The Project Gutenberg eBook of The memorials of the hamlet of Knightsbridge

This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: The memorials of the hamlet of Knightsbridge

With notices of its immediate neighbourhood

Author: Henry George Davis

Editor: Charles Davis

Release date: May 19, 2014 [eBook #45695]

Language: English

Credits: Transcribed from the 1856 J. Russell Smith edition by David Price. Many thanks to Royal Kensington Libraries for allowing their copy to be used for this transcription

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MEMORIALS OF THE HAMLET OF KNIGHTSBRIDGE ***

Transcribed from the 1856 J. Russell Smith edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org. Many thanks to Royal Kensington Libraries for allowing their copy to be used for this transcription.

THE
MEMORIALS OF THE HAMLET
OF
KNIGHTSBRIDGE.

With Notices of its Immediate Neighbourhood.

BY THE LATE

HENRY GEORGE DAVIS.

EDITED BY

CHARLES DAVIS.

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY J. RUSSELL SMITH, SOHO-SQUARE;

AND TO BE HAD OF MR. DAVIS, ST. PAUL’S SCHOOLS, KNIGHTSBRIDGE.

1859.

LONDON:
TAYLOR AND GREENING, PRINTERS, GRAYSTOKE-PLACE,
FETTER-LANE, HOLBORN.

PREFACE.

In presenting the Memorials of Knightsbridge to the public, apology must be made for the delay in its appearance since the announcement of its intended publication. This was occasioned by the sudden and protracted illness of its Editor: since his restoration, he has prosecuted the work with all the diligence which his time permitted.

The book is published in the hope that its critics may treat its Author kindly, since the brain that indited it is, alas! no more. It is the result of great assiduity and perseverance amidst peculiar difficulties, and was only completed just before the death of the compiler, who, towards its close, had laboured at it with greater energy than his weakened frame ought properly to have borne.

The immediate motive for publication was the Editor’s regard, it might almost be termed veneration, for its writer, seconded by favourable opinions expressed by several literary gentlemen who perused the manuscript, and knowledge that many notices by the same hand had already appeared in “Notes and Queries,” “The West Middlesex Advertiser,” and the various local papers that have occasionally been published in the neighbourhood.

The work was written from notes made at various times, some having been taken when its author was yet a boy. It may therefore be described as the labour of his short and painful life; and it was felt that so long as the result of his application was laid aside, so long did the Editor’s duty to his brother remain unperformed.

As some little notice of our historian may be desirable, the following sketch is subjoined:—

Henry George Davis was born at 4, Mill’s Buildings, on August 14th, 1830. While an infant he had severe inflammation of the lungs, which afterwards became confirmed pleurisy. He was educated at the Philological School in the New Road. Of this Institution he was to the last fond and proud. Having carried off many of its prizes, he always felt an identity with it. He was of a studious inclination—a disposition doubtless fostered by his infirmities; for he was never able to join in the sports of his fellows. As he arrived at manhood, his disease (increased in 1850 by rheumatic fever) became much more severe, and finally released his soul “to its Almighty source” on the 30th of December, 1857.

The Editor has to acknowledge obligations to O. B. Cole, Esq.; to the author of “Paddington, Past and Present;” to the Rev. M. Walcot, of “The Memorials of Westminster;” Mr. Cunningham, of “The Handbook of London;” Mr. Faulkner’s works; and to those sundry publications the name of which is given with each quotation. He hopes his readers may have that enjoyment in the perusal of the following History which was had in the providing of it for them.

St. Paul’s Schools, Knightsbridge, June, 1859.

CONTENTS.

		PAGE
Chap. I.	Introduction	1
Chap. II.	Historical Associations	32
Chap. III.	Modern Parochial Divisions: The Streets, Public Buildings, &c. Their Associations, Eminent Inhabitants, &c.	48
Chap. IV.	Belgravia	216
Chap. V.	The Sub-District of St. Barnabas	244
Chap. VI.	Social and Political Summary	267

PERSONS.

