Part 12
AUGMENTATION OFFICE in Dean’s yard, Westminster. This office belongs to a corporation, established by an act passed in the second and third years of the reign of Queen Anne, for the better maintenance of the poor Clergy, by the augmentation of small livings. This body corporate consists of the Lords of the Privy Council, the Lords Lieutenants and Custos Rotulorum, the Archbishops, Bishops, and Deans of cathedrals, the Judges, the King’s Serjeants at law, the Attorney, Sollicitor, and Advocate General, the Chancellors and Vice-Chancellors of the Universities, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and the Mayors of all other cities within the kingdom; seven of whom may compose a court, provided three of that number be a Privy Counsellor, a Bishop, a Judge, or one of the King’s Council, and this court may appoint committees of Governors, and invest them with such powers as they think proper.
The business of the Governors is to find out the value of every benefice under 80_l._ a Year, with the distance of each from London, &c. and to lay the state thereof before his Majesty, with the value of the tenths, first-fruits, &c. in order that the royal bounty may be applied to support those of the clergy, who are in the greatest distress: and this corporation has actually augmented a great number of small livings.
AUSTIN FRIARS, near Broad street, was a priory founded for the Friars Eremites, of the order of St. Augustine, in the year 1253, by Humphrey Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, The Friars of this priory were Mendicants, and continued in the possession of this place till its dissolution by King Henry VIII. since which time the greatest part has been pulled down, and many handsome houses built; but a part of the old church belonging to the priory is still standing. King Edward VI. granted all the church, except the choir, to a congregation of Germans, and other strangers, who fled hither for the sake of religion, ordering it to be called _the Temple of the Lord Jesus_, and several successive Princes have confirmed it to the Dutch, by whom it is still used as a place of divine worship. It is a large and spacious Gothic edifice, supported by two rows of stone pillars. At the east end are several steps, which lead to a large platform, on which is placed a long table with seats against the wall, and forms round, for the use of the Holy Communion, and the windows on one side have painted on them in several places, the words JESUS TEMPLE. On the west end over the screen is a library, thus inscribed, _Ecclesiæ Londino-Belgicæ Bibliotheca, extructa sumptibus_ Mariæ Dubois 1659. It contains several valuable manuscripts, among which are the letters of Calvin, Peter Martyr, and other foreign reformers.
_St._ AUSTIN’S _Church_, at the north west corner of Watling street, in the ward of Faringdon within, was dedicated to St. Austin the monk, the English Apostle. The old church having suffered in the dreadful conflagration in 1666, has been rebuilt, and the parish of St. Faith united to it. It is a rectory, and the advowson is in the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul’s. The Rector receives 172_l._ _per annum_ in lieu of tithes.
AUSTIN _street_, in Castle street, near Shoreditch.
AX _alley_, Leadenhall street.*
AX _yard_. 1. King’s street, Westminster.* 2. Norfolk street in the Strand.* 3. Little Britain.* 4. Blackman street.* 5. King’s street, Blackman street.*
AX AND BOTTLE _yard_, St. Margaret’s hill.*
AYLOFFE _street_, Goodman’s Fields.†
AYRE’S ALMSHOUSE, in White’s alley, Coleman street, was founded by Mr. Christopher Ayre, Merchant, for six poor men and their wives, who committed it to the care of the Leather-sellers company, who annually pay each couple 4_l._
B.
BAB’S _alley_, Mint street, Southwark.†
BAB’S _mays_, or _mews_, Jermain street.†
BACK _alley_. 1. Back hill, Hatton wall.§ 2. Back hill, Southwark.§ 3. Bear alley, Fleet ditch.§ 4. Bowling alley, Westminster.§ 5. Bridge yard, Tooley street.§ 6. St. Catharine’s lane.§ 7. Church lane, Tooley street.§ 8. Church lane, Whitechapel.§ 9. Churchyard alley, Tooley street.§ 10. Cloth fair, West Smithfield.§ 11. Crown court, King’s street, Tooley street.§ 12. East lane, Rotherhith.§ 13. Great garden, St. Catharine’s lane.§ 14. Green bank, Wapping.§ 15. March street, Wapping.§ 16. St. Martin’s le Grand.§ 17. Mill street.§ 18. Playhouse yard, Whitecross street, Cripplegate.§ 19. Three Foxes court, Long lane, West Smithfield.§
BACK _court_, Symond’s Inn, Chancery lane.
