this metropolis, and of the most singular advantage to the city of
Westminster; but it has entirely changed the appearance of that city;
new and beautiful streets have been erected; those that were before
narrow, crooked and ill built, have been widened, rendered straight and
rebuilt with regularity and elegance. And new plans of improvement are
daily formed, and continually putting in execution.
WESTMINSTER FIRE OFFICE, in Bedford street, Covent Garden, was
originally kept at Tom’s coffee-house, in St. Martin’s lane; the deed
of settlement was executed on the 13th of February, 1717, and two days
after was inrolled in the high court of chancery. _Maitland._
This office was erected for insuring only houses from fire, and,
like the Hand-in-Hand fire office, is a joint copartnership, every
one insuring becoming an equal sharer in the profits and loss, in
proportion to his or her respective insurance.
The conditions of insurance are,
I. No house is insured at more than 2000_l._ but such sums of money as
the directors, or any three or more of them shall think proper, may
be insured upon the wing or wings of any house, having a brick wall
between the wings and the body of the house, by a separate policy;
provided such sum do not exceed three fourths of the value of the wings.
II. New houses may be insured when tiled in; but not at more than two
thirds of their value.
III. The limits of insurance in this office extend to twenty-five miles
distance from it; but the proprietors of all houses that are five
miles, or a greater distance, are to defray the charge of the surveyor
and messenger’s journey, to survey the premises, and set up the mark;
and also to defray the charge of the director’s journey to estimate
a damage, when and after such loss happens, and the directors are
impowered to deduct the charges out of the money due on such loss.
IV. All whose houses are insured pay 12_s._ deposit and 4_s._ _per cent._
premium, on all brick houses, and double for all timber buildings; as
a pledge for the performance of their covenants, to be returned at the
expiration of their policies, with the yearly dividends of profits,
incident charges and contribution to losses first deducted. Persons
paying for each policy, besides the stamps; 4_d._ for all houses within,
and 1_s._ without the bills of mortality.
V. Each policy is to contain but one house, unless where two, three or
more small houses stand together, in which case 500_l._ may be insured
upon them, each being distinctly valued.
VI. Every insurance is for seven years; and such insurance is to
continue in force till six o’clock of the evening of that day seven
years, on which the same is dated; and in the mean time such insurers
property in the premises insured ceases, when such insurer or legal
representative, may receive the return of deposit due upon the
respective policy or policies, the same being delivered up to the
office to be cancelled. But the deposit-money on policies expired,
not demanded within two years after, is sunk to the society, and all
policies either new or to be renewed, directed to be made out and not
taken away in three months after, are cancelled. The earned money paid
for such new policies is sunk; and the stamp and charge of such renewed
policies are deducted out of every insurer’s deposit-money.
VII. Every house that is by reason of fire destroyed from the first
floor upwards, is deemed as demolished, and the directors are impowered
either to pay the money insured thereon within sixty days after
notice given to them at their office, or to rebuild the same with all
convenient speed; but no more than 30_l._ is allowed for any chimney
piece destroyed by fire; and gilding, history, painting and carving are
excepted from the insurance.
VIII. Every member, upon any loss, is to certify the same to the
directors within thirty days after such loss happened, that skilful
persons may view and report the same, and a rate of contributions be
made thereon; otherwise the society is not obliged to make good such
losses.
IX. Every member neglecting to pay his rate towards any loss for
twenty-five days after publication in the Gazette, or otherwise,
forfeits double the said rates; and neglecting to pay these forfeits,
for five days more, forfeits all his right and deposit-money, and may
be excluded by the directors from the society, and the benefit of his
insurance; his covenant nevertheless, to abide in force.
X. Contributions to losses are dated annually, and every person
insuring in the same year contributes in proportion to his insurance,
to the losses, and receives a dividend of the profits of that year,
arising from interest, _&c._ also in proportion to the sum insured.
Every year’s account commencing on the first of October, and ending on
the 30th of September following: but the contribution of no member is
to be charged above 10_s._ _per cent._ for brick, and double for timber
houses.
XI. If any house is insured in any other office at the same time it is
insured in this such insurance is void.
