Part 22

Situated on Wandsworth Common and overlooking the London Brighton and South-Coast and South-Western Railways are the Royal Victoria Patriotic Schools for Boys and Girls, children of deceased soldiers, sailors and marines. Founded by Her Most Gracious Majesty, 1854-56. The Patriotic Asylum was endowed by the Commissioners of the Royal Patriotic Fund which was instituted in 1854 for the purpose of giving "assistance to the widows and orphans of those who fell during the Crimean and more recent wars, and to provide schools for their children." Within the boundary of Battersea Parish is situated the Asylum for Boys but the Asylum for Girls which is some three hundred yards distant is in the parish of Wandsworth. 200 boys are in the Asylum. _Superintendent_, W. Ridpath; _Office_, 5, St Martin's Place, Trafalgar Square; _Secretary_, W. H. Mugford, Esq.

Near the southern boundary of the parish and not far from Wandsworth Common Railway Station, are situated St. James' Industrial Schools. [1]This Institution stands on a portion of 22 acres of land purchased of the Right Honourable Frederick Earl Spencer, K.G., and conveyed to the Governors and Directors of the Poor of the Parish of St. James, Westminster, by Deed bearing dates, the thirtieth day of December, one thousand eight hundred and fifty. The first stone laid 24th September, 1851. The School opened 22nd June, 1852. F. Parkis, Superintendent. There are now 141 boys in the schools. On leaving a premium of £10 is given to each boy to learn a trade. Mrs. Anne Newton, late of upper Harley Street in the Parish of Mary-le-bone, widow, deceased, by her Will left, dated the 12th of March, 1806, £1,000. £429 19s. 3d. has been received through the Court of Chancery. The interest is given to the best boy selected by his fellow scholars, on condition that the Superintendent agrees with their decision.

[Footnote 1: Mr. Beal sold on Wednesday, March 13th, 1878, at the Mart, 14½ acres of land for £14,500, being part of 20 acres bought in 1850 for the sum of £600. The land is in Battersea Parish, bordering on Wandsworth Common, and was part of the site of the Westminster Union (St. James') Industrial Schools. It was bought by the British Land Company.]

The Royal Masonic Institution for Girls supported entirely by _Voluntary Contributions_, was instituted on the 25th March, 1788, at the suggestion of the late Chevalier Bartholomew Ruspini, Surgeon-Dentist to his late Majesty, George the Fourth, for the purpose of educating, clothing, and maintaining a limited number of girls, whether orphans or otherwise, the children of Brethren whose reduced means prevented them from affording their female offspring a suitable education. His late Majesty, the Prince of Wales, with other members of the Royal Family, the nobility, clergy and gentry, and many of the most influential members of the craft, gave the project their warmest support, and by their united efforts established this Institution, which has preserved numbers of children from the dangers and misfortunes to which females are peculiarly exposed, trained them up in the knowledge and love of virtue and habits of industry, and cultivated the practice of such social, moral and religious duties as might best conduce to their welfare and eternal happiness. A school-house was erected in 1793, near the Obelisk, St. George's Fields, on leasehold ground belonging to the Corporation of the City of London. At the expiration of the lease in 1851, it was determined by the Committee to remove to a more healthy locality. Accordingly about three acres of freehold land were purchased on the high ground of Battersea Rise. Upon this land the present building, which is an ornament to the neighbourhood, was erected in 1852. It is constructed of red brick of Gothic architecture from the designs of Mr. Phillip Hardwicke, and is noticeable for its great central clock tower. Since the first erection of the building a wing has been added and the wings of the buildings have been extended in front in order to afford extra school-room, dining room and dormitory accommodation. Detached from the main building an Infirmary has been erected in the grounds, including _convalescent room, laundry, and every appliance necessary thereto_. The establishment consists of a Matron; a Governess; three Assistant Governesses; an Assistant to the Matron, and six Junior Teachers; a Gardener and his Wife; and eight female Servants. Since its establishment, one thousand and ninety-one girls have been educated, clothed, and maintained within its walls. There are now _one hundred and sixty-two_ girls in the Institution. The school is open for inspection every day from eleven to four (Sundays excepted) and can be reached by any train stopping at Clapham Junction which is closely adjacent.

