Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 6.djvu/62

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NOTES AND QUERIES. 112 a. vj. FEB., 1920.

<Cf. \\Ancient Mythology,' by Jacob Bryans, Plate VI., vol. i., p. 410.

Now at some early period in European history the game of chess underwent great changes. The move (oblique) of the ship, whose home square on the board was

originally in the corner, was transferred to the piece whose home square is next to the

king and queen. This piece bore the new name of bishop, among many others, and supplanted the elephant. By a similar process the move of the elephant was trans- ferred to the piece whose home is in the corner. This piece bore the new name of rook, i.e., castle, from the Italian, and supplanted the ship. Does not all this suggest a kind of mystic marriage ? May not this be a faint clue to the Adam and Eve legend ? Every Londoner knows, I suppose, that the Elephant and Castle is the name of a well-known tavern in Newington Causeway. How many of them know that this sign appears in an old psalter described as belonging to Queen Mary ? Cf. a book called ' Queen Mary's Psalter,' printed for the trustees of the B.M., 1912, Plate 167 (a). The castle on the elephant's back is the round, castellated summit of an ordinary present-day rook. Four or five men are looking over its battlements. Early English chess, in common with other games \v-n-e, it goes without saying, played by tho- > who frequented taverns. Is it not vo: likely that one tavern at least would pern tuate by name the memory of this revolution in the foest of all games ? JOHN W. BROWN.

THE EARL OF BEACONSFIELD'S BIRTH- PLACE (12 S. v. 204, 328). I strong y support the impression of your recent correspondent with regard to the birthplace of the late Earl of Beaconsfield.

No. 9 Trinity Row has been rebuilt. The present structure originally formed two shops, which, after undergoing structural alteration, became merged in Mr. Rack- straw's drapery establishment, and now form part of Messrs. T. R. Roberts' pre- mises, being numbered 215 Upper Street. The interest attached to the property was not questioned until after the Earl of Beaconsfield' s death. I can remember being shown a tree in a garden at the rear which was known as Disraeli's tree.

I was born in 1861. I was often taken to Dr. Jackson's surgery at the corner of "Wilson's Yard, where I used to see a Dr. Jeaffreson, who used to be called " young Jeaffreson." This is curious, having regard jfco the time that had elapsed since Benjamin

Disraeli's birth. I believe the doctor I was the son. I am, however, quite clear in saying that it was either a Dr. Jackson, or a Dr. Jeaffreson, who introduced me to the orld. ri

At the time of the Earl of Beaconsfield' s death, one of the shops in question was occupied by a hatter, named Pratt, ^who draped the place with tokens of mourning, and displayed a notice informing the"crowd who gathered before the window that " This was the birthplace of the late Ea-rl of Beaconsfield."

The ' Dictionary of 'N&^onai Biography ' (vol. xli. page 6) says that John Gough Nichols went to a " school kept by a T Miss Roper at Islington, where in 1811, Benjamin Disraeli, his senior by eighteen months, was a schoolfellow." A house in Cole- brooke Row, which, I believe, is still "stand- ing, facing Camden Street, was pointed out to me by my father as that school.

The whole subject was dealt \viui at length in The Islington Daily Gazette of July 2, 7, and 21, 19i4. A search amongst local records has revealed nothing. The Disraeli family made a short stay, but did not permanently reside in Islington.

A. W. NORTON.

13 Compton Terrace, N.I.

" A LITTLE GARDEN LITTLE JOWETT

MADE" (12 S. v. 288; vi. 19). The references to the above which have appeared in your recent issues have prompted me to look in an old newspaper-cutting book I have, wherein I found the following letter, which you may care to print. The date of its appearance in The Times I am unable to give. I may add that the late Dr. C. W. Stubbs, Bishop of Truro, gave me a version of the rmes identical with "those in Lord Forester's letter :

THE LATE MASTER OF BALLIOL. To the Editor of The. Time*.

Sir, Being in a position to make a correction to the letter of " N. B. in The Times of vesterday, headed " The Late Master of Balliol, I venture to ask the insertion of the following :

For several year* I was very intimate with the Rev. Percival Mansel, of Meols Brace. Mr. Mansel's father was Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and also Bishop of Bristol. He was not a little fond of versifying incidents in Cam- bridge life. His son told me of more than one of them amongst them was the rhyme-story on Dr. Jowett.

Dr. Jowett discontinued residing in college, and

took a small house in Cambridge. In front of his

house was a space sufficiently ample for a bed of

flowers. He was. as your correspondent remarks,

I of a diminutive stature,