At the great fire of London, nearly all the churches and records were
consumed, wherefore scarcely any registers are to be found in the city
of an earlier date than the above period. In searching the muniments
preserved in St. Bride's Church, Fleet-street, for a history of that
parish, Mr. Elmes, the architect, discovered a few days since, that,
although the church was destroyed, the records were left uninjured. He
has accordingly brought to light a series of vestry books from 1653,
embracing regular accounts and entries of the calamitous fire, and the
proceedings of the parish authorities during that eventful period,
till the re-opening of the church for public worship; together with
register books of baptisms, burials, &c. from 1587, nearly eighty
years before the fire, continued without interruption to the present
day. One of them is a complete record of every meeting of the
Committee for rebuilding the present splendid church, from its
commencement to its completion, containing many curious items relative
to contracts with the workmen, their prices, &c.; meetings with Sir
Christopher Wren, Mr. Hooke, and other eminent persons, and the
arrangement entered into for accommodating the parishioners with
pews and seats after the completion of the church. There are also
adjudications of property, settlements of boundaries, and many other
interesting documents of that eventful period.
From the _Globe_ journal.--(Mr. Elmes will be recollected as the author
of a valuable Life of Sir Christopher Wren, published a few years since
in quarto, and of several practical works on architecture. We are happy
to learn that a kindred enthusiasm to that shown in this great
biographical labour, has led him to undertake the history of one of the
proudest monuments of Wren's genius--the church of St. Bride. Mr. Elmes
may therefore be considered peculiarly fortunate in his discovery of
these relics, and his work will be looked for with additional
curiosity.)
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