PART II.
“REMEMBRANCES” OF KENSINGTON, NOTTING HILL & PADDINGTON, 38 YEARS AGO.
The first time I heard of Notting Hill was many years since. I was asked
to sign a petition, the prayer of which pleaded for Parliamentary
interference to stop the action of the Proprietors of the Hippodrome at
Notting Hill from running horses on Sundays. I have heard since that
races were not run upon that day, but horses were tried as a preliminary
step to the races during the week.
In 1844, when I first became acquainted with the neighbourhood, I
enquired what had become of the race-course and was shown an open
country,—the place now occupied by St. John’s Church, Notting Hill, being
the spot on which the grand stand had been erected, and the course as
nearly as I can describe is now covered by Clarendon Road, Cornwall Road,
Portobello Road, Horbury Terrace and Ladbroke Square. I found that the
inhabitants had insisted upon a right of way across the grounds, and
taking the law into their own hands, with hatchets and saws had removed
the barriers and thus by maintaining their right to cross the ground when
they pleased caused the racing men to abandon it.
The changes which have taken place in the parishes are to my mind so
marvellous that I think it will not be uninteresting to those whose
acquaintance is of a later date to record what I remember of the locality
38 years ago.
Starting from Edgware Road and passing down what was then called the
Uxbridge Road, now known as the Bayswater Road. On the south side Hyde
Park was enclosed by the old iron railings which were pulled down by the
mob a few years since. Kensington Gardens were enclosed by an old wall
which I esteemed to be a disgrace to London.
The narrow pathway outside the wall was used by the parish authorities as
a suitable place to keep reserved heaps of broken granite for repairing
the road.
The spot now occupied by Palace Gardens was also enclosed and formed a
kitchen garden to the Kensington Palace.
On the north side from Edgware Road, Connaught Terrace and a few houses
on either side of the Burial Ground were existing, but Hyde Park Gardens
were not. A little further on however was an old public house standing
at the corner of a road known as Elm Grove and beyond that several wooden
shops, one occupied as an oyster and ginger beer dealer and the other by
a coach maker, beyond this was the Parish Ground known as “Bread and
Cheese” land, occupied by a Mr. Cheese as Tea Gardens and by Mr. Hopwood
as a Nursery Ground. Passing some villas we arrived at the “Black Lion”
standing at the corner of Queen’s Road, then known as “Black Lion Lane,”
then on to Bark Place and Orme Square, which was built by a Mr. Orme,
formerly a print-seller in Bond Street, who also erected Bayswater
Chapel, in St. Petersburgh Place. Behind these were Moscow Road and
Coburgh Place, erected in 1814.
Beyond Petersburg Place was Victoria Place, which led to a field upon
which are now built Leinster and Princes Squares and Kensington Gardens
Square.
A footpath across this field led to Westbourne Grove. This footpath was
the only way except Black Lion Lane by which Westbourne Grove could be
reached. So much was this field in the country that I have several times
seen Sunday School children taken there for their annual excursions.
A little farther down the road was Camden Street, a perfect rookery.
Dirty men, women and children infested this place. Beyond this was
Stourmont House, at that time a ladies’ school but it had been occupied
by the Earl of Craven and let by him to Queen Ann as a nursery for the
Duke of Gloucester. Dean Swift lodged here in 1712.
By the side of Stourmont House was Linden Grove—at that time a quiet
grove in which resided several noted artists, including the celebrated
Mr. Mulready, R.A.
Opposite Linden Grove was the Mall, another favourite residence of
artists, and here lived at this time the celebrated Mr. Calcott, R.A.,
and Mr. Webster.
The Mall had in former time been made notorious by Thurtell, the murderer
of Mr. Ware, in whose garden in the Mall the body of the murdered man was
found.
At the corner of Linden Grove was situated the first shop in the village
of Notting Hill, it was occupied by Mr. Fenn, tailor, who still has a
business at Notting Hill and is the oldest tradesman there.
Notting Hill at this time was a little country place with few shops and
those very small. It was however beginning to put on an appearance of
life, for four large shops were being erected opposite Silver Street on
the garden ground fronting a mansion which had been a large academy.
This old house and others which have since had shops built in their
forecourts may still be seen. Mr. King’s Italian Warehouse was the first
London shop opened, and a crowd of people nightly assembled to see the
place lighted with gas.
