The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and MarriagesAshton, John
History
The Fleet: Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages
Ashton, John
Fleet Prison (London, England); Fleet, River (England)
He describes himself, on the cover of one of the Registers, as "Mr.
Wyatt, Minister of the Fleet, is removed from the Two Sawyers, the
Corner of Fleet Lane (with all the Register Books), to the Hand and
Pen near Holborn Bridge, where Marriages are solemnized without
imposition." But there seem to have been other establishments which
traded on Wyatt's sign, probably because he was so prosperous. Joshua
Lilley kept the Hand and Pen near Fleet Bridge. Matthias Wilson's house
of the same sign stood on the bank of the Fleet ditch; John Burnford
had a similar name for his house at the foot of Ludgate Hill, and Mrs.
Balls also had an establishment with the same title.
He seems to have attempted to invade Parson Keith's _peculiar_ in May
Fair, or it may only be an Advertising ruse on the part of that
exceedingly keen practitioner, in order to bring his name prominently
before the public. At all events there is an Advertisement dated
August 27, 1748. "The Fleet Parson (who very modestly calls himself
Reverend), married at the Fleet, in Mr. L----yl's house, Mrs.
C----k's, at the Naked Boy, and for Mr. W----yt, the Fleet Parson. And
to shew that he is now only for Mr. W----yt, the Fleet Parson's
deputy, the said W----yt told one in May Fair, that he intended to set
up in opposition to Mr. Keith, and send goods to furnish the house,
and maintains him and the men who ply some days at the Fleet, and at
other times at May Fair. But not to speak of the men, if he himself
was not a Fleet Parson, he could never stand in Piccadilly, and run
after Coaches and foot people in so shameful a manner, and tell them
Mr. Keith's house is shut up, and there is no Chapel but theirs; and
to other people he says, their Fleet Chapel is Mr. Keith's Chapel, and
this he hath said in the hearing of Mr. Keith's clerk, and it is known
to most of the people about May Fair, and likewise Mr. Keith appeals
to the generality of people about the Fleet and May Fair, for proof of
Mr. Reverend's being only W----yts, the Fleet parson's deputy."
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Of James Starkey, who married from 1718 to 1730, very little is known,
except that he had run away to Scotland, and could not be produced
when wanted at a trial in the Old Bailey. And also of Robert Cuthbert,
1723-30--very little is known except through the medium of his pocket
books, and they recount his love of horse flesh, and the prices he paid
for his mounts.
Of Thomas Crawford, 1723-1748, we hear something from a letter in that
curious _mélange_ of News, the _Grub Street Journal_, June 10, 1736:--
"Gentlemen, Having frequently heard of the many abominable
practises of the Fleet, I had the Curiosity, May 23, to take a
view of the place, as I accidently was walking by.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account