BACK _hill_. 1. Hatton wall.§ 2. Southwark.§
BACK _lane_. 1. Bethnal green.§ 2. Elephant lane, Rotherhith.§ 3. Hackney.§ 4. Islington.§ 5. Lambeth Butts.* 6. Lambeth marsh.§ 7. Near Rag fair, Rosemary lane.§ 8. Near Sun Tavern fields.§ 9. Three Hammer alley, Tooley street.§
BACK _Round court_ in the Strand.§
BACK _side_. 1. St. Clement’s in the Strand.§ 2. Middle Shadwell.§
BACK _street_. 1. Cloth fair.§ 2. Horsley down.§ 3. Lambeth.§ 4. St. Clement’s Danes.§ 5. Old street square.§
BACK STREET SCHOOL, at Lambeth, was founded by Archbishop Tenison, about the year 1704, for the education of poor girls, who are cloathed and taught: they are at present twenty; but their number is to be increased according to the improvement of the estate. _Maitland._
BACK _way_, near Shepherd’s Market, Curzon street.§
BACK _yard_. 1. Angel alley, Little Moorfields.§ 2. Bell alley, Coleman street, Lothbury.§ 3. Brick lane, Old street.§ 4. Bullhead court, Jewin street.§ 5. Great Garden, St. Catharine’s.§ 6. Little Bartholomew close.§ 7. Marigold lane.§ 8. Newcastle street.§ 9. Nightingale lane.§ 10. Old Gravel lane.§ 11. Pelican court, Little Britain.§ 12. Peter lane, St. John’s street.§ 13. Pickleherring street. 14. Redcross alley, Jewin street.§ 15. Richmond street.§ 16. Ropemaker’s fields, Limehouse.§ 17. Rotherhith wall.§ 18. Rupert street.§ 19. Saltpetre bank. 20. Shakespear’s walk.§ 21. Shipwright street, Rotherhith.§ 22. Short’s street.§ 23. Silver street, Tooley street.§ 24. St. Margaret’s hill.§ 25. St. Saviour’s Dock head.§ 26. Stamford buildings.§ 27. Star street, Wapping wall.§ 28. Sun alley, Golden lane.§ 29. Swan alley, Golden lane. 30. Three Colt street.§ 31. Tooley street.§ 32. Turnmill street, Cowcross.§ 33. Vineyard.§ 34. Upper Ground street.§ 35. Upper Well alley, Wapping.§ 36. Wentworth street.§ 37. White’s yard, Rosemary lane.§ 38. Woolpack alley, Houndsditch.§
BACK CLOISTER _yard_, Westminster.§
BACK _Brook street_, David street, by Grosvenor square.
BACON _alley_, Woolpack alley, Shoreditch.
BACON _street_. 1. Brick lane, Spitalfields.* 2. Club row, Spitalfields.
BADGER’S _alley_, Shoreditch.†
BADGER’S _Almshouse_, at Hoxton, was founded by Mrs. Allen Badger, in the year 1698, for six poor men and their wives, who are only allowed twenty shillings a year each couple.
BADGER’S _rents_, St. John’s passage, St. John’s street.†
BAG AND BOTTLE _alley_, Old street.*
BAG AND BOTTLE _yard_, Old street.*
BAGNEL’S _rents_, Denmark street.†
BAGNIO _court_, Newgate street, thus named from the Bagnio there.
BAGNIO _lane_, leading into Bagnio court, Newgate street.
BAGSHAW’S _rents_, Portpool lane, Leather lane.†
BAILEY’S _alley_, in the Strand.†
BAILEY’S _court_, 1. Bell yard, Fleet street.† 2. Cock hill.† 3. Fashion street.† 4. Sheer lane.† 5. In the Strand.†
BAILEY’S _place_, Little Tower hill.†
BAILEY’S _yard_, Broadway, Westminster.†
BAINHAM’S _street_, Southwark.†
BAIN’S _hill_, Upper Shadwell.†
BAKEHOUSE _court_, Godalmin street.
