Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/402

 328 NOTES AND QUERIES. [iss.ix.o OT .2*.i9. College, Cambridge; Rector of Norton, Somerset; died Aug. 26, 1860. He left a large family. His son John Levett Benson, surgeon (born 1812, died 1864), left a son James Levett Benson, born 1843, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edinburgh, who was afterwards ordained in the Free Church bv Dr. Traunton at Morecambe, where he died in 1906. Samuel Benson, born Aug. 4, 1799, at Hull youngest child. Educ. St. John's College, Cambridge ; M. A. ; Chaplain for 50 years to St. Saviour's, Southwark, and author of ' Guide to St. Saviour's ' and a number of sermons ; died in 1881. Joseph Benson left also three daughters Ann,b. 1786; Isabella, b. 1788 ; and Sarah, b. 1795. Mrs. Sarah Benson died Jan. 3, 1810, and is buried at City Road. Joseph Benson died Feb. 16, 1821, also buried in the City Road burial-ground, where the following inscrip- tion appears : Joseph Benson, Preacher of Jesus Christ. ob. 16 Feb., 1821, aged 73 years. Also Mrs. Sarah Benson, his wife, who departed this life Jan. 3, 1810, aged 52 years. Of Softest Manners, unaffected mind, Lover of God and friend of Human Kind, Go Live, For Heaven's eternal year is thine, Immortal Spirit, Live with Love Divine. R. GORDON-SMITH. " THE CROOKED BILLET." In ' The His- tory of Signboards ' it is stated, " The Crooked Billet is a sign for which we have not been able to discover any likely origin." It is said that fools, &c. . . . but I have come to the conclusion that The Rising Sun public-house, lately in Wych Street, W.C., which was pulled down in 1901 for the L.C.C. Strand Improvement, solves the mystery. I knew the freeholder, Mr. Towersey of Hampton Hill, Middlesex, in those days, and he told me that, according to the ancient deeds he had possessed, it was originally called " The Crooked Billet," then " The Rose," and lastly " The Rising Sun," the property having belonged to the Nevill family. Now the arms of that family consist of a silver saltire on a red shield. This figure in heraldry was formed by a bend dexter and a bend sinister, making a diagonal brace originally no doubt to strengthen the shield. It might have been composed of two pieces of wood, i.e., billets placed crossways, and therefore would be called " crooked," " crouched," or " crossed," just as Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Lancaster (d. 1296) was so named, not on account of a crooked back, but because he bore the Crusader Cross on the back as well as the front of his coat, that being, I suppose, unusual. The red rose was added for difference in centre of saltire, and commemorates the marriage of Ralph Nevill, Earl of Westmorland, with Joan, dau. of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, son of Edward III. The Tudor rose if roughly painted on the sign may have accounted for the last name of the tavern, which to the public eye would appear to be " The Rising Sun," especially as, the front of the building facing the east, it would be appropriate. My suggestion is that as " The Crooked Billet " sign occurs both in town and country it will be found that the great Nevill family possessed the land in the immediate neighbourhood, and that this sign was their arms and by the vulgar so named. I should be very grateful for the opinion of any of your readers interested. ROBERT PEARSALL. [" The Crooked Billet " has been discussed at the following references : 10 S. ix. 190, 452; x. 38, 77 ; US. viii. 116.] THE PRINTS AND LIBRARY OF JOSEPH NOLLEKENS, R.A. The last and best edition of J. T. Smith's ' Nollekens and His Times ' is now available, edited, anno- tated, and extended into two handsome volumes by Mr. Wilfred Whitten. To Smith's allusion to Nollekens's prints and drawings a note is provided (ii. 4) quoting a reference I contributed to these pages on Feb. 3, 1906. The catalogue there described is still in my collection, but I was at fault in supposing this represented both his collections. There was an earlier sale of prints and drawings also held by Evans at 93, Pall Mall, Dec. 4 and following day, when the 573 lots realized 1,850 145. 6d. Herein as Lot 268 occurred the remark- able collection of 600 prints after Sir Joshua Reynolds mentioned by Smith (i. 316). It was bought by " Russell " for 300. Smith also states (i. 347), " Quan- tities of these sketches " (designs for monu- ments) " were purchased at his auction by Mrs. Palmer, who, having so many of his works, at one time had an idea of building a room for their reception." It is possible