account of the origin of this hamlet. The banks of the river Thames,
says he, were frequently damaged by the inundations of that river,
particularly about the year 1561, when several breaches were made
therein, and these were no sooner repaired, than another happened in
1571, when the commissioners of sewers, after viewing the place, were
of opinion, that the most effectual way to secure the bank of the river
in those parts, would be to erect houses thereon, upon which the first
foundation of the houses of Wapping was laid.
The most remarkable things in this district are St. John’s church, a
Presbyterian, Quakers, and French meeting houses; a work-house for
the reception of the poor, and two charity schools; one square, a
yard for ship-building, and eight pair of stairs or steps to go down
to and return from the river, two of which are denominated docks, the
one being called Bell-dock, and the other Execution-dock, this is the
common place of execution for pirates, who are here hung on a gallows
which projects over the river.
WAPPING DOCK _stairs_, Wapping.
WAPPING DOCK _street_, Wapping,
WAPPING _New-stairs_, Wapping.
WAPPING _Old-stairs_, at Wapping.
WAPPING _street_, Hermitage.
WAPPING _wall_, Shadwell.
WAR OFFICE, at Whitehall. This office is under the government of the
secretary at war, who has under him a deputy secretary, a first clerk,
and twelve other clerks.
WARDENS _court_, Clerkenwell-close.
WARDS, certain districts into which the city and its liberties are
divided, each being under the government of an Alderman and his deputy,
and represented by several common councilmen.
Maitland supposes that the first division of this city into wards was
not merely on account of government, as at present; but that London,
like the other cities and towns in this kingdom, was anciently held of
the Saxon Kings and nobility in demesne, and their several properties
therein being so many sokes or liberties, were under the immediate
dominion of their respective Lords, who were the governors or wardens
thereof, and from thence arose the Saxon appellation ward, which
signifies a quarter or district. This opinion, he adds, is not only
corroborated by the wards of Baynard’s Castle, Faringdon, Coleman
street, and Basinghall, or Bassishaw’s, still retaining the names of
their ancient proprietors, but also by the other wards of the city
being alienable, and the purchasers becoming the proprietors thereof,
with the additional epithet of Aldermen.
What the number of wards in this city at first was, does not appear
upon record; however, by the first account we have of them in the year
1284, we find that they were then twenty-four; but in 1393, Faringdon
being much increased in the number of its houses and inhabitants,
was divided by parliament into the inward and outward wards, whereby
the number was augmented to twenty-five; and in 1550, the citizens
having purchased the borough of Southwark of King Edward VI. with the
privileges belonging to it, they erected that into a twenty-sixth
ward: but the power granted them by charter, not proving sufficient
to support their title to it, by excluding the justices of peace for
the county of Surry from interfering in the government, it became only
a nominal ward: it, however, serves to dignify the senior Alderman,
called _The father of the city_, who generally, by his great age, is
rendered unable to undergo the fatigue of business, and has therefore
this ward, in which there is no business to be done.
The wards into which the city is divided were originally known by
other names, though they have long been called by those by which
they are at present distinguished. These are, Aldersgate, Aldgate,
Bassishaw, Billingsgate, Bishopsgate, Bread street, Bridge ward within,
Bridge ward without, Broad street, Candlewick, Castle Baynard, Cheap,
Cordwainer, Coleman street, Cornhill, Cripplegate, Dowgate, Faringdon
within, Faringdon without, Langbourn, Lime street, Queenhithe,
Portsoken, Tower street, Vintry and Walbrook, of each of which we have
given a particular account under the several articles. ALDERSGATE WARD,
ALDGATE WARD, BASSISHAW WARD, _&c._
Every one of these wards is like a little free state under the
government of its own Alderman and his deputy, who is always one of the
common council, and is at the same time subject to the Lord Mayor as
chief magistrate of the city. The housekeepers of each ward elect their
representatives the common council, who join in making by-laws for the
government of the city; and each ward has a number of officers and
servants, who are solely employed in the business of their respective
districts. Of these there are in the several wards, 26 Aldermen, 236
common councilmen, 241 constables, 423 inquestmen, 218 scavengers,
who employ rakers to clean the streets, at the expence of 3466_l._
19_s._ _per annum_; 32 beadles, 672 watch-men, to prevent robberies by
night, and 4800 lamps, to illuminate the streets, all maintained at
the expence of the wards in which they are placed. In short each ward
manages the affairs belonging to it, without the assistance of the
rest, and each has a court for the management of its affairs, called a
court of wardmote.
