Within, presents in its frontage a mezzanine-storey, and lofty
Venetian windows, reminding one of the old-fashioned assembly-room
façade. The site of the present tavern was previously occupied by the
White Lion Tavern, which was destroyed in an extensive fire on the 7th
of November, 1765; it broke out at a peruke-maker's opposite; the
flames were carried by a high wind across the street, to the house
immediately adjoining the tavern, the fire speedily reaching the
corner; the other angles of Cornhill, Gracechurch-street, and
Leadenhall-street, were all on fire at the same time, and fifty houses
and buildings were destroyed and damaged, including the White Lion and
Black Lion Taverns.
Upon the site of the former was founded "The London Tavern," on the
Tontine principle; it was commenced in 1767, and completed and opened
in September, 1768; Richard B. Jupp, architect. The front is more than
80 feet wide by nearly 70 feet in height.
The Great Dining-room, or "Pillar-room," as it is called, is 40 feet
by 33 feet, decorated with medallions and garlands, Corinthian columns
and pilasters. At the top of the edifice is the ball-room, extending
the whole length of the structure, by 33 feet in width and 30 feet in
height, which may be laid out as a banqueting-room for 300 feasters;
exclusively of accommodating 150 ladies as spectators in the galleries
at each end. The walls are throughout hung with paintings; and the
large room has an organ.
The Turtle is kept in large tanks, which occupy a whole vault, where
two tons of turtle may sometimes be seen swimming in one vat. We have
to thank Mr. Cunningham for this information, which is noteworthy,
independently of its epicurean association,--that "turtles will live
in cellars for three months in excellent condition if kept in the same
water in which they were brought to this country. To change the water
is to lessen the weight and flavour of the turtle." Turtle does not
appear in bills of fare of entertainments given by Lord Mayors and
Sheriffs between the years 1761 and 1766; and it is not till 1768 that
turtle appears by name, and then in the bill of the banquet at the
Mansion House to the King of Denmark. The cellars, which consist of
the whole basement storey, are filled with barrels of porter, pipes of
port, butts of sherry, etc. Then there are a labyrinth of walls of
bottle ends, and a region of bins, six bottles deep; the catacombs of
Johannisberg, Tokay, and Burgundy. "Still we glide on through rivers
of sawdust, through embankments of genial wine. There are twelve
hundred of champagne down here; there are between six and seven
hundred dozen of claret; corked up in these bins is a capital of from
eleven to twelve thousand pounds; these bottles absorb, in simple
interest at five per cent., an income amounting to some five or six
hundred pounds per annum."[55] "It was not, however, solely for
uncovering these floods of mighty wines, nor for luxurious feasting
that the London Tavern was at first erected, nor for which it is still
exclusively famous, since it was always designed to provide a
spacious and convenient place for public meetings. One of the earliest
printed notices concerning the establishment is of this character, it
being the account of a meeting for promoting a public subscription for
John Wilkes, on the 12th of February, 1769, at which 3000_l._ were
raised, and local committees appointed for the provinces. In the
Spring season such meetings and committees of all sorts are equally
numerous and conflicting with each other, for they not unfrequently
comprise an interesting charitable election or two; and in addition
the day's entertainments are often concluded with more than one large
dinner, and an evening party for the lady spectators.
"Here, too, may be seen the hasty arrivals of persons for the meetings
of the Mexican Bondholders on the second-floor; of a Railway assurance
'up-stairs, and first to the left;' of an asylum election at the end
of the passage; and of the party on the 'first-floor to the right,'
who had to consider of 'the union of the Gibbleton line to the
Great-Trunk-Due-Eastern-Junction.'
"For these business meetings the rooms are arranged with benches, and
sumptuously Turkey-carpeted; the end being provided with a long table
for the directors, with an imposing array of papers and pens,
"'The morn, the noon, the day is pass'd' in the reports, the speeches,
the recriminations and defences of these parties, until it is nearly
five o'clock. In the very same room the Hooping Cough Asylum Dinner is
to take place at six; and the Mexican Bondholders are stamping and
hooting above, on the same floor which in an hour is to support the
feast of some Worshipful Company which makes it their hall. The feat
appears to be altogether impossible; nevertheless, it must and will be
most accurately performed."
