Dedication
TO
Samuel L.M. Barlow, Esq.,
OF
NEW YORK CITY,
A
True Gentleman in Every Quality and Duty of Life,
THESE PAGES ARE DEDICATED,
AS A
SLIGHT TESTIMONY
TO THE
Unvarying Friendship borne by him for the author
Preface
In offering this volume to the Public, the result of a year’s experience and labor, I must indeed feel gratified, and more than rewarded, if any of those who may peruse its pages shall find in them a tithe of the pleasure which I enjoyed in journeying in and about the nooks, crannies, and curious places, of what may be justly called the greatest and most populous City of the Modern World.
Believing that a Metropolis of Three and a Half Millions of people should be observed and described, if observed and described at all, in a large and comprehensive sense, in order that a thorough knowledge of it may be obtained by those who will do me the honor of turning the leaves of this book, I have not hesitated to take my readers into places which they might shrink from visiting alone, and which are rarely or ever seen by the stranger, in London. Therefore have I sketched its Haunts of Vice, Misery, and Crime, as well as its fairer and brighter aspects, with no faltering in my purpose, so that the American people might see London as I saw it, and as it exists To-Day.
The material employed in making the book was gathered from personal observation, while acting as a Special Correspondent of the New York World, in London, and I cannot do less than make an acknowledgment of the kindness of its Editor, Mr. Manton Marble, by whose permission I have used some portions of the matter embodied in this work.
DANIEL JOSEPH KIRWAN.
Hartford, August 1st, 1870.
One More Unfortunate Frontispiece
Grand Staircase, Buckingham Palace—Illuminated Title-Page.
Bird’s-Eye View of London,
Initial Letter,
The Rock and Chain, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Sword, &c., Tail Piece,
I Don’t Think it Will Hurt me,
Forest, Initial Letter,
Buckingham Palace (Full Page,)
John Brown Exercising the Queen,
Fancy Sketch, Tail Piece,
Lion on Guard, Initial Letter,
“Bilking Bet takes the Chair,”
Explosive Materials, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Snake in the Grass, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Oxford and Cambridge Club House,
Architectural Sketch, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Gauntleted Hand and Sword, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Victoria Theatre in the New Cut, (Full Page,)
A Cell Window, Initial Letter,
The Last Execution at Newgate,
Fetters and Chain, Tail Piece,
Broken Wheel, Initial Letter,
Eagle and Snake, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
A Water Scene, Tail Piece,
Tower of London (Full Page,)
Initial Letter,
Imperial Orb, Ampulla and other Jewels,
Cannon, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Raft Timber, Tail Piece,
The Old Oak, Initial Letter,
The Promenade, Tail Piece,
Fort and Water Scene, Initial Letter,
Broken Wagon and Dead Horse, Tail Piece,
Blood-Hounds in the Leash, Initial Letter,
Mounted Cannon, Initial Letter,
Houses of Parliament (Full Page,)
The Student, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Gladstone Speaking in the House of Commons (Full Page,)
Landscape, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Steam Frigate, Tail Piece,
A Broadside, Initial Letter,
Blood-Hound, Tail Piece,
Island, Initial Letter,
Initial Letter,
The Harvard Crew (Full Page,)
Bridge, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
The Oxford Crew, (Full Page,)
The University Race, (Full Page,)