	PAGE
Allen, John	181
Bennett, Rev. W. J. E.	97
Bensley, Richard	207
Birkhead Family	88
Blessington, Lady	138
Bellamy, G. A.	215
Bernal, Ralph	230
Bowles, Carrington	143
Broughton, Dr.	228
Buckingham, Anecdote of Duke of	27
Burton, Judge	115 & 185
Carlisle, Frederick Earl of	233
Caulfield, General	229
Chardin, Sir John	215
Cheselden, Mr.	182
Chudleigh, Miss	164
Clarendon, Hyde, Earl of	223
Clarke, Mrs.	265
Corbaux, Miss	266
Cornellys, Mrs.	156
Cromwell, Family of	75
Danvers, Family of	82
Derwentwater, Countess of	82
De Dunstanville, Lord	110
D’Oliveyra, Francis Xavier	210
D’Orsay, Count	141
Duncan, Sir H.	229
Egremont, Lord	232
Every, John	81
Eyre, Major Robert	37
Foote, Anecdote of	168
Gamble, Rev. J.	107
Gardiner, Sir R.	229
Gascoigne, Mrs.	154
George IV., Anecdote of	236
Grant, General Sir W. K.	227
Guthrie, Mr.	266
Harness, Rev. W.	100
Harrison, Thomas	207
Hawke, Honourable Miss	228
Higgins, Mr. M. J.	153
Howard of Escrick, Lord	34
Howard, Major	234
Humphry, Ozias	115
Humphrey, Sir William	82
Hunter, John	182
Inchbald, Mrs., Anecdote of	135
Jones, Gentleman	227
Lanesborough, Lord	180
Laremar, William	186
Lenthall, Sir John	75
Lens, Bernard	210
Lewis, Sir G. C.	110
Lewis, Lady Theresa	110
Lewis, William Thomas	265
Liddell, Hon. and Rev. R.	97
Liston, John	188
Liston, Mrs.	196
Louis Napoleon	139
Madan, Rev. M.	238
Maitland, Sir P.	229
Marsh, Charles	110
Marshall, J.	215
Miller, Robert	210
Milner, Isaac	138
Molesworth, Sir W.	229
Morgan, Lady	205
Morgann, Maurice	147
Morland, Sir Samuel	77
Morison, Dr.	200
Munster, Earl of	242
Murphy, Arthur	172
Nell Gwynne	258
Orrery, Countess of	211
Ossory, Lady	234
Penn, William	214
Pennington, Rev. Thos.	263
Pettigrew, Dr. W. V.	228
Pickett, William	188
Read, John	161
Reynolds, Sir Joshua	112
Richmond, Rev. Legh	226 & 240
Rodwell, H.	191 & 264
Rutland, John, Duke of	177
Ryland, W. W.	171
Skelton, William	264
Soyer, Mons.	142
Stirling, E.	107
Telfair, Cortez and James	146
Thornton, Henry	137
Thornton, James	257
Trevor, Sir John	200
Trotter, Thomas	177
Troubridge, Sir T.	229
Tytler, P. F.	97
Underwood, Dr. M.	177
Vandervelde, Cornelius	80
Villiers, Hon. George	109
Wakefield, Edward	215
Walcot, Rev. M.	100
Walpole, Robert	81
Ward, Seth	211
Warner, Captain	253
Wellesley, Marquis of	170
Wellington, Anecdote of Duke of	187
Wilberforce, William	137 & 241
Wilkes, John	136
Wilkie, Note on	258
Wright, Dr. Richard	215
Yarmouth, Countess of	215

PLACES.