_Court of_ WARDMOTE, is thus denominated from the words Ward and Mote,
that is, the Ward-court. It is constituted for transacting the business
of the ward, for which purpose the Lord Mayor annually issues a precept
to the several Aldermen, to hold a court of wardmote on St. Thomas’s
day.
WARDOURS _street_, Oxford street.
WARDROBE, or the King’s great wardrobe, in Scotland-yard. This office
in ancient times was usually kept near Puddle-wharf, Great Carter lane,
in an house built by Sir John Beauchamp, son to Guy de Beauchamp, Earl
of Warwick, and afterwards sold to King Edward III.
The master of this office is an officer of great antiquity and dignity.
High privileges and immunities were conferred on him by Henry VI. which
were confirmed by his successors, and King James I. not only enlarged
them, but ordained that this office should be a corporation, or body
politic, for ever.
This office provides robes for the coronations, marriages, and funerals
of the Royal Family; furnishes the court with hangings, cloths of
state, carpets, beds, and other necessaries; furnishes houses for
Embassadors at their first arrival; cloths of state, and other
furniture for the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and all his Majesty’s
Embassadors abroad; provides all robes for foreign Knights of the
garter, robes for the Knights of the garter at home, with robes and
all other furniture for the officers of the garter; coats for kings,
heralds, and pursuivants at arms; robes for the Lords of the Treasury,
and Chancellor of the Exchequer, _&c._ livery for the Lord Chamberlain,
Grooms of his Majesty’s privy-chamber, officers of his Majesty’s robes;
for the two Chief Justices, for all the Barons of the Exchequer, and
several officers in those courts; all liveries for his Majesty’s
servants, as yeomen of the guard, and wardens of the Tower, trumpeters,
kettle-drummers, drummers and fifes; the messengers, and all belonging
to the stables, as coachmen, footmen, littermen, postillions and
grooms, _&c._ all the King’s coaches, chariots, harnesses, saddles,
bits, bridles, _&c._ the King’s watermen, game-keepers, _&c._ as also
furniture for the royal yachts, and all rich embroidered tilts, and
other furniture for the barges. _Chamberlain’s present state._
Besides the master or keeper of the wardrobe, who has a salary of 800
_l._ a year; and his deputy, who has 200_l._ there are a comptroller
and a patent clerk, each of whom has 300_l._ a year, two under clerks
and a clerk of the robes and wardrobes; besides many tradesmen and
artificers, to the number of about sixty, who are all sworn servants to
the King.
Besides the great wardrobe, there is a removing wardrobe, to which
there belong a yeoman, who has 230_l._ _per annum_; two grooms, who
have 130_l._ a year each, and two pages, each of whom has 100_l._ _per
annum_.
There are likewise standing wardrobe-keepers at St. James’s,
Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, Kensington, and Somerset house.
WARDROBE _court_, Great Carter lane, so called from the above wardrobe
formerly situated there. See the foregoing article.
WARD’S _court_, Goswell street.†
WARE, a town in Hertfordshire, situated on the river Lea, twenty-two
miles from London. As this town lies low, and upon a level with the
river, it was drowned in the year 1408, by floods from the neighbouring
park and other uplands; and sluices and wears being made in its river
to preserve it from the like inundations, Camden supposes, that it from
thence acquired the name of Ware.
The plenty of water about this town gave rise to that admirable
project of cutting a channel from hence, for conveying the New River
to London. Here is a very considerable market for corn, and so great
is the malt trade here, and in the neighbourhood, that 5000 quarters
of malt and other corn are frequently sent in a week to London, by
the barges, which return with coals. Here is a school for the younger
children of Christ’s hospital in London, a charity school, and six or
seven almshouses; and at the crown inn is a great bed much visited by
travellers, it being twelve feet square, and is said to hold twenty
people.
The heir of the late Thomas Byde, Esq; Lord of the manor, has a house
pleasantly situated in the park, with an ascent on every side: and
among other improvements, is a vineyard, and a canal cut from the Rib,
which turns that stream along the south side of the park.
WAREHOUSE _yard_, 1. Bridge yard: 2. Mincing lane, Fenchurch street.
WARNER’S _square_, Wapping.†
WARNER’S _street_, Coldbath fields.†
WARNER’S _yard_, Mincing lane, Fenchurch street.†
WARNFORD _court_, Throgmorton street, Lothbury.†
WARWICK _court_, 1. Berry street: 2. High Holbourn: 3. Warwick lane.
See the next article: 4. Warwick street Charing cross.
