Club Life of London, Vol. 2 (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. 2 (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
"Though Vauxhall Gardens retained their plan to the last, the lamps
had long fallen off in their golden fires; the punch got weaker, the
admission-money less; and the company fell in a like ratio of
respectability, and grew dingy, not to say raffish,--a sorry
falling-off from the Vauxhall crowd of a century since, when it
numbered princes and ambassadors; 'on its tide and torrent of fashion
floated all the beauty of the time; and through its lighted avenues of
trees glided cabinet ministers and their daughters, royal dukes and
their wives, and all the red-heeled macaronies.' Even fifty years ago,
the evening costume of the company was elegant: head-dresses of
flowers and feathers were seen in the promenade, and the entire place
sparkled as did no other place of public amusement. But low prices
brought low company. The conventional wax-lights got fewer; the punch
gave way to fiery brandy or doctored stout. The semblance of Vauxhall
was still preserved in the orchestra printed upon the plates and mugs;
and the old fire-work bell tinkled as gaily as ever. But matters grew
more seedy; the place seemed literally worn out; the very trees were
scrubby and singed; and it was high time to say, as well as see, in
letters of lamps, 'Farewell for ever!'"[52]
Several other taverns and gardens have existed at different times in
this neighbourhood. Cumberland Gardens' site is now Vauxhall
Bridge-road, and Cuper's Garden was laid out with walks and arbours by
Boydell Cuper, gardener to Thomas, Earl of Arundel, who gave him some
of the mutilated Arundelian marbles (statues), which Cuper set up in
his ground: it was suppressed in 1753: the site is now crossed by
Waterloo Bridge Road. Belvidere House and Gardens adjoined Cuper's
Garden, in Queen Anne's reign.
The Hercules Inn and Gardens occupied the site of the Asylum for
Female Orphans, opened in 1758; and opposite were the Apollo Gardens
and the Temple of Flora, Mount-row, opened 1788. A century earlier
there existed, in King William's reign, Lambeth Wells, in Three Coney
Walk, now Lambeth Walk; it was reputed for its mineral waters, sold at
a penny a quart, "the same price paid by St. Thomas's Hospital." About
1750 a Musical Society was held here, and lectures and experiments
were given on natural philosophy by Erasmus King, who had been
coachman to Dr. Desaguliers. In Stangate-lane, Carlisle-street, is the
Bower Saloon, with its theatre and music-room, a pleasure-haunt of our
own time. Next is Canterbury Hall, the first established of the great
Music Halls of the metropolis.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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