XII. Twenty-four firemen are employed by this office in extinguishing
fires, all of whom are cloathed by the office, and have badges bearing
the mark of the office, which is a portcullis, crowned with the Prince
of Wales’s coronet. _Settlement of the Westminster contributionship._
WESTMINSTER HALL, was first built by William Rufus, as an addition to
the palace of Westminster, and that Prince at his return from Normandy
kept the high festival of Christmas in this room, which for several
reigns was used for great feasts, whenever our Kings entertained
in a splendid manner the nobility and clergy: of this we find many
instances; but what appears most remarkable, King Henry III. on New
Year’s Day 1236, gave a public entertainment to 6000 poor men, women
and children in this hall and the other rooms of the palace.
[Illustration:
_S. Wale delin._ _J. Green sc. Oxon._
_Westminster Hall._]
At length this great hall becoming very ruinous, it was rebuilt by
Richard II. in the year 1397, as it at present appears, together with
the buildings on the east and west sides; and it was no sooner finished
than it received the appellation of the new palace, to distinguish it
from the old palace, where the house of Lords and Commons at present
assemble.
In the year 1399, the King kept his Christmas here, during which time
10000 persons were plentifully entertained in this spacious hall, and
the other rooms of the palace; for whose supply were daily killed
about eighty oxen, and three hundred sheep, besides a vast number of
fowls. It is still used for our coronation feasts; and for the three
great courts of justice, the chancery, king’s bench, and common pleas,
besides the court of exchequer which adjoins to it.
The front of this hall is extremely narrow, it is built with stone
in the gothic taste, with a tower on each side the entrance, adorned
with abundance of carved work. The print represents this front. The
hall itself is esteemed the largest room in Europe unsupported by
pillars, it being 270 feet in length and 74 broad. The roof is admired
for the excellence of the workmanship, and the sides contain a number
of shops belonging to booksellers, _&c._ It is paved with stone, and
to the courts of justice at the end is an assent by a flight of steps.
The inside is most remarkable for being so wide and having no columns
to support a roof so large. It is a regular Gothic, and gives us a good
idea of the skill in architecture of our fore fathers so early as the
time of Richard II.
WESTMINSTER HALL _court_, Dunning’s alley, Bishopsgate street.
WESTMINSTER INFIRMARY, a plain neat building in James street, by Petty
France, Westminster; founded for the relief of the sick, and of those
who suffer by any of the unavoidable accidents to which the human frame
is always liable. This charitable and noble foundation was first set on
foot on the second of December, 1719, when the subscription was first
opened, and trustees appointed. Benefactions were soon procured, and
several of the most eminent Physicians and Surgeons not only became
subscribers, but generously offered their assistance gratis. About the
beginning of April 1720, a house was taken in Petty France, and fitted
up with all the necessary accommodations for an infirmary; but it being
soon found too small to contain the number of miserable objects brought
thither, they four years after were removed to a larger house in Chapel
street, where they continued till the present edifice in James street
was erected.
The standing orders of this noble charity are as follow.
I. All persons who shall subscribe 2_l._ 2_s._ or more _per annum_, are
trustees of this charity: but any trustee or subscriber neglecting to
pay his subscription for the space of two years, is no longer deemed
a trustee or subscriber, or to have any vote or privilege till his
arrears are paid.
II. Every person giving a benefaction of 30_l._ or upwards, immediately
becomes a trustee.
III. Every person who, by will, bequeaths a legacy of 50_l._ or upwards,
may nominate another person, who, immediately after payment of the said
legacy, is deemed a trustee.
IV. Each trustee may have one in-patient and one out-patient at a time;
every person who becomes a subscriber of 2_l._ 2_s._ _per annum_,
may have two in-patients and four out-patients in a year, and every
person who becomes a subscriber of 1_l._ 1_s._ _per annum_, may have
one in-patient and two out-patients in a year; but the treasurer,
physicians, and surgeons, may have each two in-patients and two
out-patients at a time, or four out-patients.
V. No person is to act as a trustee during the time that he, or any
other person for his benefit, is employed as a tradesman, or appointed
to work for, or supply the charity with provisions, or any other
commodity, nor for the space of six months after his having been so
employed.
VI. No person who has the venereal disease is to be admitted as a
patient: And if any such person shall obtain admission under pretence
of some other distemper; he or she, upon the discovery, is to be
immediately discharged.