WARWICK _lane_, extends from Newgate street to the end of Paternoster
row, near Amen corner, and obtained its name, from there being formerly
here in Warwick court, the city mansion of the Earls of Warwick.
_Maitland._ This lane is now famous for its containing the College of
Physicians.
WARWICK _street_, 1. Charing cross: 2. Cockspur street, Pallmall: 3.
near Golden square: 4. Mary le Bonne.
WARWICK’S _wharf_, near the Strand.†
WASHERMAID’S _alley_. Five Feet lane.
WASHER’S _yard_, White’s yard, Rosemary lane.
WATCH-HOUSE _bridge yard_, Old Horselydown lane.
WATER BAILIFF, one of the great officers of the city, whose business
is to prevent all encroachments on the river Thames; to look after the
fishermen for the preservation of the young fry, and to prevent their
being destroyed by the use of unlawful nets. For this purpose there
are juries in each county, bordering on the river, summoned by the
water bailiff to make enquiry of all offences relating to the river and
the fish; and to make their presentments accordingly. See the article
THAMES.
The water bailiff, has apartments in Cripplegate, and is obliged, on
set days in the week to attend the Lord Mayor. _Maitland._
WATERCOCK _alley_, East Smithfield.
WATERGRUEL _row_, Hackney.
WATERHOUSE _lane_, Lower Shadwell.
WATERHOUSE _wharf_, London Bridge.
WATER _lane_, 1. Black Friars: 2. Fleet street: 3. Mill street: 4.
Tower street. All these lanes lead to the Thames.
WATERMAN’S _alley_, New street, St. Thomas’s.
WATERMAN’S _court_, Pepper alley, near the south end of London Bridge.
WATERMAN’S _lane_, White Friars.
WATERMEN, a company under the power and command of the Lord Mayor. For
the regulation of this fraternity several statutes have been made,
particularly on the second and third of Philip and Mary, when it was
enacted, among other things, that at the first court of Aldermen in
London, next after the first of March, eight overseers should be chosen
out of the watermen between Gravesend and Windsor, to keep order among
the rest.
That the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and the justices of peace
within the counties adjoining to the river Thames, upon complaint of
any two of the overseers, or of any waterman’s master, have power, not
only to hear and determene any offence committed against this act; but
to enlarge any watermen unjustly confined by those overseers; but also
to punish the overseers themselves, in case they make an ill use of
their power.
That the court of Aldermen should assess the fares of watermen, which
being subscribed by two at least of the privy council, should be set up
in Guildhall and Westminster Hall, _&c._ and the waterman that takes
more than according to the fare so assessed, shall, for every such
offence, suffer half a year’s imprisonment, and forfeit 40_s._
That any waterman withdrawing himself in time of pressing, shall suffer
a fortnight’s imprisonment, and be prohibited rowing any more on the
Thames for a year and a day.
Other regulations were made in the succeeding reigns, particularly
in that of William III. when for the better ordering and governing
the watermen, wherrymen and lightermen, on the river Thames, it was
enacted, that every lighterman, or owner, keeper, or worker of any
lighter, or other large craft on the Thames between Gravesend and
Windsor, shall be taken to be of the society, or company of wherrymen,
watermen and lightermen, who by this act are made a society, or company
under the direction of the court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen of this
city; who are thereby impowered annually to appoint eight persons of
the best character among the watermen, and three persons out of twelve
annually nominated by the lightermen; which eleven persons are to be
stiled, the overseers and rulers of all the wherrymen, watermen, and
lightermen, that shall use or exercise any rowing upon the river of
Thames between Gravesend and Windsor; in order to keep good order among
the watermen and lightermen.
By this act the rulers and assistants of the company are likewise
enabled annually on the first of June, to appoint and direct the
watermen of the principal towns, stairs, and plying places between
Gravesend and Windsor; and to chuse a free waterman who is a
housekeeper, for each of the said places, to be of their assistants,
so that they do not exceed the number of sixty, nor be less than that
of forty; to which shall be added nine lightermen, who together shall
compose the number of assistants of the said company.
These overseers are by the above act impowered to appoint any number
of watermen not exceeding forty, to ply and work on Sundays between
Vauxhall and Limehouse, at such stairs and plying places, being
seventeen in number, besides the two at Westminster, for carrying
passengers across the river Thames, for one penny each: the money
arising thereby, which annually amounts to about 1450_l._ including
those at Westminster, is by each of the working watermen to be paid
every Monday morning, to the order of the said rulers; who, after
having paid those watermen their proper wages, the surplus is to
be applied to the use of the poor of the company. The watermen of
Westminster being however exempt from the immediate direction of the
watermens company in this affair, they annually appoint their own
watermen to ply and work on Sundays, for carrying passengers across
the Thames, from and to Westminster bridge and Stangate, and the
horse-ferry at Lambeth; which money is applied to the use of the poor
watermen, or their widows, of St. Margaret’s parish.