The Secretary has scarcely bound the last piece of red tape round his
papers, when four men rush to the four corners of the Turkey carpet,
and half of it is rolled up, dust and all. Four other men with the
half of a clean carpet bowl it along in the wake of the one displaced.
While you are watching the same performance with the remaining half of
the floor, a battalion of waiters has fitted up, upon the new half
carpet, a row of dining-tables and covered them with table-cloths.
While in turn you watch them, the entire apartment is tabled and
table-clothed. Thirty men are at this work upon a system, strictly
departmental. Rinse and three of his followers lay the knives; Burrows
and three more cause the glasses to sparkle on the board. You express
your wonder at this magical celerity. Rinse moderately replies that
the same game is going on in the other four rooms; and this happens
six days out of the seven in the dining-room.
When the Banquet was given to Mr. Macready in February, 1851, the
London Tavern could not accommodate all the company, because there
were seven hundred and odd; and the Hall of Commerce was taken for the
dinner. The merchants and brokers were transacting business there at
four o'clock; and in two hours, seats, tables, platforms, dinner,
wine, gas, and company, were all in. By a quarter before six
everything was ready, and a chair placed before each plate. Exactly at
six, everything was placed upon the table, and most of the guests were
seated.
For effecting these wonderful evolutions, it will be no matter of
surprise that we are told that an army of servants, sixty or seventy
strong, is retained on the establishment; taking on auxiliary legions
during the dining season.
The business of this gigantic establishment is of such extent as to be
only carried on by this systematic means. Among the more prominent
displays of its resources which take place here are the annual
Banquets of the officers of some twenty-eight different regiments, in
the month of May. There are likewise given here a very large number of
the annual entertainments of the different Charities of London.
Twenty-four of the City Companies hold their Banquets here, and
transact official business. Several Balls take place here annually.
Masonic Lodges are held here; and almost innumerable Meetings, Sales,
and Elections for Charities alternate with the more directly festive
business of the London Tavern. Each of the departments of so vast an
establishment has its special interest. We have glanced at its
dining-halls, and its turtle and wine cellars.[56] To detail its
kitchens and the management of its stores and supplies, and
consumption, would extend beyond our limit, so that we shall end by
remarking that upon no portion of our metropolis is more largely
enjoyed the luxury of doing good, and the observance of the rights and
duties of goodfellowship, than at the London Tavern.
FOOTNOTES:
[55] _Household Words_, 1852.
[56] The usual allowance at what is called a Turtle-Dinner, is 6 lb.
live weight per head. At the Spanish-Dinner, at the City of London
Tavern, in 1808, four hundred guests attended, and 2500lb. of turtle
were consumed.
For the Banquet at Guildhall, on Lord Mayor's Day, 250 tureens of
turtle are provided.
Turtle may be enjoyed in steaks, cutlets, or fins, and as soup, clear
and _purée_, at the Albion, London, and Freemasons', and other large
taverns. "The Ship and Turtle Tavern," Nos. 129 and 130,
Leadenhall-street, is especially famous for its turtle; and from this
establishment several of the West-end Club-houses are supplied.
THE CLARENDON HOTEL.
This sumptuous hotel, the reader need scarcely be informed, takes its
name from its being built upon a portion of the gardens of Clarendon
House gardens, between Albemarle and Bond streets, in each of which
the hotel has a frontage. The house was, for a short term, let to the
Earl of Chatham, for his town residence.
The Clarendon contains series of apartments, fitted for the reception
of princes and their suites, and for nobility. Here are likewise given
official banquets on the most costly scale.
Among the records of the house is the _menu_ of the dinner given to
Lord Chesterfield, on his quitting the office of Master of the
Buckhounds, at the Clarendon. The party consisted of thirty; the price
was six guineas a head; and the dinner was ordered by Count D'Orsay,
who stood almost without a rival amongst connoisseurs in this
department of art:--
"_Premier Service._
"_Potages._--Printanier: à la reine: _turtle_.
"_Poissons._--Turbot (_lobster and Dutch sauces_): saumon à
la Tartare: rougets à la cardinal: friture de morue:
_whitebait_.
"_Relevés._--Filet de boeuf à la Napolitaine: dindon à la
chipolata: timballe de macaroni: _haunch of venison_.