BAKERS, this company is very ancient, though it does not appear to have been incorporated till about the year 1307. It is governed by a Master, four Wardens, thirty Assistants, and 195 Livery men, whose fine is 10_l._
BAKERS HALL, a plain edifice in Hart lane, Tower street, and formerly the dwelling house of John Chicheley, Chamberlain of London.
BAKER’S _alley_. 1. Church lane, Whitechapel.† 2. Farmer’s street, Shadwell.† 3. Goswell street.† 4. Hart street.† 5. King’s street, Westminster.† 6. Monkwell street.† 7. St. John’s street.† 8. In the Strand. 9. Stony lane.† 10. Swallow street.†
BAKER’S ARMS _alley_, Rosemary lane.*
BAKER’S _buildings_, Old Bethlem.†
BAKER’S _court_, Halfmoon alley, Bishopsgate street.†
BAKER’S _passage_, Jermain street.†
BAKER’S _row_. 1. Cold Bath fields.† 2. Whitechapel.†
BAKER’S _yard_. 1. Tower hill. 2. Milford lane.
BALAAM’S _court_, King David’s Fort.
BALDWIN’S _court_. 1. Baldwin’s gardens.† 2. White street.* 3. Cloak lane, Dowgate hill.†
BALDWIN’S _gardens_, Leather lane.†
BALDWIN’S _square_, Baldwin’s gardens.†
BALDWIN’S _street_, Old street.†
BALDWIN’S _yard_. 1. Baldwin’s gardens. 2. Narrow alley, Stone lane.†
BALE’S _court_, Cow cross, Smithfield.†
BALL _alley_. 1. Aldersgate street.* 2. Cannon street.* 3. Kingsland road.* 4. Lime street, Leadenhall street.* 5. Lombard street.* 6. London Wall.* 7. Long alley, Moorfields.* 8. St. Catharine’s lane.* 9. Wheeler street, Spitalfields.*
BALL _court_. 1. Giltspur street, without Newgate.* 2. Mincing lane, Fenchurch street.* 3. Old Bailey.* 4. Poor Jury lane, within Aldgate.*
BALL _yard_. 1. Beech lane.* 2. Giltspur street.* 3. Golden lane.*
BALLAST _wharf_. 1. Cock hill, Ratcliff. 2. Lower Shadwell.
BALSOVER _street_, Oxford street.†
BAMBURY _court_, Long Acre.
BANCROFT’S beautiful Almshouse, School and Chapel at Mile End, were erected by the Drapers company in the year 1735, pursuant to the will of Mr. Francis Bancroft, who bequeathed to that company the sum of 28,000_l._ and upwards, in real and personal estates, for purchasing a site, and building upon it an almshouse, with convenient apartments for twenty-four almsmen, a chapel, and school room for 100 poor boys, and two dwelling-houses for the schoolmasters, and endowing the same. He also ordered that each of the almsmen should have 8_l._ and half a chaldron of coals yearly, and a gown of baize every third year; that the school boys should be cloathed and taught reading, writing and arithmetic; that each of the masters, besides their houses, should have a salary of 30_l._ _per annum_, and the yearly sum of 20_l._ for coals and candles, for their use, and that of the school; with a sufficient allowance for books, paper, pens and ink; that the committee of the court of assistants should have 5_l._ for a dinner, at their annual visitation of the almshouse and school; and that 3_l._ 10_s._ should be given for two half yearly sermons to be preached in the parish churches of St. Helen and St. Michael Cornhill, or elsewhere, in commemoration of this foundation, at which the almsmen and boys were to be present. To each of these boys, when put out apprentices, he gave 4_l._ but if they were put to service they were to have no more than 2_l._ 10_s._ to buy them cloaths.
The edifice is not only neat but extremely elegant, consisting of two wings and a center detached from both of them. In the middle of the front is the chapel, before which is a noble portico, with Ionic columns, and coupled pilasters at the corners, supporting a pediment, in the plane of which is the dial. There is an ascent to the portico by a flight of steps, and over the chapel is a handsome turret. On each side of the portico, are two houses like those in the wings. The construction of the wings is uniform, lofty and convenient: twelve doors in each open in a regular series, and the windows are of a moderate size, numerous, and proportioned to the apartments they are to enlighten. The square is surrounded with gravel walks. with a large grass plat in the middle, and next the road the wall is adorned with handsome iron rails and gates. In short, the ends of the wings next the road being placed at a considerable distance from it, the whole is seen in a proper point of view, and appears to the greatest advantage.
