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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
York Hospital, The
266