CLAPHAM JUNCTION is in the direction of St. John's Hill, at the north-eastern extremity of Wandsworth Common. "The station itself which was at first one of the most inconvenient, was re-built a few years ago, and now with its various sidings and goods-sheds cover several acres of ground." It is one of the most important railway junctions south of the Thames, offering facilities to persons desirous of travelling not only to any part of the Metropolis but to all parts of England. Easy access can be had to the eight different platforms for "upline" and "downline," etc., on entering the tunnel. Booking office for Kensington, Metropolitan line, etc., on the ground floor at the north end of the tunnel and facing No. 2 platform; Booking office South-Western line No. 5 platform; Booking office Brighton and South-Coast No. 8 platform; also Telegraph office ditto ditto.

At the Junction there are thirteen waiting rooms, two refreshment bars, two cab ranks, two carriage roads to the Junction from St. John's Hill. Nearly 1,000 trains pass through the Junction daily. The staff of railway employés are respectful and obliging to passengers; there is none of that bull-dog growl in reply to questions which characterize some men with surly dispositions who fill public positions.

"Evil is wrought from want of thought As well as want of heart."

London, Brighton and South-Coast Railway: Station Master, Mr. John B. Carne; South-Western Railway: Station Master, Mr. Thomas Green. West London Extension Railway: Battersea Station, High Street.

BATTERSEA PROVIDENT DISPENSARY, 175, High Street, founded 1844, re-organized 1876; President, The Rev. Canon Erskine Clarke, Vicar of Battersea; Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. B. W. Bayley; Committee for 1881, Dr. J. Brown, Mr. J. H. T. Connor, Mr. Heale, Mr. Merry, Mr. Pilditch, Rev. S. G. Scott, Rev. H. G. Sprigg, Rev. J. Toone, Mr. Trehearne, Mr. Tyrer, Mr. H. Urwicke; Elected Representatives of Benefit Members, Mr. King, Mr. Whensley; Medical Officers, Mr. Oakman, The Priory, Battersea Square; Mr. G. F. Burroughs, Queen's Road, and Grayshott Road; Dr. R. Frazer, Sisters Terrace, Lavender Hill; Mr. Biggs, 93, Northcote Road; Mr. Sewell (Kempster & Sewell), 247, Battersea Park Road; Resident Dispenser, Mr. Whitehead; Collector, Mr. Chatting.

The Funds of the Institution are derived from two sources. (1) From the weekly payments of Subscribers who are termed members. (2) From annual contributions of the more affluent, who on subscribing to the Institution become honorary members. Medical attendance and medicine are supplied to persons earning not more than 30/- a week on payment of one penny per week for those over 14, and one half-penny per week for those under 14; but no greater sum than fourpence shall be required from any family residing together as such. To persons earning more than 30/- and not more than 50/- per week, double the terms named above. Members select their own medical attendant from the medical officers of the Institution. The medical officers attend at the Dispensary at appointed hours, but give advice at their own residences, and visit the sick at their own houses when necessary. The Dispensary is open for the supply of medicines daily, except Sunday, at 10, 3 and 7; but medicines are supplied at all hours in urgent cases.

WANDSWORTH COMMON PROVIDENT DISPENSARY, Bolingbroke House.--President, The Rev. Canon J. Erskine Clarke; Honorary Secretaries and Treasurers, Rev. J. H. Hodgson, Church House, Bolingbroke Grove; J. S. Wood, Esq., Woodville, Upper Tooting; Honorary Dentist, A. J. East, Esq., St. John's Hill, New Wandsworth; Resident Medical Officer, Dr. John H. Gray.

CHARITY ORGANIZATION SOCIETY, 1, Clifton Terrace.--Office hours, 9 till 10 a.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. Joint Secretaries: J. H. Ward, Esq., and Frank Knight, Esq., Agent, Mr. J. T. Thornton. Sub-office: St. George's Mission Room, New Road.

THE PENNY BANK, 1, Clifton Terrace, Battersea Park Road, is open on Mondays and Saturdays, from 7 to 8 p.m.

Conspicuously situated at the corner of Simpson Street, Battersea Park Road, is No. 54 Metropolitan Fire Brigade Station, erected 1873-4, is substantially built of red brick, with turret. In case of fire two engines and one fire-escape are kept on the premises. Staff: one officer and four men.