It is worthy of remark, that this Bancroft, who left so large a sum for erecting and endowing this fine hospital, and even ordered two sermons to be annually preached in commemoration of his charity, was, according to the last edition of _Stow’s Survey_, one of the Lord Mayor’s officers, and by informations and summoning the citizens before the Lord Mayor, upon the most trifling occasions, and other things not belonging to his office, not only pillaged the poor but also many of the rich, who rather than lose time in appearing before that Magistrate, gave money to get rid of this common pest of the citizens, which, together with his numerous quarterages from the brokers, &c. enabled him to amass annually a considerable sum of money. But by these and other mercenary practices, he so incurred the hatred and ill-will of the citizens of all ranks and denominations, that the persons who attended his funeral obsequies, with great difficulty saved his corpse from being jostled off the bearers shoulders in the church, by the enraged populace, who seizing the bells, rang them for joy at his unlamented death.
BANDYLEG _alley_, Fleet ditch.║
BANDYLEG _walk_. 1. Maiden lane, near Deadman’s place.║ 2. Queen street, in the Park, Southwark.║
BANE _court_, Cold Bath square.
BANGOR _court_. 1. Shoe lane. 2. White street.
BANK OF ENGLAND. This is a noble edifice, situated at the east of St. Christopher’s church, near the west end of Threadneedle street. The front next the street is about 80 feet in length, and is of the Ionic order raised on a rustic basement, as is represented in the print, and is in a good style. Through this you pass into the court yard, in which is the hall. This is of the Corinthian order, and in the middle is a pediment. The top of the building is adorned with a balustrade and handsome vases, and in the face of the above pediment is engraved, in relievo, the Company’s seal, Britannia sitting with her shield and spear, and at her feet a Cornucopia, pouring out fruit. The hall, which is in this last building, is 79 feet in length, and 40 in breadth; it is wainscoted about eight feet high; has a fine fretwork ceiling, and is adorned with the statue of King William III. which stands in a nich at the upper end; on the pedestal of which is the following inscription:
Ob Legibus vim, Judiciis Auctoritatem, Senatui Dignitatem, Civibus universis Jura sua, Tam Sacra, quam Civilia Restituta, Et illustrissimæ Domus Hannoverianæ In Imperium Britannicum Successione Posteris confirmata, Optimo Principi, GULIELMO TERTIO, Conditiori suo, Grato Animo posuit, dicavitque Hujus Ærarii Societas, A. C. MDCCXXXIV. harumque Ædium. I.
_In English thus_:
For restoring efficacy to the Laws, Authority to the Courts of Justice, Dignity to the Parliament, To all his Subjects their Religion and Liberties, And confirming these to Posterity, By the succession of the illustrious House of Hanover To the British Throne, To the best of Princes, WILLIAM THE THIRD, Founder of the Bank, This Corporation, from a Sense of Gratitude, Has erected this Statue, And dedicated it to his Memory, In the Year of our Lord MDCCXXXIV. And the first Year of this Building.
Farther backward is another quadrangle, with an arcade on the east and west sides of it; and on the north side is the accomptant’s office, which is 60 feet long, and 28 feet broad. Over this, and the other sides of the quadrangle, are handsome apartments, with a fine staircase adorned with fretwork, and under it are large vaults, that have strong walls and iron gates, for the preservation of the cash. The back entrance from Bartholomew lane is by a grand gateway, which opens into a commodious and spacious court yard for coaches, or waggons, that frequently come loaded with gold and silver bullion; and in the room fronting the gate the transfer office is kept.
The Bank was established by act of Parliament in the year 1693, under the title of _The Governor and Company of the Bank of England_, in consideration of a loan of 1,200,000_l._ granted to the government, for which the subscribers received eight _per cent._ By this charter, the Company are not to borrow under their common seal, unless by act of parliament; they are not to trade, or suffer any person in trust for them to trade in goods or merchandize; but may deal in bills of exchange, in buying or selling bullion, and foreign gold, or silver coin, &c.