Beautiful Craft, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Initial Letter,
Initial Letter,
Damaged Tree, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Nursery in the Foundling Hospital,
Landscape, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Breakfast Stall, Covent Garden Market (Full Page,)
Going to Market, Tail Piece,
Fancy Piece, Initial Letter,
Wild and Desolate, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Foreign Cafe in Coventry Street
Rough and Ready, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Sharp-Shooter, Initial Letter,
Putting on Airs, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
An Auction at Billingsgate Fish Market, (Full Page,)
Initial Letter,
Fancy Sketch, Tail Piece,
An English Oak, Initial Letter,
London Bridge, (Full Page,)
Forest Scene, Initial Letter,
Bridge and Water Scene, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
Bible and Hand, Initial Letter,
Ruins, Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
The Midnight Mission, (Full Page,)
“Skittles” and the Princess Mary,
Sword and Purse, Initial Letter,
Snake and Dove, Initial Letter,
A Meal at a Cheap Lodging House, (Full Page,)
Tail Piece,
Initial Letter,
“A Hansom Cab,”
“One Hundred Rats in Nine Minutes,”
Ruins, Tail Piece,
The Sub-Editors’ Room, “Daily Telegraph” Office,
Initial Letter,
Half-Penny Soup House, (Full Page,)
A Third Class Railway Carriage,
Tail Piece,
| CHAPTER I. | |
| THE MISTRESS OF THE WORLD. | |
| View from the Cupola of St. Paul’s Cathedral—Population of London—Its Wealth and Poverty—Interesting Statistics, | 17 |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| THE SILENT HIGHWAY. | |
| The Thames Embankment—The Tunnel—The Subway—Tunnel Thieves—Pneumatic Railway, | 24 |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| THE DOCKS, SHIPPING, AND COMMERCE. | |
| Custom-House Duties—Immense Wine Vaults under the Docks—Hoisting and Discharging Cargoes—London and West India Docks—Opposition to the New Dock System—Dock Laborers, | 28 |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| PALACES OF LONDON. | |
| St. James—Whitehall—Buckingham Palace—Magnificence of the Queen’s Residence—The Grand Staircase—Queen’s Library—The Famous John Brown, | 42 |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| HIDDEN DEPTHS. | |
| Underground Life—A Friendly Visit among Thieves and Pick-Pockets—The Midnight Feast, | 58 |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| DEBATING CLUBS AND COGERS’ HALL. | |
| Society of Cogers—The Most Worthy Grand—News of the Week—Interesting Debates—Irish Orator and Scotch Presbyterian—Liberals and Conservatives—“Where are we now?”—Farce and Tragedy, | 76 |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| CLUBS AND CLUB HOUSES. | |
| Aristocratic Members—Entrance and Subscription Fees—How Managed and Supported—Architectural Splendor—Choice Wines and Luxurious Dinners—Interesting Statistics—A Model Kitchen—Heavy Swell Club, | 92 |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| WESTMINSTER ABBEY. | |
| Its Dimensions and Architectural Construction—Its Wealth and Immense Revenues—The Burial-Place of the Kings and Queens—Magnificence of their Tombs—Tomb of Shakespeare—Tomb of Milton—Tomb of Mary Queen of Scots—Coronation of William the Conqueror—The Massacre, | 107 |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| THE COSTERMONGERS AND RAG FAIR. | |
| The New Cut—Heathenism of the Costers—Marriage Relation—Old Clothes District—Petticoat Lane—Congress of Rags—Modus Operandi of Selling, | 128 |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| FROM NEWGATE TO TYBURN. | |