"We are indebted to Germany for the invention of the first fire engine."

Respecting the origin of fire brigades: "In 1774 an Act was passed requiring every Parish to provide itself with one large and one small engine, &c., and everything necessary in case of fire. The first London fire brigade was an Institution entirely independent of the parishes, as indeed also of the Government and of the Corporation of London. It was created and exclusively supported by the Insurance Companies of the Metropolis. At first every Insurance Company had its own fire engine and men to work it, but in 1825 some of them joined, and when the advantage of union was seen most of the others desired to take part in the combination already formed, the result of which was that in 1833 a more extensive organization was made, to which the name of the London Fire Brigade was given. Such was the state of matters until by Act 28 and 29 Vict. cap. xc., July 5th, 1865, the duty of extinguishing fires and protecting life and property in case of fire was declared to be entrusted to the Metropolitan Board of Works within their jurisdiction, and provision was made for the establishment of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. The Act provides for its support from three sources, viz.: 1st, £10,000 Grant from Treasury; 2nd, ½d. in the £ Rate; 3rd, £35 for every £1,000,000 insured in the Metropolis from Insurance Companies, which in the year ending December 31, 1872, realized £16,267. All the Stations are in direct communication by telegraph with the Central Station, so that any required number of engines or men may be summoned to any given spot without delay. In 1872 the cost of maintenance was: Brigade, £67,520; Stations, £8,793; Total, £76,313. All the Dock Companies have engines, and some large private firms."--_Popular Cyclopedia_, Blackie & Son.

By 1833 all the important Companies combined and the London Fire Brigade was formed, organised and raised to an efficient standard under the management of the late and much lamented Mr. James Braidwood, who met with his death in the act of discharging his duties at the great conflagration which broke out in the afternoon of Saturday, June 22nd 1861, in one of the warehouses on the banks of the river, close to the Surrey side of London Bridge, which in spite of increasing efforts to extinguish it, continued to burn until it destroyed property worth nearly £2,000,000. The destruction of property thus caused by the fiery element is without a parallel in the Metropolis since the great fire of 1666. "Three acres of ground were gradually covered with a mass of fire, glowing and crackling at a white heat like a lake of molten iron. The saltpetre, the tallow, the tar and other combustibles stored in the warehouses ran blazing into the Thames until the very river appeared to be covered with the flames. Ships were burned as well as houses, and the danger to life was almost as great on the river as in the street. The glare of the conflagration was not only visible but strikingly conspicuous 30 miles off."

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE.--The organization of the present effective Police force is due to Sir Robert Peel's bill of 1829. The force is divided into the City Police, confined to the City proper, whose office is in the Old Jury, and the Metropolitan Police, which consists of about 8,200 men, and whose Chief Station is in Scotland Yard.

Metropolitan Police Station, Battersea, V. Sub-Division, Bridge Road. _Superintendent_, Mr. Digby; _Inspectors_, Mr. McCrory, Mr. Steggles. Number of men about 70. W. Division New Police Station, Battersea Park Road.

The full force of the Metropolitan Police in 1876 was 10,238.[1]

[Footnote 1: The Report of the Commissioners of Police for the year 1879 shows that in December the Metropolitan police numbered 10,711, which was an increase of 234 over the previous year. The number of felonies committed during the year was 21,891, for which 11,431 persons were arrested. The loss by thefts was £101,798, of which £22,460 was recovered. The Director of Criminal Investigations reports that photography and engraving have been extensively used in the tracing of criminals, with very satisfactory results.]

Board of Works for the Wandsworth District, Battersea Rise, S.W. Arthur Alex. Corsellis, _Clerk of the Board_.

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE of the National Society is situated in Lombard Road for the training of young men who are intended to become schoolmasters in schools connected with the Church of England. There are at this time about 80 students. The Rev. Evan Daniel, M.A., Principal; Rev. Edwin Hammonds, Vice-Principal; Mr. George White, Secretary and Tutor; Mr. Arthur Macken, Tutor; M. Alphonso Estoclet, French Master; Mr. E. C. May, Teacher of Music; Mr. W. Taylor, Normal Master; Mr. E. Mills, Organist; Dr. Connor, Medical Attendant.