It is also declared in the said act, that if the Lord High Admiral, or
the Commissioners of the Admiralty, shall at any time give notice to
the watermens company, that there is occasion for a certain number of
that company to serve on board the royal navy; then all such persons
as shall be duly summoned for that purpose, and shall not appear
before the overseers and rulers of that company, shall not only suffer
imprisonment for one month; but be rendered incapable of enjoying any
privilege belonging to the company for two years.
In the year 1701, an order was made by the court of rulers, auditors
and assistants of the company of watermen and lightermen of the river
Thames, observing, that several watermen and their apprentices, while
they are rowing upon that river, or at their plying places between
Gravesend and Windsor often use immodest, obscene, and lewd expressions
towards passengers, and to each other, that are offensive to all sober
persons, and tend to the corruption of youth, it is ordained, that any
waterman, or lighterman, after the sixteenth of October 1701, convicted
of using such expressions, shall forfeit 2_s._ 6_d._ for every such
offence, and if any waterman or lighterman’s apprentice shall offend
in the same manner, his master or mistress shall on his conviction,
forfeit the like sum; or in case of their refusal, the offender shall
suffer such correction as the rulers of this company shall think fit
and necessary. And that the forfeitures, when paid, shall be applied to
the use of the poor, aged, decayed, and maimed members of the company,
their widows and children.
By the constitutions of this company, all boats and barges belonging to
the several members thereof are obliged to be numbered and entered in
the company’s register; and to prevent the citizens from being imposed
upon, the following table of rates have been appointed by the court of
Lord Mayor and Aldermen to be taken by the respective watermen rowing
upon the river Thames, between Gravesend and Windsor.
_Rates of Watermen plying upon the river Thames, either with oars, or
skullers._
Oars. | Skul.
s. d. | s. d.
From London Bridge to Limehouse, } |
New Crane, Shadwell dock, } |
Bell wharf, Ratcliff cross } 1 0 | 0 6
From London Bridge to Wapping } |
dock, Wapping Old } |
and New-stairs, the Hermitage, } |
or Rotherhithe Church stairs } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From St. Olave’s to Rotherhithe } |
Church stairs, and Rotherhithe } |
stairs } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From Billingsgate and St. Olave’s } 0 6 | 0 3
to St. Saviour’s mill } |
|
From any stairs between London } |
bridge and Westminster } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From either side above London } |
bridge to Lambeth, or Vauxhall } 1 0 | 0 6
From Whitehall to Lambeth, } |
or Vauxhall } 0 6 | 0 3
|
From the Temple, Dorset-stairs, } |
Black Friars stairs, or } |
Paul’s wharf, to Lambeth } 0 8 | 0 4
|
Over the water directly, from } |
any place between Vauxhall } |
and Limehouse } 0 4 | 0 2
_Rates of oars up and down the river, as well for the whole fare as
company._
Up the River.
Fare. | Comp.
To Chelsea, Battersea, and } |
Wandsworth } 1 6 | 0 3
|
To Putney, Fulham, or Barnelms } 2 0 | 0 4
|
To Hammersmith, Chiswick, } |
or Mortlack } 2 6 | 0 6
|
To Brentford, Isleworth, or } |
Richmond } 3 6 | 0 6
|
To Twickenham 4 0 | 0 6
|
To Kingston 5 0 | 0 9
|
To Hampton Court 6 0 | 1 0
|
To Hampton Town, Sunbury, } |
or Walton } 7 0 | 1 0
|
To Weybridge, and Chertsey 10 0 | 1 0
|
To Stanes 12 0 | 1 0
|
To Windsor 14 0 | 1 0
Down the River.
Fare. | Comp.
s. d. | s. d.
|
From London to Gravesend 4 6 | 0 9
To Grays, or Greenhithe 4 0 | 0 8
To Purfleet, or Erith 3 0 | 0 6
To Woolwich 2 6 | 0 4
To Blackwall 2 0 | 0 4
To Greenwich, or Deptford 1 6 | 0 3
_Rates of carrying goods in the tilt-boat from London to Gravesend._
l. s. d.