| Dying for an Idea—Execution of Barrett—Man in the Mask—Famous Criminals—Pestiferous Prison—The Old Bailey Court—Hotel Regulations—Drinking from St. Giles’ Bowl, | 145 |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| DOCTORS’ COMMONS. | |
| Marriage Licenses—Divorces—Ecclesiastical Court—High Court of Admiralty—Paying the Piper—Legal Scoundrelism—The Last Will and Testaments of Shakespeare, Milton, and of Napoleon Bonaparte—The Forgotten Sailor, | 159 |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| THE BOHEMIANS OF LONDON. | |
| Carlisle Arms—A Pint of Cooper—Cockerell’s Lodgings—Fitz and Dawson, or the Radical and Conservative Reporter—The Short Hand Reporter—Dawson’s Story—A Song from the Speaker—Beautiful Potato, | 167 |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| TOWER, PALACE, AND PRISON. | |
| Its History and Dimensions—Council Chamber—Jolly Bishops and Royal Prisoners—The Traitor’s Gate—Anne Boleyn—Princess Elizabeth—Heroism of Lady Jane Grey upon the Scaffold—The Crown Jewels—What can be seen for a Sixpence, | 183 |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| CADGERS OF LONDON BRIDGE. | |
| Under the Arches—Vagrancy and Pauperism—The Family Gathering—The Cadger’s Meal—A Confirmed Vagrant—The Girl Molly—The Hopeful Son—The Cadger’s Story, | 207 |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| THE LUNGS OF LONDON. | |
| Regent’s and Hyde Parks—Dimensions of the Public Parks and Gardens—What they Contain—Bathing in Hyde Park—Richmond Park with its Forests and Hunting Grounds—Hampton Court Park—Its Labyrinth—The Crystal Palace—Veteran Musicians—Greenwich Park—Grand Observatory, | 216 |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| THE RAKES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY. | |
| Vagabonds in Kingly Robes—Prince of Wales and his Personal Friends—The Prince and the London Brewer as Firemen—Lord Carington as a Coachman—His Cowardly Assault upon Greenville Murray—The Prince and Cabman—Infamy of the Prince—A Mad King, | 226 |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| FAST YOUNG ENGLAND. | |
| Lord Carington—Lady Mordaunt, Divorce Proceedings, and Interesting Testimony—Love Letters of the Prince—Duke of Hamilton—The Fastest Young Man in England—The Marquis of Waterford—Marquis of Hastings—Duke of Newcastle—Earl of Jersey—Lord Clinton and others, | 240 |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| LORDS AND COMMONS. | |
| Westminster Palace and Houses of Parliament—Interior of the House of Commons—Bobbies and Cabbies—Strangers’ Gallery—The Legislative Bar-Maid—William Ewart Gladstone—England’s Greatest Commoner John Bright, | 270 |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| LORDS AND COMMONS CONTINUED. | |
| Reporters’ Gallery—Dr. Johnson taking Notes—The Speaker and his Wig—Important Personages—First Lord of the Admiralty—Peers in the Gallery—Gladstone’s Early Life—The Eloquence of the Premier—The Sarcasm of Disraeli—Ducal Houses—Upper House of Parliament—Privileges of the Peers, | 285 |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| LONDON POLICE AND DETECTIVES. | |
| The Old Jewry—Central Detective’s Office—Relics of Crimes—Inspector Bailey—Experience of Mr. Funnell—The Pocket-Book Game—New York a Precious bad Place—Police Districts—Expenses Attending them—River Thieves, | 318 |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| HUNTING THE SEWERS. | |
| The City Honey-Combed—2,000 Miles of Sewerage—An Unlawful and Dangerous Business—Prizes Found—The Hunter’s Story—Great Battle with the Rats—Victory at last, | 330 |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| BACCHUS AND BEER. | |