By an act passed in the 8th and 9th years of the reign of King William III. they were empowered to enlarge their capital to 2,201,171_l._ 10_s._ It was then also enacted, that bank stock should be a personal and not a real estate; that no contract, either in word or writing, for buying or selling bank stock, should be good in law, unless registered in the books of the bank within seven days, and the stock transferred within fourteen days; and that it should be felony, without benefit of clergy, to counterfeit the common seal of the Bank, any sealed bank bill, any bank note, or to alter or erase such bills or notes.
In the 7th of Queen Anne, the Company were, by another act, impowered to increase their capital to 4,402,343_l._ and at the same time they advanced 400,000_l._ more to the government; and in 1714, they advanced the sum of 1,500,000_l._
In the third year of the reign of King George I. the interest of their capital was reduced to 5_l._ _per cent._ when the Bank agreed to deliver up as many Exchequer bills as amounted to two millions, and to accept of an annuity of 100,000_l._ _per annum_. It was also declared lawful for the Bank to call for from their members, in proportion to their interests in the capital stock, such sums, as in a general court should be found necessary; but if any member should neglect to pay his share of the money so called for, at the time appointed, by notice in the London Gazette and fixed up in the Royal Exchange, it should be lawful for the Bank, not only to stop the dividend of such member, and to apply it towards the payment of the money so called for, but also to stop the transfers of such defaulter, and to charge him with an interest of 5_l._ _per cent._ _per annum_, for the money so omitted to be paid; and if the principal and interest should be three months unpaid, the Bank should have power to sell so much of the stock belonging to the defaulter as would satisfy the same. This stock is now called Bank Circulation, every proprietor of which receives 5_l._ _per cent._ _per annum_, but is obliged to advance, if called for, 1000_l._ for every 100_l._ so paid in.
The Bank afterwards consented to have the interest of two millions still due from the government, reduced from 5 to 4 _per cent._ The Company also purchased several other annuities, that were afterwards redeemed by the government, and the national debt due to the Bank was reduced to 1,600,000.
At length in 1742, the Company agreed to supply the government with 1,600,000_l._ at 3_l._ _per cent._, by which means the government became indebted to the Company 3,200,000_l._ the one half carrying 4, and the other 3 _per cent._
In 1746, the Company consented that the sum of 986,800_l._ due to them in Exchequer bills unsatisfied, on the duties for licences to sell spirituous liquors by retail, should be cancelled, and in lieu thereof to accept of an annuity of 39,442_l._ the interest of that sum at 4_l._ _per cent._ The Company also agreed to advance the farther sum of 1,000,000_l._ upon the credit of the duties arising by the malt and land tax, at 4_l._ _per cent._ for Exchequer bills to be issued for that purpose, in consideration of which the Company were enabled to augment their capital with 986,800_l._ the interest of which, as well as that of the other annuities, was reduced to 3_l._ 10_s._ _per cent._ till the 25th of December 1757, and from that time they carry only 3_l._ _per cent._
In short, several other sums have since been raised by the Bank for the service of the government: but the above is sufficient to give a full idea of the nature of the several species of annuities; only it may be proper to add, that what is called Bank Stock is entirely distinct from these, and may not improperly be termed, the trading stock of the Company, since with this they discount bills, and deal very largely in foreign gold, &c. which they only buy by weight, which trade is so very considerable, as to render a share in this stock very valuable, tho’ it is not equal in value to the East India stock. The Company make dividends of the profits half yearly. _Pocket Library._
* * * * *
The transfer days at the Bank altered in 1758, are now as follows:
Bank stock, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Reduced annuities, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Three _per cent._ 1726, } Consolidated annuities, } ditto. Three _per cent._ 1757, } Three ½ _per cent._ 1756, } Three ½ _per cent._ 1758, } Tu. and T
The hour of transfer is from eleven to twelve o’clock, and the hours of payment of dividends from nine to eleven, and from twelve to one; except on the following Holidays.
Holidays at the Bank.