"_Entrées._--Croquettes de volaille: petits pâtés aux
huîtres: côtelettes d'agneau: purée de champignons:
côtelettes d'agneau aux points d'asperge: fricandeau de veau
à l'oseille: ris de veau piqué aux tomates: côtelettes de
pigeons à la Dusselle: chartreuse de légumes aux faisans:
filets de cannetons à la Bigarrade: boudins à la Richelieu:
sauté de volaille aux truffes: pâté de mouton monté.
"_Côté._--Boeuf rôti: jambon: salade.
"_Second Service._
"_Rôts._--Chapons, quails, turkey poults, _green goose_.
"_Entremets._--Asperges: haricot à la Française: mayonnaise
de homard: gelée Macédoine: aspics d'oeufs de pluvier:
Charlotte Russe: gelée au Marasquin: crême marbre: corbeille
de pâtisserie: vol-au-vent de rhubarb: tourte d'abricots:
corbeille des meringues: dressed crab: salade au
gélantine.--Champignons aux fines herbes.
"_Relevés._--Soufflé à la vanille: Nesselrode pudding:
Adelaide sandwiches: fondus. Pièces montées," etc.
The reader will not fail to observe how well the English
dishes,--turtle, whitebait, and venison,--relieve the French in this
dinner: and what a breadth, depth, solidity, and dignity they add to
it. Green goose, also, may rank as English, the goose being held in
little honour, with the exception of its liver, by the French; but we
think Comte D'Orsay did quite right in inserting it. The execution is
said to have been pretty nearly on a par with the conception, and the
whole entertainment was crowned with the most inspiriting success. The
price was not unusually large.[57]
FOOTNOTE:
[57] _The Art of Dining._ Murray, 1852.
FREEMASONS' TAVERN, GREAT QUEEN-STREET.
This well-appointed tavern, built by William Tyler, in 1786, and since
considerably enlarged, in addition to the usual appointments,
possesses the great advantage of Freemasons' Hall, wherein take place
some of our leading public festivals and anniversary dinners, the
latter mostly in May and June. Here was given the farewell dinner to
John Philip Kemble, upon his retirement from the stage, in 1817; the
public dinner, on his birthday, to James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd,
in 1832; Mollard, who has published an excellent _Art of Cookery_, was
many years _Maître d'Hôtel_, and proprietor of the Freemasons' Tavern.
In the Hall meet the Madrigal Society, the Melodists' and other
musical clubs: and the annual dinners of the Theatrical Fund, Artists'
Societies, and other public institutions, are given here.
Freemasons' Hall has obtained some notoriety as the arena in which
were delivered and acted the Addresses at the Anniversary Dinners of
the Literary Fund, upon whose eccentricities we find the following
amusing note in the latest edition of the _Rejected Addresses_:--
"The annotator's first personal knowledge of William Thomas
Fitzgerald, was at Harry Greville's Pic-Nic Theatre, in
Tottenham-street, where he personated Zanga in a wig too small for his
head. The second time of seeing him was at the table of old Lord
Dudley, who familiarly called him Fitz, but forgot to name him in his
will. The Viscount's son, however, liberally supplied the omission by
a donation of five thousand pounds. The third and last time of
encountering him was at an anniversary dinner of the Literary Fund, at
the Freemasons' Tavern. Both parties, as two of the stewards, met
their brethren in a small room about half-an-hour before dinner. The
lampooner, out of delicacy, kept aloof from the poet. The latter,
however, made up to him, when the following dialogue took place:
"Fitzgerald (with good humour). 'Mr. ----, I mean to recite after
dinner,'
"Mr. ----. 'Do you?'
"Fitzgerald. 'Yes: you'll have more of God bless the Regent and the
Duke of York!'
"The whole of this imitation, (one of the Rejected Addresses,) after a
lapse of twenty years, appears to the authors too personal and
sarcastic; but they may shelter themselves under a very broad
mantle:--
"Let hoarse Fitzgerald bawl
His creaking couplets in a tavern-hall."--_Byron._
"Fitzgerald actually sent in an address to the Committee on the 31st
of August, 1812. It was published among the other _Genuine Rejected
Addresses_, in one volume, in that year. The following is an
extract:--
"The troubled shade of Garrick, hovering near,
Dropt on the burning pile a pitying tear."
"What a pity that, like Sterne's recording angel, it did not succeed
in blotting the fire out for ever! That falling, why not adopt
Gulliver's remedy?"