| The English a Great Beer-Drinking People—Amount of Exports—Barclay and Perkins—A Princely Firm—Cats on Guard—The House of Hanbury, Buxton & Co.—Great Porter Tun—Libraries in the Establishments—Quantities of Beer used in London, | 337 |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| HARVARD AGAINST OXFORD. | |
| Police Arrangements—Thomas Hughes, M.P.—Dark Blue and Magenta—On the Tow-Path—A Frightful Jam—Booths and Shows—Badges and Rosettes—The Dear Old Flag, | 344 |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| STRUGGLE AND VICTORY. | |
| On Board the Press Boat—The Harvard Crew—Loring’s Condition—Simmons the Pride of the Crew—The Oxford Crew—“Little Corpus,” the Coxswain—The Start—Harvard Leads—Burnham’s bad Steering—Oxford’s Vengeance Stroke—The Last Desperate Struggle—Beaten by Six Seconds—Fair Play and Courtesy, | 362 |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| CURIOSITIES OF LONDON. | |
| “Domesday Book”—Oldest Books in England—Hospital Ship “Dreadnought”—A Gaudy Show—The Queen’s Stage-Coach—Jonathan Wild’s Skeleton—The Lord Mayor’s State Coach—Installation of a London Sheriff, | 382 |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| STREET SIGHTS OF LONDON. | |
| Street Hawkers—Venders of Old Boots and Shoes—The Dog Fancier—Bird Sellers—Coke Peddlers—Bum Boatman—Stock in Trade—How Dick gets his Porridge—“I Gets it for Cigar-Stumps”—Street Acrobats—Punch and Judy Show, | 391 |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| THE BRITISH MUSEUM AND NATIONAL GALLERY. | |
| Its Origin—Laying the Foundation—Reading Room—Departments of the Museum—The Galleries and Saloons—The Three Libraries—What can be seen—Nelson’s Monument—Pictures and Works of Art in the National Gallery—The Great Masters—Free to the Working People, | 410 |
| CHAPTER XXVIII. | |
| NAKED AND NEEDY. | |
| Infanticide—The Benevolent Captain—Foundling Hospital—Admission of Children—Great Numbers Received—How they Dine—How they Sleep—Washing the Waifs—Charitable Institutions—An Interesting Sight—Innumerable Bequests, | 420 |
| CHAPTER XXIX. | |
| MARKETS AND FOOD. | |
| Amount of Food Sold—Inspections—Metropolitan Cattle Market—New Smithfield Market—Covent Garden Market—Hot Coffee Girl—Vegetable Market—The Baked Potato Man—The Jews’ Orange Market, | 435 |
| CHAPTER XXX. | |
| SECRETS OF A RIVER. | |
| Waterloo Bridge—The Pale-Faced Girl—Three O’clock in the Morning—Weary of Life—A Leap from the Parapet—Fruitless Attempt to Save—A Sad Sight—The Wages of Sin is Death, | 452 |
| CHAPTER XXXI. | |
| INTO THE JAWS OF DEATH. | |
| Leicester Square—Foreign Cafe in Coventry Street—The Abode of Sir Joshua Reynolds—The Residence of William Hogarth—Royal Alhambra Palace—The Great Social Evil—“Wotten Wow”—In the Canteen—The Old Sinner—The Tulip and the Daisy, | 461 |
| CHAPTER XXXII. | |
| THE “ARGYLE,” “BARNES’” AND “CASINO.” | |
| The Haymarket by Night—The Argyle Rooms—Fast Young Men—Paint and Jewelry—Silks and Satins—Free and Easy—Barnes’—“Holborn Casino”—A Magnificent Saloon—Good Night, | 476 |
| CHAPTER XXXIII. | |
| ST. PAUL’S CATHEDRAL. | |
| Its History and Dimensions—Destruction of Old St. Paul’s—Annual Revenues—Prices of Admission—Monuments to Nelson—Burial-Place of Wellington—Nelson’s Funeral—A Grand Sight—“I am the Resurrection and the Life,” | 486 |
| CHAPTER XXXIV. | |
| GOING TO THE PLAY. | |
| Beautiful Miss Neilson—The Lord Chamberlain a Censor—Royal Victoria Theatre—Covent Garden and Drury Lane Theatres—A “Gin Public” in the New Cut—The Gallery of the “Vic”—The Chorus of “Immensekoff,” | 493 |