VII. Four quarterly general boards are held every year; and the weekly
board, on the Wednesday after each quarter-day, is to appoint such
quarterly board, within forty days after each quarter-day, and to
nominate a committee of three, five, or more trustees, to prepare the
business to be laid before such board.
VIII. The weekly board may, as often as they see occasion, appoint
special general boards to be held (during the intervals between the
quarterly general boards;) and may call a special general board when
required by any seven trustees; giving notice in the summons of the
occasion of calling such special board.
IX. If a ballot be demanded by three or more trustees at any quarterly
or special general board, the chairman is to appoint a special general
board for taking the same, at any time after fourteen days, and not
exceeding twenty-one days, from the demand of such ballot; which is
to begin at eleven o’clock in the forenoon, and be closed at two in
the afternoon: And notice of such ballot, and the question on which it
was demanded, is to be given to the trustees in the summons, and be
advertised in some of the public papers.
X. All general boards are to consist of at least thirteen trustees.
XI. No standing order of this society is to be repealed, or altered, or
any new one be in force, without the approbation of two general boards.
XII. The treasurer is chosen annually at the first general board after
the general audit, proposed to the weekly board three weeks before his
election.
XIII. The accounts of this society are to be annually closed upon the
31st of December.
XIV. All bonds, or other securities, for money belonging to the
society, are secured in an iron chest under three different keys, kept
by the vice-president and treasurer for the time being, and a third
person nominated by a general board.
XV. The physicians, surgeons, apothecary, clerk, and matron, are
appointed by the general board; and no addition is to be made to the
salary of the apothecary, clerk, or matron, or any gratuity given
them, without the consent of a general board. The inferior servants
of the house, and tradesmen to be employed, are also appointed by the
weekly board: And any gentleman may be candidate for physician, who has
been educated, and taken his degrees in physick, in any university,
or is a fellow or member of a college of physicians, in Great Britain
or Ireland. A general board is to appoint the day for election of a
treasurer, physician, surgeon, apothecary, clerk, or matron; and the
first weekly board is to appoint a special general board to declare
such vacancy by death or resignation; and in the mean time, the weekly
board is impowered, in case of necessity, to employ such person or
persons to officiate as treasurer, physicians, surgeons, apothecary,
clerk, or matron, as occasion requires, till a proper person is chosen
by a general board.
XVI. When any extraordinary operation in surgery is to be performed,
all surgeons, who are trustees, have liberty to attend.
XVII. Pursuant to the will of a considerable benefactor to this
charity, none but Protestants are at any time to be admitted into any
service or employ in or about this infirmary.
XVIII. A weekly board, consisting of as many trustees as please to
attend, meet at the infirmary every Wednesday; and have power, from
time to time, to make such rules, and give such instructions and
orders, as they find necessary for the immediate direction of the
several officers, servants, and others, employed in this charity; for
the admitting or dismissing of patients; and regulating every thing
relating to the good management of the house: But no new order of the
weekly board is to be of force (if objected to by any two trustees
present,) till it be approved of by the majority at the next weekly
board.
XIX. Two trustees are nominated every Wednesday, by the weekly board,
to be visitors for the ensuing week, who are to attend daily, and
inquire into the behaviour of the officers, servants, and patients, the
quantity and quality of the provisions, and every thing relating to the
oeconomy of the house; and these visitors have power to suspend any
servant for misbehaviour, and to reject such provisions as they shall
find deficient or improper, and provide others in their room, till they
have made their report to the next weekly board.
XX. All questions at every board and committee are decided by the
votes of the majority of the trustees present, and of the proxies for
the ladies who are trustees, such proxy being given in writing to
some person who is a trustee, and being entered in a book to be kept
for that purpose by the secretary. And the minutes of each board and
committee are to be signed by the respective chairmen.
XXI. It having been resolved that all subscriptions to this hospital
are payable in advance, upon the respective quarter days for the year
then to come; letters, signed by the chairman of every quarterly
general board, are to be sent to each subscriber whose subscription
shall then appear to have been three months due, according to the
foregoing resolution, to remind him of such arrear, and to request the
payment of it. _From the orders published by the general board._
WESTMINSTER _market_, a very convenient and handsome market in King
street.