Upon the "Rejected," the _Edinburgh Review_ notes:--"The first piece,
under the name of the loyal Mr. Fitzgerald, though as good we suppose
as the original, is not very interesting. Whether it be very like Mr.
Fitzgerald or not, however, it must be allowed that the vulgarity,
servility, and gross absurdity of the newspaper scribblers is well
rendered."
THE ALBION, ALDERSGATE-STREET.
This extensive establishment has long been famed for its good dinners,
and its excellent wines. Here take place the majority of the banquets
of the Corporation of London, the Sheriffs' Inauguration Dinners, as
well as those of Civic Companies and Committees, and such festivals,
public and private, as are usually held at taverns of the highest
class.
The farewell Dinners given by the East India Company to the
Governors-General of India, usually take place at the Albion. "Here
likewise (after dinner) the annual trade sales of the principal London
publishers take place," revivifying the olden printing and book
glories of Aldersgate and Little Britain.
The _cuisine_ of the Albion has long been celebrated for its
_recherché_ character. Among the traditions of the tavern it is told
that a dinner was once given here, under the auspices of the
_gourmand_ Alderman Sir William Curtis, which cost the party between
thirty and forty pounds apiece. It might well have cost twice as much,
for amongst other acts of extravagance, they dispatched a special
messenger to Westphalia to choose a ham. There is likewise told a bet
as to the comparative merits of the Albion and York House (Bath)
dinners, which was to have been formally decided by a dinner of
unparalleled munificence, and nearly equal cost at each; but it became
a drawn bet, the Albion beating in the first course, and the York
House in the second. Still, these are reminiscences on which, we
frankly own, no great reliance is to be placed.
Lord Southampton once gave a dinner at the Albion, at ten guineas a
head; and the ordinary price for the best dinner at this house
(including wine) is three guineas.[58]
FOOTNOTE:
[58] _The Art of Dining._--Murray, 1852.
ST. JAMES'S HALL.
This new building which is externally concealed by houses, except the
fronts, in Piccadilly and Regent-street, consists of a greater Hall
and two minor Halls, which are let for Concerts, Lectures, etc., and
also form part of the Tavern establishment, two of the Halls being
used as public dining-rooms. The principal Hall, larger than St.
Martin's, but smaller than Exeter Hall, is 140 feet long, 60 feet
wide, and 60 feet high. At one end is a semicircular recess, in which
stands the large organ. The noble room has been decorated by Mr. Owen
Jones with singularly light, rich, and festive effect: the grand
feature being the roof, which is blue and white, red and gold, in
Alhambresque patterns. The lighting is quite novel, and consists of
gas-stars, depending from the roof, which thus appears spangled.
The superb decoration and effective lighting, render this a truly
festive Hall, with abundant space to set off the banquet displays. The
first Public Dinner was given here on June 2, 1858, when Mr. Robert
Stephenson, the eminent engineer, presided, and a silver salver and
claret-jug, with a sum of money--altogether in value 2678_l._--were
presented to Mr. F. Petit Smith, in recognition of his bringing into
general use the System of Screw Propulsion; the testimonial being
purchased by 138 subscribers, chiefly eminent naval officers,
ship-builders, ship-owners, and men of science.
In the following month, (20th of July,) a banquet was given here to
Mr. Charles Kean, F.S.A., in testimony of his having exalted the
English theatre--of his public merits and private virtues. The Duke of
Newcastle presided: there was a brilliant presence of guests, and
nearly four hundred ladies were in the galleries. Subsequently, in the
Hall was presented to Mr. Kean the magnificent service of plate,
purchased by public subscription.
The success of these intellectual banquets proved a most auspicious
inauguration of St. James's Hall for--
"The feast of reason and the flow of soul."
THEATRICAL TAVERNS.
Among these establishments, the Eagle, in the City-road, deserves
mention. It occupies the site of the Shepherd and Shepherdess, a
tavern and tea-garden of some seventy-five years since. To the Eagle
is annexed a large theatre.
Sadler's Wells was, at one period, a tavern theatre, where the
audience took their wine while they sat and witnessed the
performances.
APPENDIX.
BEEFSTEAK SOCIETY.
(Vol. I. page 149.)