Shortly afterwards other shops were built before the next mansion which
had been the residence of Madame Vestris.
In the front of this mansion was the turnpike and the toll-taker’s house.
This was the first turnpike out of London.
At the corner of Portobello Road, now called Devonshire Terrace, was a
mansion enclosed by a wall, then the residence of the Rev. Mr. Holloway,
minister of Percy Chapel, Fitzroy Square.
Upon the death of Mr. Holloway this mansion was occupied by Rev. Mr.
Gordon, a Presbyterian minister and the author of a pocket commentary on
the Bible. Mr. Gordon conducted public services for some years on
Sundays in a building attached to his house.
This mansion was afterwards demolished and shops built upon the site,
which are now occupied by Messrs. Swain, Fenn, Leverett & Fry, Shirley,
and the Devonshire Arms, also the houses by the side, Pembridge Gardens
and Devonshire Terrace.
I have traced the main road as it appeared in 1844, from Edgware Road to
the house now known as Devonshire Arms. At this point commenced a
country lane, leading partly between hedges and afterwards through fields
to Kensal Green.
It was a most delightful walk; from certain portions of the lane charming
views could be obtained. This can hardly be understood by the present
inhabitants; it will be made more clear if I say that looking from the
back of either mansion I have mentioned from Stormont House to Portobello
Lane the whole country was open, and only a few farms here and there.
Hampstead, on the north, was visible, and from the hill by the side of
Porto Bello farm, then occupied by Mr. Wise; on the east, London; and on
the north-west, Harrow-on-the-Hill were clearly visible. No wonder that
this pleasant lane was the favourite walk not only of the inhabitants of
Notting Hill but also of many from the great city.
From west to north, from north to east scarcely a house was to be seen.
Corn fields and meadow land on every side, the quiet only broken by the
occasional passing of a train on the Great Western Railway at Kensal
Green. It seems almost impossible to realize the fact, but it is a fact
that during this 38 years the thousands of houses which are now to be
seen from Ealing to Hampstead, Hampstead to Edgware Road have been built.
Returning to the High Street, in the village of Notting Hill, the little
shops from the Mall on the south side of the street were occupied by some
of the principal tradesmen of that far off day.
There lived Mr. Burden, who kept a rag and bottle shop, and who was an
orator and a great man on the Kensington Vestry, also a proprietor of
Bayswater omnibuses, whose wife kept a greengrocer’s shop. Poor woman,
she was of such proportions that when she died I saw the coffin lowered
from the bedroom window into the street by ropes.
There also lived Mr. Brewer, who transacted the largest business of the
village in the grocery, cheesemongery, and corn-dealing line; also a real
candle maker, whose shop was reached up four stone steps. Then came the
first village Inn, the “Swan” at the corner of Silver Street, which, like
the “Hoop” a few doors past Silver Street, stood back from the street and
had a horse trough in front. Of course these inns have been rebuilt, as
also has the more important inn further up on the North side, the “Coach
and Horses.”
At the corner of Silver Street was a little butcher’s shop, and next door
a brush shop, the proprietor of which was a most intelligent man, but a
“Chartist,” and a great friend of Fergus O’Connor. He was the principal
mover in erecting a monument at Kensal Green over the remains of that
gentleman, who seems, by the present condition of that monument, to have
been forgotten by this generation, although he tried hard to get every
working man a small portion of the land of his birth as a means of
acquiring independency. Many tried it, but they found they could earn
more by labour than they could grow in an acre of the best soil. Close
by where the Notting Hill Gate Station now is stood in those days the
_Village Pump_, concerning the removal of which sundry indignation
meetings were held and fierce threats made of law proceedings. It was
said at these meetings that no such pure water could be obtained any
where else, but as I once lived near _Aldgate Pump_ and used to hear the
same, and drank of that water with relish until the horrid chemists
analized it and said it was full of organic matter, percolating from
Aldgate Churchyard, where the bodies of hundreds had been buried at the
time of the plague, I had ceased to have faith in city or village pumps,
and rejoiced to see an arrangement made by which pure water could be
supplied from the Water Companies’ pipes through a tap. For years this
tap existed in front of No. 71 or 73, High Street, but I find it has been
removed.