WESTMINSTER _school_, or Queen’s college, Westminster, was founded by
Queen Elizabeth, in the year 1590, for the education of forty boys, who
are taught classical learning, and in the best manner prepared for the
university. Besides whom, a great number of the sons of the nobility
and gentry are educated there, which has rendered it one of the
greatest schools in the kingdom. Instead of one master, and an usher,
as at first; there are now an upper and under master, and five ushers,
who have about 400 young gentlemen under their tuition. _Maitland._
WESTMORELAND _court_, 1. Bartholomew close, so called from the mansion
of the Earls of Westmoreland, formerly situated there: 2. Noble street,
Foster lane.
WESTON’S _rents_, Houndsditch.†
WEST’S _gardens_, New Gravel lane.†
WEST SIDE _alley_, near Tooley street, Southwark.
WEST SMITHFIELD. See the article SMITHFIELD. The epithet West is never
used but to distinguish it from East Smithfield.
WEST _street_, 1. Soho: 2. Spitalfields market.
WEYBRIDGE, a village in Surry, four miles south-west of Hampton Court,
took its name from a bridge formerly erected here over the river Wey.
About this village are several fine seats, particularly those of
the Earls of Portmore and Lincoln. The former was beautified by the
Countess of Dorchester, in the reign of King James II. and has a fine
walk of acacia trees, which when first planted were esteemed great
curiosities. Among the advantages of the other, is a noble terrace
walk, raised so high above the neighbouring ground, as to afford a fine
prospect of the country and the river. For some farther account of both
these seats. See OATLANDS and HAM FARM.
WHALEBONE _court_, 1. Bow lane, Cheapside: 2. Little Old Bailey: 3.
Lothbury: 4. Throgmorton street.
WHARTON’S _court_, 1. Church-yard alley.† 2. Holbourn.† 3. Lambeth
or Lambert hill, Thames street.†
WHARTON’S _rents_, New Gravel lane.†
WHEATSHEAF _alley_, 1. Barnaby street, Southwark.* 2. Lambeth.* 3.
Michael’s lane, Thames street.*
WHEEL _yard_, Stony lane.
WHEELBARROW _alley_, Rosemary lane.
WHEELER _street_, Lamb street, Spitalfields.
WHEELER’S _alley_, Old street.†
WHEELER’S _lane_, St. Olave street, Southwark.†
WHEELER’S _yard_, Redcross street, Barbican.† 2. Wheeler’s lane,
Southwark.†
WHEELWRIGHTS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King
Charles II. in the year 1670, and governed by a master, two wardens,
and twenty-two assistants; but they have neither hall nor livery.
WHEELWRIGHT _yard_, Nightingale lane.†
WHETSTER’S _ground_, 1. Millbank, Westminster.† 2. Peter street.†
WHETSTON’S _park_, Lincoln’s Inn fields.†
WHISTLER’S _court_, Salter’s Hall court, St. Swithin’s lane.†
WHITCHER’S _almshouse_, situated at Tothill side, Westminster, was
founded by Mr. George Whitcher, in the year 1683, for six poor old
people, each of whom are allowed the annual sum of 5_l._ and a gown.
_Maitland._
WHITCOMB’S _alley_, Great Queen street.†
WHITCOMB’S _court_, Hedge lane, Charing Cross.†
WHITCOMB’S _street_, Hedge lane.†
WHITE BALL _court_, Castle street.*
WHITE BEAR _alley_, 1. Kent street, Southwark.* 2. Addle hill.* 3.
Redcross street.* 4. Rosemary lane, Little Tower Hill.* 5. Whitechapel.*
WHITE BEAR _court_, Addle hill.*
WHITE BEAR _yard_, Holiwell street.*
WHITECHAPEL, a long and broad street which extends from the north-east
corner of the Minories, to near Mile-end. It derived its name from St.
Mary’s church, which was originally a chapel of ease to St. Dunstan’s
Stepney, and from its whiteness called the White chapel.
WHITECHAPEL _bars_, a little to the west of Whitechapel church, placed
where the liberties of the city end.
WHITECHAPEL _common_, Mile-end.
WHITECHAPEL _court_, is a court of record belonging to Stepney manor;
wherein the steward of the manor tries actions for any sum, as well as
of damage, trespass, _&c._
WHITECHAPEL _field gate_, Whitechapel.
WHITECHAPEL _market_, a considerable flesh market consisting only of a
range of butchers shops on the south side of the street, near the west
end.
