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
Brasbridge, the old silversmith of Fleet-street, was a member of the
Sixpenny Card-Club held at the Queen's Arms: among the members was
Henry Baldwyn, who, under the auspices of Bonnel Thornton, Colman the
elder, and Garrick, set up the _St. James's Chronicle_, which once had
the largest circulation of any evening paper. This worthy
newspaper-proprietor was considerate and generous to men of genius:
"Often," says Brasbridge, "at his hospitable board I have seen needy
authors, and others connected with his employment, whose abilities,
ill-requited as they might have been by the world in general, were by
him always appreciated." Among Brasbridge's acquaintance, also, were
John Walker, shopman to a grocer and chandler in Well-street, Ragfair,
who died worth 200,000_l._, most assuredly not gained by lending money
on doubtful security; and Ben Kenton, brought up at a charity-school,
and who realized 300,000_l._, partly at the Magpie and Crown, in
Whitechapel.
DOLLY'S, PATERNOSTER ROW.
This noted tavern, established in the reign of Queen Anne, has for its
sign, the cook Dolly, who is stated to have been painted by
Gainsborough. It is still a well-appointed chop-house and tavern, and
the coffee-room, with its projecting fireplaces, has an olden air.
Nearly on the site of Dolly's, Tarlton, Queen Elizabeth's favourite
stage-clown, kept an ordinary, with the sign of the Castle. The house,
of which a token exists, was destroyed in the Great Fire, but was
rebuilt; there the "Castle Society of Music" gave their performances.
Part of the old premises were subsequently the Oxford Bible Warehouse,
destroyed by fire in 1822, and rebuilt.
The entrance to the Chop-house is in Queen's Head passage; and at
Dolly's is a window-pane painted with the head of Queen Anne, which
may explain the name of the court.
At Dolly's and Horsman's beef-steaks were eaten with gill-ale.
ALDERSGATE TAVERNS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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