Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th CenturiesTimbs, John
History
Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries
Timbs, John
Clubs -- England -- London; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Such is the St. Margaret's Overseer's Box, which originated as
follows. It appears that a Mr. Monck purchased, at Horn Fair, held at
Charlton, Kent, a small tobacco-box for the sum of fourpence, from
which he often replenished his neighbour's pipe, at the meetings of
his predecessors and companions in the office of Overseers of the
Poor, to whom the Box was presented in 1713. In 1720, the Society of
Past Overseers ornamented the lid with a silver rim, commemorating the
donor. In 1726, a silver side case and bottom were added. In 1740, an
embossed border was placed upon the lid, and the under part enriched
with an emblem of Charity. In 1746, Hogarth engraved inside the lid a
bust of the Duke of Cumberland, with allegorical figures, and scroll
commemorating the Battle of Culloden. In 1765, an interwoven scroll
was added to the lid, enclosing a plate with the arms of the City of
Westminster, and inscribed: "This Box to be delivered to every
succeeding set of Overseers, on penalty of five guineas."
The original Horn box being thus ornamented, additional cases were
provided by the Senior Overseers for the time being,--namely, silver
plates engraved with emblematical and historical subjects and busts.
Among the first are a View of the Fireworks in St. James's Park, to
celebrate the Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1749; Admiral Keppel's Action
off Ushant, and his acquittal after a court-martial; the Battle of the
Nile; the Repulse of Admiral Linois, 1804; the Battle of Trafalgar,
1805; the Action between the San Fiorenzo and La Piémontaise, 1808;
the Battle of Waterloo, 1815; the Bombardment of Algiers, 1816; View
of the House of Lords at the Trial of Queen Caroline; the Coronation
of George IV.; and his Visit to Scotland, 1822.
There are also--Portraits of John Wilkes, Churchwarden in 1759;
Nelson, Duncan, Howe, Vincent; Fox and Pitt, 1806; George IV. as
Prince Regent, 1811; the Princess Charlotte, 1817; and Queen
Charlotte, 1818. But the more interesting representations are those of
local circumstances; as the Interior of Westminster Hall, with the
Westminster Volunteers, attending Divine Service at the drum-head on
the Fast Day, 1803; the Old Sessions House; a view of St. Margaret's,
from the north-east; and the West Front Tower, and altar-piece. In
1813, a large silver plate was added to the outer case, with a
portrait of the Duke of Wellington, commemorating the centenary of the
agglomeration of the Box.
The top of the second case represents the Governors of the Poor, in
their Board-room, and this inscription: "The original Box and cases to
be given to every succeeding set of Overseers, on penalty of fifty
guineas, 1783." On the outside of the first case is a clever engraving
of a cripple.
In 1785, Mr. Gilbert exhibited the Box to some friends after dinner:
at night, thieves broke in, and carried off all the plate that had
been in use; but the box had been removed beforehand to a bedchamber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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