We find in Smith's _Book for a Rainy Day_ the following record
respecting the Beefsteak Society, or, as he calls it, in an unorthodox
way, Club:--
"Mr. John Nixon, of Basinghall-street, gave me the following
information. Mr. Nixon, as Secretary, had possession of the original
book. Lambert's Club was first held in Covent Garden theatre [other
accounts state, in the Lincoln's-Inn-Fields theatre,] in the upper
room called the 'Thunder and Lightning;' then in one even with the
two-shilling gallery; next in an apartment even with the boxes; and
afterwards in a lower room, where they remained until the fire. After
that time, Mr. Harris insisted upon it, as the playhouse was a new
building, that the Club should not be held there. They then went to
the Bedford Coffee-house, next-door. Upon the ceiling of the
dining-room they placed Lambert's original gridiron, which had been
saved from the fire. They had a kitchen, a cook, a wine-cellar, etc.,
entirely independent of the Bedford Hotel.
"There was also a Society held at Robins's room, called 'The Ad
Libitum,' of which Mr. Nixon had the books; but it was a totally
different Society, quite unconnected with the Beefsteak Club."
WHITE'S CLUB.
(Vol. I. page 121.)
The following humorous Address was supposed to have been written by
Colonel Lyttelton, brother to Sir George Lyttelton, in 1752, on His
Majesty's return from Hanover, when numberless Addresses were
presented. White's was then a Chocolate-house, near St. James's
Palace, and was the famous gaming-house, where most of the nobility
had meetings and a Society:--
"_The Gamesters' Address to the King._
"Most Righteous Sovereign,
"May it please your Majesty, we, the Lords, Knights, etc.,
of the Society of White's, beg leave to throw ourselves at
your Majesty's feet (our honours and consciences lying under
the _table_, and our fortunes being ever at stake), and
congratulate your Majesty's happy return to these kingdoms
which assemble us together, to the great advantage of some,
the ruin of others, and the unspeakable satisfaction of all,
both us, our wives, and children. We beg leave to
acknowledge your Majesty's great goodness and lenity, in
allowing us to break those laws, which we ourselves have
made, and you have sanctified and confirmed: while your
Majesty alone religiously observes and regards them. And we
beg leave to assure your Majesty of our most unfeigned
loyalty and attachment to your sacred person; and that next
to the Kings of Diamonds, Clubs, Spades, and Hearts, we
love, honour, and adore you."
To which His Majesty was pleased to return this most gracious
answer:--
"My Lords and Gentlemen,
"I return you my thanks for your loyal address; but while I
have such rivals in your affection, as you tell me of, I can
neither think it worth preserving or regarding. I look upon
you yourselves as a _pack_ of _cards_, and shall _deal_ with
you accordingly."--_Cole's MSS._ vol. xxxi. p. 171,--in the
British Museum.
In _Richardsoniana_ we read: "Very often the taste of running
perpetually after diversions is not a mark of any pleasure taken in
them, but of none taken in ourselves. This sallying abroad is only
from uneasiness at home, which is in every one's self. Like a
gentleman who overlooking them at White's at piquet, till three or
four in the morning: on a dispute they referred to him; when he
protested he knew nothing of the game; 'Zounds,' say they, 'and sit
here till this time?'--'Gentlemen, I'm married!'--'Oh! Sir, we beg
pardon.'"
THE ROYAL ACADEMY CLUB.
This Club consisted exclusively of Members of the Royal Academy.
Nollekens, the sculptor, for many years, made one at the table; and so
strongly was he bent upon saving all he could privately conceal, that
he did not mind paying two guineas a year for his admission-ticket, in
order to indulge himself with a few nutmegs, which he contrived to
pocket privately; for as red-wine negus was the principal beverage,
nutmegs were used. Now, it generally happened, if another bowl was
wanted, that the nutmegs were missing. Nollekens, who had frequently
been seen to pocket them, was one day requested by Rossi the sculptor,
to see if they had not fallen under the table; upon which Nollekens
actually went crawling beneath, upon his hands and knees, pretending
to look for them, though at that very time they were in his
waistcoat-pocket. He was so old a stager at this monopoly of nutmegs,
that he would sometimes engage the maker of the negus in conversation,
looking him full in the face, whilst he, slyly and unobserved, as he
thought, conveyed away the spice; like the fellow who is stealing the
bank-note from the blind man, in Hogarth's admirable print of the
Royal Cockpit.--_Smith's Nollekens and his Times_, vol. i. p. 225.
DESTRUCTION OF TAVERNS BY FIRE.