The College owes its origin to Dr. J. P. Kay-Shuttleworth and Mr. E. C. Tufnell, Assistant Poor-Law Commissioner, who with the view of establishing a Normal School in this country for imparting to young men that due amount of knowledge and training them to those habits of simplicity and earnestness which might render them useful instructors to the poor, travelled to Holland, Prussia, Switzerland, Paris and other places that they might witness the operations of such educational schemes as had been projected by Pestalozzi, De Fellenberg and others interested in promoting the education of the poor. The plan suggested by Dr. Kay-Shuttleworth and Mr. Tufnell met with the hearty and most cordial approval of the Vicar, the Hon. and Rev. R. Eden, who offered them the use of his village schools to carry out their benevolent intentions. In 1840 they selected a commodious manor house near the river Thames, at Battersea. Boys as students were first obtained from the School of Industry at Norwood, who were to be kept in training for three years. Subsequently some young men joined the Institution whose period of training was necessarily limited to one year. In 1843, the Directors, Dr. Kay-Shuttleworth and Mr. Tufnell, who had supported the Institution by their own private means, had it transferred into the hands of the National Society. The Continental modes of instruction which had been adopted, such as Mulhauser's method of writing, Wilhelm's method of singing, Dupuis' method of drawing, etc., were so satisfactory that a grant of £2,200 for the enlargement and improvement of the premises was made to them by the Committee of Council on Education which was transferred to the National Society and without delay disbursed in completing the alterations required. In the early part of 1846 a new class-room was erected. "The Institution is supported by the National Society's special fund for providing schoolmasters for the manufacturing and mining districts. Only young men are received as students, whose term of training is generally two years."

THE VICARAGE HOUSE SCHOOL is also situated here. Principal: Miss Crofts. Fees from half a guinea to a guinea per quarter, according to age and attainments. The only extra subjects are Music and French.

On the border of the river between Albert Bridge and Watney's Distillery are several wharfs and factories. Ribbon Factory of Cornell, Lyell and Webster; the Glove Factory of Fownes & Co.; Garton, Hill & Co.'s Sugar Refinery now in course of erection; Orlando Jones & Co.'s Rice Starch Manufactory; Denny's (Creek) Flour Mills;[1] Price's Patent Candle Company's Factory; B. Freeman & Co.'s Varnish and Color Works; T. Whiffin's Chemical Manufactory; Nash and Miller, Barge Builders; A. B. Cox, Barge and Boat Builder; Watney's Malt Houses.

[Footnote 1: A pair of 4-ft. stones will grind four bushels per hour.]

On the site where now stands Fownes & Co.'s Glove Factory, formerly used as a silk factory, was Bonwell and Waymouth's Distillery. This firm furnished a Corps of (Battersea) Volunteers, of which the late Mr. George Chadwin was an ensign. Mr. Jonathan Browne, who used to preach at the Old Baptist Meeting House, York Road, was the grandfather of Mr. George Jonathan Chadwin, of Lombard Road, who was Vestry Clerk for 29 years in conjunction with his father.

T. Gaines, a celebrated Horticulturist and Florist, resided in an ancient mansion that stood in Surrey Lane, thought by some to have been a private residence of Queen Elizabeth. The house has been pulled down.

J. Tow kept a Private Mad House in High Street, It is now occupied by Austin & Co., Dyers.

It is supposed by some that there was in olden time a Foundry in Battersea for casting shot, etc., for the Tower of London.