| CHAPTER XXXV. | |
| BILLINGSGATE FISH MARKET. | |
| Profit on Fish—Oyster Boats—Number of Fishing Vessels—The Fish Woman—The Old Style of Dress—Breakfast at Billingsgate—Capital Invested—Immense Sales, | 508 |
| CHAPTER XXXVI. | |
| THE INNS OF COURT. | |
| Number of Students—Gray’s Inn—The New Hall of Lincoln’s Inn—Parliament Chamber—How to become a Lawyer—Procuring Admission—“Hall Dinners”—Cup of “Sack”—The Toast—Irish Students, | 518 |
| CHAPTER XXXVII. | |
| BANK OF ENGLAND AND THE MINT. | |
| Its History—The Riots—Ledgers and Money-Bags—A Powerful Corporation—Bankers’ Eating-House—Great Panic of 1825—In the Vaults—Making Sovereigns—Marking Room—How the Coin is Tested—Celebrated Counterfeiters, | 526 |
| CHAPTER XXXVIII. | |
| BRIDGES OF LONDON. | |
| History of Old London Bridge—The Fire of 1632—Where Traitors’ Heads were Suspended—Temple Bar—Traffic of London Bridges—Southwark and Waterloo Bridges—The New Blackfriars Bridge—Suspension Bridges—Acrobatic Feats—Scott, the American Diver, | 547 |
| CHAPTER XXXIX. | |
| WINDSOR CASTLE. | |
| Great number of Apartments—The Round Tower—The Audience Chamber—Throne Room—Visit to the Queen’s Bedroom—An Elegant Apartment, | 556 |
| CHAPTER XL. | |
| BEFORE THE MAGISTRATES. | |
| The “Old Bailey”—Its Jurisdiction—The Lord Mayor’s Court—The Trial of a Young Forger—The Judges’ Dinner—Loading the Prison Van—The Mansion House—Detective Irving—The Forger Harwood—How Justice is Administered, | 566 |
| CHAPTER XLI. | |
| CANTERBURY AND ROME. | |
| Churches and Sects—Bishop of London—Archbishop of Canterbury—Spurgeon—“Apocalypse Cumming”—Church of England—Father Ignatius—Roman Catholic Lords—Marquis of Bute, | 576 |
| CHAPTER XLII. | |
| LEGION OF THE LOST. | |
| The Great Parade Ground—“Scott’s” in the Haymarket—Oysters in every Style—Prostitutes and Abandoned Women—The Midnight Mission—Rev. Baptist Noel—Cremorne Gardens at Chelsea—A Row at Cremorne—“Skittles” and the Princess Mary of Cambridge, | 587 |
| CHAPTER XLIII. | |
| SCARLET WOMEN. | |
| Goodwood Races—Men of the Turf—Swarms of People—The Barouche and Four—Beauty of its Occupants—“Anonyma” and the Chestnut Mare—“Mabel Grey” and “Baby Hamilton”—The Race for the Goodwood Cup—The Itinerant Preacher—Mabel Grey at Home—“The Kitten”—Alice Gordon, | 598 |
| CHAPTER XLIV. | |
| CHEAP LODGING HOUSES. | |
| Eve of the Great Derby Race—Visit to Westminster—Lodging House of Jack Scrag—Four-Penny Beds—Unpleasant Bed-Fellow—Attacking the Enemy—A Lucky Escape—Crowded Buildings—Eminent Philanthropists—Model Lodging Houses—Munificent Gifts—George Peabody’s Statue, | 615 |
| CHAPTER XLV. | |
| A TRAMP IN THE BY-WAYS. | |
| “Old Smudge,” the Cabby—A “Hansom” Cab—Rates of Fares—A Convivial Pup—The Rat Pit—The Terrier “Skid”—The Match for £50—Skid Slaughters a Hundred Rats in 8:40—Paddy’s “Goose,” or “The White Swan”—Please Excuse me—Waiting for the Tide—Cured of the Blues, | 626 |
| CHAPTER XLVI. | |
| LITERATURE AND JOURNALISM. | |
| Work and Wages—Influence of London Journals—Management of the Press—Circulation and Delivery of Papers—Celebrated Writers—James Anthony Froude—Algernon Charles Swinburne—John Stewart Mill—Benjamin Disraeli—John Ruskin—Charles Kingsley, Anthony Trollope, and others, | 636 |
| CHAPTER XLVII. | |
| THE POOR OF LONDON. | |
| Half-Penny Soup House—The Little Cast-aways and Waifs Provided for—Visit to the Work-House of St Martin’s—The Workers’ Uniform—The Old Pauper—Daily Rations—Schools—Trades—Struggles and Trials of the London Poor—Pawn-Brokers’ Shops—Third Class Railway Carriages, | 655 |