Albert Gate	100
All Saints’ Church	98
Avery Farm Row	252
Baber’s Floor-cloth Factory	106
Belgravia	216
Belgrave Chapel	237
Belgrave Square	224
Belgrave Street, Upper	242
Blomfield Terrace	253
Bridge, The	20
Brompton Park Nursery	132
Brompton Road	103
Cake House, The	121
Cannon Brewhouse, The	113
Cavalry Barracks	118
Chapel Street	226
Chatham House	103
Chelsea Bun House	259
Chesham Place and Street	228
Chester Street	228
College of St. Barnabas	250
Commercial Road, The	253
Compasses, The	263
Downing’s Floor-cloth Factory	158
Dwarf, The	264
Eaton Place	228
Eaton Place West	229
Eaton Square	230
Eden Lodge	135
Ennismore Place and Terrace	103
Feathers, The	235
Five Fields, The	219
Fort at Hyde Park Corner	127
Fox and Bull, The	111
Gore House	136
Graham Street	257
Grosvenor Canal	249
Grosvenor Crescent	231
Grosvenor House	146
Grosvenor Place	218, 232
Grosvenor Row	257
Grove House	143
Half-Way House	179
Halkin Street	237
Halkin Street West	237
Hamilton Lodge	136
High Road	103
High Row	111
Hospital for Soldiers	235
Hospital, the Lock	238
Hyde Park	118
Hyde Park Corner	125
Infantry Barracks	187
Jenny’s Whim	253
Jenny’s Whim Bridge	253
Kensington Gore	131
Kent House	109
Kingston House	164
Kinnerton Street	144
Knightsbridge Green	144
Knightsbridge Grove	156
Knightsbridge Schools	91
Knightsbridge Terrace	146
Lanesborough House	180
Lazar House	52
Lock Chapel	241
Lock Hospital	238
Lowndes Square	149
Lowndes Street	242
Lowndes Terrace	155
Marble Arch, The	123
Mercer Lodge	135
Mills’ Buildings	117
Montpelier Square	159
New Street	159
Osnaburg Row	242
Park House	134
Park Side	160
Prince’s Gate	163
Queen’s Buildings	170
Queen’s Head, The	163
Queen’s Row	171
Ranelagh Grove	263
Ranelagh Terrace	263
Receiving House, Royal Humane Society	121
Ring in Hyde Park, The	122
Rising Sun, The	106
Rose and Crown, The	104
Rotten Row	125
Rutland Gate	178
Rutland House	177
St. Barnabas College	250
St. George’s Hospital	180
St. George’s Place	185
St. Paul’s Church	92
„ „ Appendix	280
St. Paul’s Schools, Append.	281
St. Peter’s Church	231
Serpentine, The	120
South Place	106
Spring Gardens	149
Star and Garter, The	264
Statue of Achilles, The	124
Stratheden House	110
Stromboli House	263
Swan, The	176
Tattersall’s	197
Trevor Chapel	200
Trevor Square	199
Trevor Terrace	106
Trinity Chapel	51
Trinity Chapel (Appendix)	279
Upper Belgrave Street	242
Upper Ebury Street	264
Westbourne, The	21
Westbourne Place	265
Westbourne Street	266
White Hart, The	163
White House, The	250
William Street	205
Wilton Crescent	206
Wilton Place	206
Wilton Street	243
York Hospital, The	266

MISCELLANEOUS.

	PAGE
Act for Building Albert Gate (Appendix)	277
Address to Liston by Rodwell	191
Anecdote connected with the Duke of Wellington	187
Assassination, Intended, of William III.	36
Bad State of the Roads	24
Boscobel Oak, Trees from	130
Cattle ordered to be Slaughtered at Knightsbridge	33
Churchwardens of St. Paul’s	97
Club at the Fox and Bull	112
Cromwell Tradition, The (Appendix)	275
Cross-road Burial, The last	237
Dangers of the Five Fields	220
Derivation of Name	2
Description of Communion-plate at Chapel	62
Discovery of Curious Relics	34 and 153
Discovery of Human Remains at Fox and Bull	113
Duel between Hamilton and Mohun	122
Enlargement of the Chapel	61
Establishments similar to Lazar House	58
Extracts from the Chapel Accounts	85
Extracts, Curious, from Chapel Baptismal Registrars	70
Extracts, Curious, from Chapel Marriage Registrars	69 and 73
Geology of Knightsbridge	269
Government of Knightsbridge	271
Grant to Lazar House by James I.	52
Historical Anecdotes of Hyde Park Corner	126
Impromptu on Gore House	138
Innkeepers of Knightsbridge	27
Knightsbridge Volunteers	37
Knightsbridge a Family Name (Appendix)	275
Letter to Liston by Mathews, and reply	193 and 194
Letter to Earl Bathurst by Sheriff Waithman	41
Local Family Names	90
Manor and Parochial Divisions	4 and 48
Marriage Statistics of Knightsbridge Chapel	90
Ministers of Knightsbridge Chapel	63
Olden Time, The	23
Parochial Divisions	49
Patients discharged from Lazar House	56
Perambulation Festivities	50
Pimlico, Origin of Name of	245
Population of Knightsbridge	268
Reminiscence of the Compiler (Note)	104
Ditto of Shelley’s first Wife	112
Reputation of the Chapel for Suspicious Marriages	68
Restoration of Knightsbridge Chapel	58 and 61
Reviews in Hyde Park	119
Riots at Knightsbridge	40
Salubrity of Knightsbridge	269
State Visits to French Embassy	102
Tradition of Cæsar Crossing the Thames	250
Trees from the Boscobel Oak	130
Water Supply	30
Wyatt’s Insurrection Quelled	33
William III., Intended Assassination of	36