THE PATENT PLUMBAGO CRUCIBLE COMPANY'S WORKS, which are the largest crucible works in the world, cover a large space of ground and have a river frontage. The principal elevation in Church Road is a conspicuous feature in the neighbourhood. It is Italian in character freely treated and somewhat Continental in design. The clock tower rises about 100 feet high, in which is an illuminated clock that may be seen at a considerable distance. A portion of the basement of this elegant structure is appropriated to the private office of the manager and clerks' offices where every quality of plumbago is represented by specimens from all the most celebrated mines, particularly those of Ceylon, Germany, Spain, Siberia, Canada, Finland and Borrowdale. The other departments are the stores, grinding room, mixing room, potters' room, drying room, the clay department, store room, etc. Crucibles for melting and refining metals have been used ever since man threw aside his hatchet and bone-chisel for bronze. For scientific research the crucible has occupied an important place. It was constantly used by the first alchemists and has truly been styled the cradle of experimental chemistry. The word crucible from the Latin crux-crucis recalls the alchemical practice of marking the vessel with the protective sign of the cross. Crucibles of different shapes and sizes are extensively employed by the refiner of gold and silver, the brass founder, melters of copper, zinc and malleable iron, the manufacture of cast steel, the assayer and the practical chemist. For ordinary metallurgical operations clay crucibles are extensively employed. At the International Exhibition of 1862 the only prize medal for crucibles was awarded to the Company and another prize medal for blackleads. The Company's crucibles are now used exclusively by the English, Australian and Indian Mints; the Royal Arsenals of Woolwich, Brest, and Toulon, etc., etc., and have been adopted by most of the large engineers, brass founders and refiners in this country and abroad. Their great superiority consists in their capability of melting on an average forty pourings of the most difficult metals, and a still greater number of those of an ordinary character, some of them having actually reached the extraordinary number of 96 meltings. These crucibles never crack, become heated much more rapidly than any other description, and require only one annealing, may be used any number of times without further trouble, change of temperature (they may be plunged while cold into a furnace nearly white hot without cracking) having no effect on them. The Patent Plumbago Crucible Company are the greatest consumers of the Ceylon Graphite brought to the United Kingdom. The total quantity of Graphite exports from Ceylon in 1862 was 40,195 cwt., of which 34,730 cwt. was shipped to Great Britain.

This Company are at present carrying out very extensive improvements on the river side along the front of their premises in the construction of a river wall built of Portland Cement Concrete, the foundations of which are carried down four feet below Trinity Low Water Mark, which have been done without the aid of a coffer-dam. These works when completed will reclaim a very valuable frontage of the river. The total length of wall and camp-shedding together with the adjoining property of Messrs. May and Baker's Chemical Works will be about 500 feet.

These improvements if extended westward towards the Parish Church will be the means of doing away with the unsightly mud banks which now exist, there is no doubt then a clean foreshore will be accomplished similar to the south side lower down the river where more extensive embankment works have been constructed. Behind a portion of the wall which the Plumbago Company are constructing will be some extensive cellars, which will be covered over with a concrete floor carried on wrought iron girders and supported by cast iron columns, and on the top of this floor will be a tram seven feet wide for the use of a heavy steam crane, and when completed will be able to unload goods out of barges alongside and deliver the same into the second floor of the present warehouse.

These works have been constructed from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. W. H. Thomas, C.E., of 15 Parliament Street, Westminster, Engineer to the Patent Plumbago Crucible Company, and now being carried out by Messrs. B. Cook & Co., of Phœnix Wharf, Church Road Battersea, Mr. Maples acting as Clerk of the Works.

The same firm are also constructing large river-side works at Nine Elms for the London Gas-Light Company for a Ship's Berth, from the design and under the superintendence of Robert Morton, Esq., the Company's Engineer.

A very striking feature is connected with the latter works, as it is proposed to bring vessels up the river capable of carrying 1,000 tons of coals which will be discharged by the use of hydraulic cranes and delivered by tram direct into the Gas Works.

Adjacent are the Silicated Carbon Filter Company's Works. Whenever man has arrived at any considerable degree of civilization the subject of water supply had a share in his solicitude, and it is questionable if our modern works for supplying water surpass those of ancient Judea, Greece, Rome, Mexico and other places. The effect of impure water on the health and life of the community was alas, too painfully evinced by the outbreak of cholera in 1854-1866, and by the reports of medical officers as to the cause of typhoid fever.

The Silicated Carbon Filters are so constructed that the solid matter deposited on the filtering medium can be easily cleansed away. They entirely remove from water all organic matter and every trace of lead, and for all domestic purposes they may be said to render water absolutely pure. Testimonials from eminent authorities describe the extraordinary power possessed by these filters of entirely freeing water from every noxious quality.

Contiguous are the premises belonging to Mr. H. Bollman Condy, the Inventor, Patentee, and Manufacturer of Antiseptic Aromatic Vinegar, "Condy's Fluid," and "Condy's Ozonised Sea Salt."