Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 5.djvu/563

 ii s. v. jrxE 15, i9i2.i NOTES AND QUERIES.

463

methods adopted in recent years for remov- ing children from workhouses, and rearing them under conditions in which independ- ence of character and habits of industry can be developed, and the taint of pauperism removed. The Daily Telegraph of the following day appropriately heads its article on the subject ' No more Oliver Twists/ It may well be said of Dickens, " He, being dead, yet speaketh," and so it will be through the ages, for he has left an influence for good that no time can change.

My notes on Dickens would not be com- plete without a reference to the Dickens Fellowship, established on the 6th of October, 1902. Rightly enough, the real founder of it was a working-man, but his name has unfortunately been lost. Among its objects are to knit together in a common bond of friendship lovers of Dickens, and to spread the love of humanity which is the key-note of all his work. As is known to all our readers, its organ is The Dickensian, of which Mr. Matz (who from the first has been the life and soul of the Fellowship) is the able editor. The Fellowship now has nearly fifty branches, and up to last week 20,000 fellows had been enrolled. Mr. Henry F. Dickens is its Life President, and the President for the present year is, appro- priately enough, Sir Luke Fildes.

May the Dickens Fellowship flourish and celebrate its jubilee in 1952 !

There is a mistake in my last note on p. 444, where " Tuesday, the 14th of June," should read Monday, the 13th of June; and a slip occurs on p. 263 as to the date of the Staplehurst accident, which should be the Qth of June, 1865, not the " 10th." This last I am glad of. as it has brought us an interesting reply from MB. H. G. ARCHEK: see p. 470.

In closing these notes I beg to thank many kind friends who have sent me sug- gestions in reference to them.

JOHX COLLINS FRANCIS.

MONUMENTS IN OLD CITY CHURCH :

ST. GEORGE, BOTOLPH LANE,

BILLINGSGATE.

THE old parish of " St. Georg in Buttolphe lane " having been consolidated with that of St. Botolph. Billingsgate, its early registers, as well as those of " St. Buttolph," are in the custody of Mr. Harry Bird, of 19, Eastchrap, who is Honorary Vestry Clerk of the latter parish, and kindly permits me to publish any of the items I have gleaned

from these interesting and historically valuable records.

The registers of St. Botolph begin in 1653; those of St. George with baptisms and marriages in 1547, burials in 1546.

The entries in the first volume of St, George's a parchment book seem to have been copied in their entirety (so far as a hasty examination could assure me) into one " given for a Regester booke. . . .by Thomas [? W or Mjilford in 1577," and are carried on in it to a later date, I think, while in both there are memoranda of such matters as collections on " briefs," rates and taxes, a summary of " the Law concerning Mortu- aries," &c. Thus we learn that in 1587 " the- fifteene gathered in this p'ishe, being St. Georges in buttull lane, cometh unto 31. 18s."j and that in 1587,

" Apon a presept rec'd from the L. Mayre, tochinge a new settlement for the relyffe of the powre in crysds ospydall, the paresheners have- encressed ther former condrybusion from bli. 14s. 8d. to 6U. 6*. 9d."

One of the more important supplementary features of the first volume is the following, under the heading ' Burialles ' :

And first a briefe note of certaine worshipfull persons whiche were buried in the Churche and Churcheyarde of this parishe of St. George in Buttolphe Lane whiche are founde written uppon theire Toumbes and gravestones in letters of brasse ; And of Late being collected and gathered by George Clint, Colledge Clarcke of y 8 same parishe, in A 110 D'ni 1574.* And are now& thought fitt to be registered in this newe Churche booke.

Adam Banne [sic], goldsmith, was the first time Lord Maior. 1390.

And the second time L. M. 1396. And he was buried y 6 th of June, 1397. Nicolas Narpora was buried the 14th of Janu- arie, A 1400.

John Walkton, gentilman, was buried the 15th of August, 1401.

Richard Bamme, Esquier, sonne to y e foresaid Adam Bamme, was buried the 19th of Mav, A'no 1452.

William Combes, Alderman and fishmonger of London, was sheriff A 1441, and buried the 14th of June. 1452.

John Stoker, Alderman and Draper of London, was Sheriff 1477, and buried the 23 of May, A" 1485.

Agnes, dau. to Oliver Davie. goldsmith, was Bur. 28 Aprill, 1479.

Richard Dreiland, Gentilman, was buried the 25 of Marche, 1487.

Michaeel Harries, Draper, of London was bur. 19 Apr., 1489, and Alice his wife 28 May, 14. . (?) Godfrey Oxenford, bur. 13 Dec., 1495. William Barnes, bur. 17 Jan., 1520. Nicolas Partridg, Grocer and Alderman of London, was Sheriff 1519, and buried the ? tl of April, 1525.


 * Still acting as such in 1590.