For every single person in the }
ordinary passage } 0 0 9
For a hogshead 0 2 0
For a whole firkin 0 0 2
For half a firkin 0 0 1
One hundred weight 0 0 4
One sack of corn, salt, _&c._ 0 0 6
An ordinary chest, or trunk 0 0 6
An ordinary hamper 0 0 6
The hire of the whole tilt-boat 1 2 6
Any waterman who takes more than the above rates is liable to forfeit
40_s._ and to suffer half a year’s imprisonment, and if he sets up a
sail between Lambeth and London Bridge, upon complaint being made, as
hereafter mentioned, forfeits 5_s._
However any person going by water, need not make any bargain with the
waterman, but only let him know at what stairs he is to land him; then
paying him according to the foregoing rates, if he refuses to accept
the money, the best way is to offer him more money than he demands, and
to charge him not to take more than his due: But be sure to remember
the number of your waterman’s boat; for if he has taken more than his
fare, and you have a mind to correct him for imposing upon you, you may
go to Watermens hall, by the Old Swan-stairs, and acquaint the clerk
with your business (giving him at the same time the number of the boat)
who will summon the waterman to the hall, to answer to your complaint:
And if he is found to have acted against the prescribed rules, he will
be punished according to the nature of his crime, whether it relates to
exaction, sauciness, or other misbehaviour towards you.
It is proper to add, that to prevent the losing the lives of persons
passing on the river, it is enacted in a statute of the 10th of George
II. that no tilt-boat, row-barge, or wherry, take at one time more than
thirty-seven passengers, and three more by the way; nor in any other
boat or wherry more than eight, and two more by the way; nor in any
ferry-boat or wherry, allowed to work on Sundays, any more than eight
passengers, on pain of forfeiting for the first offence 5_l._ for the
second offence 10_l._ and for the third offence to be disfranchised
for twelve months from working on the river, and from enjoying the
privileges of the company: And in case any person shall be drowned,
where a greater number of passengers is taken in than is allowed, the
watermen shall be deemed guilty of felony, and transported as felons.
By the same statute it is also enacted, that every tilt-boat shall be
of the burthen of fifteen tons, and any other boat or wherry three
tons; and that no Gravesend boats or wherries with close decks or bails
nailed down, and not moveable, be navigated, tilt-boats only excepted,
on the penalty of 10_l._
Any watermen or wherrymen who wilfully or negligently lose their tide
from Billingsgate to Gravesend, or from thence to Billingsgate, by
putting ashore for other passengers, or by waiting or loitering by
the way, so that the first passengers shall be set on shore two miles
short of the place to which they are bound; such passengers shall be
discharged from paying any thing for their passage.
The rulers of the watermens company are to appoint two or more
officers to attend, one at Billingsgate, at every time of high-water
at London Bridge, and the other at Gravesend at the first of flood;
who shall publicly ring a bell for fifteen minutes, to give notice
to the tilt-boats and wherries to put off. And if such wherrymen,
_&c._ do not immediately put off on ringing the said bell; and do not
effectually proceed on their voyage, but put on shore within two miles
of Billingsgate or Gravesend, as the case may be; or if such boats are
not navigated by two sufficient men, the youngest to be eighteen years
old at least; in every such case the owners of such boats shall forfeit
5_l._ to be levied on the boats or goods of the owners of such boats.
And if the company of watermen neglect setting up the said bells, and
appointing proper persons to ring them, they shall forfeit 50_l._ as
shall such persons appointed to ring the said bells, forfeit 40_l._ for
every neglect.
WATERMEN’S HALL near London Bridge, a handsome brick building situated
with its front towards the Thames.
WATERSIDE _row_, Upper Ground street.
WATER _street_, 1. Arundel street: 2. Black Friars: 3. Bridewell
Precinct.
WATFORD, a market town in Hertfordshire on the east side of Cashiobury,
and seventeen miles from London, is situated upon the Colne, where
it has two streams that run separately to Rickmansworth. The town is
very long but consists of only one street, which is extremely dirty
in winter, and the waters of the river at the entrance of the town,
were frequently so much swelled by floods as to be impassable: But in
the year 1750, the road at the entrance of Watford was raised by a
voluntary contribution; by which means the river is now confined within
its proper bounds. In the church are several handsome monuments; there
are also a free-school and several almshouses belong to the town.
WATLING _street_, St. Paul’s church-yard; thus called from the Roman
road of the same name, which ran through this street. _Maitland._
WAT’S _alley_, Long ditch.