WHITECHAPEL _school_, was founded by Mr. Ralph Davenant, rector of
the parish of St. Mary Whitechapel, by Mary, his wife, and Sarah, her
sister, in the year 1680: and this foundation being greatly augmented
by the charitable benefaction of 1000_l._ given in the year 1721, by a
person unknown, a master receives a salary of 30_l._ _per annum_ for
teaching of sixty boys, as does a mistress 20_l._ for instructing forty
girls. _Maitland._
WHITE COCK _alley_, Thames street.*
WHITE _court_, Peter lane.
WHITECROSS _alley_, Moorfields.
WHITECROSS _street_, Fore street, Cripplegate, so named from a white
cross which anciently stood at the upper end of it: 2. Queen street,
Southwark: 3. Spitalfields, these last had probably their name from the
same original.
WHITE FRIARS, a number of lanes, alleys, and passages extending from
the west side of Water lane to the Temple; and from Fleet street to
the Thames. It took its name from the White Friars, or Carmelites, who
had their house in this place next to Fleet street, and their garden
probably extended from thence to the water side. They were cloathed
in white, and having made a vow of poverty lived by begging. Their
convent was founded by Sir Richard Gray, Knt. ancestor to the Lord Gray
of Codnor in Derbyshire in the year 1241, and was afterwards rebuilt
by Hugh Courtney, Earl of Devonshire, about the year 1350. In the
conventual church were interred many persons of distinction.
This convent and its church were surrendered to Henry VIII. in the
thirtieth year of his reign, when they were valued at no more than 26
_l._ 7_s._ 3_d._ and being soon after pulled down, other houses were
built in their room. _Maitland._
In the year 1608, the inhabitants obtained several liberties,
privileges and exemptions by a charter granted them by King James I.
and this rendered the place an asylum for insolvent debtors, cheats,
and gamesters, who gave to this district the name of Alsatia: but the
inconveniences the city suffered from this place of refuge, and the
riotous proceedings carried on there, at length induced the legislature
to interpose; and to deprive them of privileges so pernicious to the
community.
WHITE FRIARS _dock_, White Friars.
WHITE FRIARS _stairs_, White Friars.
WHITEHALL, a palace originally built by Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent,
who in the year 1243, bequeathed it to the Black Friars in Chancery
lane, Holbourn, in whose church he was interred. But in 1248, these
friars having disposed of it to Walter de Grey, Archbishop of York, he
left it to his successors, the Archbishops of that see, for their city
mansion, and hence it obtained the name of York place. However, the
royal palace at Westminster suffering greatly by fire in the reign of
Henry VIII. and that Prince having a great inclination for York place,
purchased it of Cardinal Wolsey, in the year 1530.
Henry had no sooner obtained the possession of this palace than he
enclosed the park for the accommodation of both palaces, and built
the beautiful gate opposite the banqueting house (which has been
lately pulled down) to which he added a magnificent gallery, for the
accommodation of the Royal Family, the nobility and great officers
of state; for there they sat to see the tournaments performed in
the tiltyard; and soon after the King, who had a greater taste for
pleasure, than for elegance of building, ordered a tennis-court,
a cock-pit, and bowling greens to be formed, with other places for
different kinds of diversion.
From this time Whitehall continued the royal residence of the
Sovereigns of England; and Hentzner in his _Itinerarium_ says it was a
structure truly royal: and it was furnished in a peculiar manner.
“Near this palace, says he, are seen an immense number of swans, who
wander up and down the river for some miles, in great security; no body
daring to molest, much less to kill any of them, under the penalty of a
considerable fine.
In the palace is a library, well stored with Greek, Latin, Italian
and French books; and among the rest, a small one in French, upon
parchment, in the hand writing of the present Queen Elizabeth thus
inscribed:
_A tres haut & tres puissant & redoubtè
Prince Henry_ VIII. _de ce nom, Roy
d’Angleterre, de France, & d’Irelande,
defenseur de la foy_:
_Elisabeth sa tres humble fille rend
salut & obedience._
In English thus:
To the most high, puissant, and redoubted
Prince, Henry VIII. of the
name, King of England, France and
Ireland, defender of the faith:
Elizabeth, his most humble daughter,
health and obedience.