. vii. 308, 375, 455). It will be interesting to see if England can produce an earlier George than George de Cantilupe, whom I see MR. ELLIS states to have been born in 1251.

But, though other instances do occur, the uncommonness of the name, even long after that date, is shown by the record of the Knighthood of the Garter. The order was founded in 1347, but it was not till 114 years later that George, Duke of Clarence, brought his Christian name upon its roll. He was the 193rd knight, and was born in 1449. George Stanley, Lord Strange, born

c. 1460, comes 245th ; and George Talbot,. 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, born 1468, comes 247th.

In the first 150 years 263 knights were appointed, and the name " George " appears- on only these three occasions.

But the curious thing is that, long before that time, this name, considered so typically English, was quite common in Scotland. One would like to know the authority for " George Munro de Foulis " in the time of Alexander II. ; but later, besides George, Earl of Dunbar, born before 1340, we have George Douglas, Earl of Angus, born before 1378, and George, 1st Lord Seton, born before 1429.

On the Border the name was quite common at the commencement of the fifteenth century. To give one instance. To a Swinton charter, dated 1433, thirteen minor landowners are witnesses. There are two Richards and two Thorns, a Philip, a John, a David, a Col, a Hud, and a William. But there are also a George of Ellem, a George of Redpath, and a George Ramsay. G. S. C. S.

Those who, like myself, have had experi- ence of parish registers, will, I think, agree that George as a Christian name is com- paratively uncommon in England before 1700. " Comparatively," because the saint's name was thrust into such prominence before the people in almost every parish in England that we should naturally expect to find it- preponderating at the font above all others. But it is so low as eighth on the list in Oxford Hist. Soc., vol. xiv., with a total of 647, a tiny fraction of the 30,000 on the register. Moreover, some of these probably came from countries other than England. Thus Buchanan and Mackenzie were Scots ; and none of the Georges mentioned ante? . 375, are of first-rate importance. The truth seems to be that the popularity of St. George was somewhat factitious ; he was a foreigner, if he was not mythical, and he did not appeal much to the imagina- tion of our forefathers. W. C. B.

THE STONES OF LONDON (10 S. vii. 448).

There are still some nooks where the old ' cobble " pavement of London may be

seen ; for instance, at Queen's Square, ^insbury Avenue, E.G. A forlorn fragment f an old City Square HIPPOCLIDES may find t. C. V. H. S.

MASONRY AND RELIGION (10 S. vii. 467).

M. A. R. argues that " the admission of

"Mohammedans and other non-Christians to

odges " confirms the view that " Masonry