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."
Adjoining are the Citizen Steamboat Company's Works and Dock, whose
steamboats leave Battersea to London Bridge and intervening piers every
ten minutes from 8 a.m. till dark. Entrance: Bridge Road. Manager: Mr.
M. Williams.
Situated in Wellington Road is A. Ransome & Co.'s Battersea Foundry.
S. Williams' Barge Works, Albert Road.
[Illustration]
ORLANDO JONES & CO.'S STARCH WORKS.--Oryza is the name by which rice
was known to the Greeks and Romans and which has been adopted by
botanists as the generic name of the plant yielding that valuable
grain. The name _Paddy_ is applied to the rice in the natural state, or
before being separated from the husk. The genua Oryza has two glumes
to a single flower; paleae two, nearly equal, adhering to the seed;
stamens six, and styles two. The common rice _Oryza Sativa_ unlike
many cultivated grams is still found in a wild state in and about the
borders of lakes in the Rajahmundy Circare though the grain in its
wild state is white, palatable and considered wholesome the produce
when compared with the varieties of cultivation is very small. The
rice plant is described as a native of India from which country it has
spread over a great part of the world especially in Asia where it forms
the principal portion of the food of the inhabitants. A failure of the
rice crop is most disastrous as has been experienced too painfully by
the natives of India during the late famine in that region. "A rice
field produces a much greater quantity of food than the most fertile
corn fields. Two crops in the year, from thirty to sixty bushels
each, are said to be the ordinary produce of an acre." Rice is now
extensively cultivated in North and South Carolina, and in Georgia,
also in Italy and the South of Spain and likewise a little in Germany.
There are forty or fifty varieties of rice. Dr. Roxburgh divides them
into two kinds. One called in Telinga, Poonas Sans; the second division
of cultivated rice is called Pedder Worloo by the Telingas.
Rice Starch is principally used for laundry purposes it will be found
distinguished from all others by its singular purity and brightness of
color. It will not stick to the iron in the slightest degree. It may
be used with hot or cold water, and articles starched with it do not
lose their stiffness in damp weather. A few of the principal sources of
the various known starches are sago, arrowroot, yams, the manioc-root
and horse chesnuts in addition to those resorted to by manufacturers,
viz.: wheat, potato, maize and rice, the latter being a great novelty
and illustrating more than any other the progress of chemical science.
Wheat starch is the oldest known. It is alluded to by Pliny in the
'Natural History,' and the discovery of the method of its extraction
is attributed by him to the inhabitants of the Island of Chios. The
starches used three centuries ago, when such enormous ruffles and
frills were in fashion were made from wheat; in fact down to modern
times it was the only known source of starch. Owing to a scarcity of
wheat at the commencement of the present century the use of wheat for
the manufacture of starch was prohibited by a legislative enactment.
The restrictions thus imposed were considered most oppressive, no
one could manufacture starch without a licence and a tenement rent
was exacted. The details of manufacture were subject to Government
regulations and a duty of 3¼d. per pound was levied, amounting to more
than 75 per cent. of the present market value of the article. These
hindrances to the extension of the manufacture were wisely removed
by our Legislature in the year 1833. Starch is one of the principal
constituents of vegetable substance. It is stored up in the seeds,
roots and piths of plants and by its decomposition furnishes the
materials for keeping up respiration and supplying the animal heat. It
has an organised structure and when examined by the microscope presents
the form of rounded grains or granules composed of concentric layers
which differ in size and shape in the starch of different plants the
granules varying in diameter from 1000th to 300th of an inch. However
the composition is the same, consisting of seventy-two parts of
carbon and eighty-one of water. "In its pure state starch is a fine
white powder without taste or smell. It is not soluble in water or
alcohol, or ether, but mixed with boiling water it swells, bursts, and
forms a kind of mucilage, which cools into a semi-transparent paste or
jelly." The process of manufacturing starch from rice was discovered
and patented about the year 1840 by Mr. Orlando Jones, founder of the
house of the same name. His invention consists in the treatment of
rice by a caustic alkaline solution during the steeping, grinding and
macerating of the grains. The alkali used is either caustic potash or
soda, of such a strength as to dissolve the gluten without destroying
the starch; it must consequently vary with the character of the grain
and hence the utmost nicety is required. The Battersea Works of Orlando
Jones & Co. were built in 1848, the firm having previously carried on
their manufacture in Whitechapel, they are situated on the banks of
the Thames near the works of Price's Patent Candle Company, and occupy
ground extending from the river to York Road; thus the firm possesses
facilities of conveyance both by land and water--this latter is
particularly valuable to them to enable them to save all dock, landing
and warehousing charges. A large new store has been recently built on
their wharf to which rice is barged direct from the ship. From the
wharf also the manufactured article itself is conveyed to the docks for
shipment to the Continent and our Colonies, with which a large trade is
carried on. As an illustration of the extent of Orlando Jones & Co.'s
operations it may be added that the box making department is a little
factory in itself, and the machinery employed for the various purposes
of sawing, dusting, cleaning, lighting, pumping, stirring, and grinding
is driven by steam engines. It will be obvious that the manufacture
of rice starch on a large scale requires no little capital and skill,
and takes high rank among those industrial enterprises which are so
peculiarly the characteristic and the glory of our age and country.
Messrs. Orlando Jones & Co's manufacture has been awarded nine prize
medals at International Exhibitions, and the grand distinction of
the gold medal of the Académie Nationale of Paris. These medals have
been awarded 'for introduction of the process,' 'for excellence of
manufacture' and 'for large production.'
It is worthy of note that Messrs. Orlando Jones & Co. are the
manufacturers of Chapman's Patent Prepared Entire Wheat flour
especially distinguished by its richness in earthly phosphates which
are essential to the development of bones and teeth. This farinaceous
food for infants, children and invalids is much recommended by the
medical faculty.
Battersea is becoming quite noted for Laundries. There is Strutt's
(Lawn) Laundry, Orkney Street; Royal Albert Laundry, Battersea Park
Road; Laundry, Sheepcote House; Latchmere Laundry; Alder's South
Western Laundry, Surrey Lane; Lombard Road Laundry; Palmer's Laundry,
Chatham Road, Wandsworth Common; and many others.
But one of the largest and most gigantic of Laundries is the Colossal
Steam Laundry, belonging to Messrs. Spiers & Pond, erected 1879.
The Laundry is situated on the North side of Battersea Park Road,
it is constructed of yellow brick, with stone window-sills, and
Beart's white-moulded brick for string courses, window jambs, arches,
and cornices. The Building and Works are from designs by Mr. Kemp,
Architectural Engineer. Mr. Priddle of Hounslow was the Contractor; and
Mr. Warburton, Clerk of the Works, under whose superintendence the work
was carried out.