The Fleet. Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages 9

The Fleet. Its Rivers, Prison, and Marriages 9

By degrees these medicinal waters, or Spas, as they were termed in

later times, fell into desuetude, possibly because medical knowledge

was advancing; and the Wells, with their gardens attached, became

places of outdoor recreation, where the sober citizen could smoke his

pipe, and have his beer, or cider, whilst his wife, and her gossips,

indulged in tittle tattle over their Tea--which, although much dearer

than at present, was a very popular beverage, and so, from health

resorts, they imperceptibly merged into the modern Tea Garden--which,

in its turn, has become nearly extinct, as have the Ranelagh and

Vauxhall of a former age; which, however, we have seen, in our time,

somewhat resuscitated in the outdoor portion of the several Exhibitions

which have taken place, in the few past years, at South Kensington.

 

The White Conduit had a history of its own, which we can trace back, at

all events, to the fifteenth century, for it was built as a reservoir

to supply what was, afterwards, the Charterhouse.

 

This we can see by a royal licence, dated December 2, 9 Henry VI. an.

1431,[21] which granted to John Feryby, and his wife Margery, that they

might grant and assign to the Prior and Convent of the House of the

Salutation of the Blessed Mary of the Carthusian Order, by London, a

certain well spring (_fontein_) and 53 perches of land in length, and

12 feet in breadth, in the vill of Iseldon (Islington) to have to them

and their successors for ever, and to the same Prior and Convent, to

take the said land, and construct a certain subterraneous aqueduct from

the aforesaid well spring, through the aforesaid land, and through the

King's highway aforesaid, and elsewhere, as it may seem best &c.,

_non obstante_ the Act against mortmain (_Teste Humfride Duce

Gloucestr' Custode Angliæ apud Westm._).

 

As we know, Henry VIII. put an end to the Monastic Orders in England,

and, at the dissolution of the Priory, the reversion of the site, and

house thereof, was granted, on April 14, 1545,[22] to Sir Roger North,

in fee, together with "all that the Head and original Well Spring of

one Channel or Aqueduct situate and being in a certain field in the

parish of Islington"--and it also gave, all the channels, aqueducts,

and watercourses under ground "up to the site of the said House of the

Carthusians."

 

But, although the spring might, and did, supply the Charter House,

yet it is possible that the Conduit House, from which it got the name

of _White_ Conduit, from its being built of white stone--was built by

Thomas Sutton, who founded the Hospital of the Charter House,--in 1611.

It was either built by him, or repaired in 1641, for, incorporated in

the building, was a stone containing his arms--and initials.[23]

 

The other initials have not been identified. As the "White Conduit"

it was known well into this century, but it fell somewhat into decay,

about 1812--was never repaired, and, finally, was pulled down in

1831--to make way for the completion of some new buildings in Barnsbury

Road, as a continuation of Penton Street: and the stone was broken up,

and used in making the New Road.

 

[Illustration: STONE IN THE WHITE CONDUIT.

_Gentleman's Magazine_, vol. lxxi. p. 1161, A.D. 1801.]

 

So much for the Conduit itself; but it, although inert, exercised a

large share in the amusements of Londoners down to a comparatively

recent period. It was pleasantly situated in the fields, and, until

this century, during the latter half of which, the modern Babylon has

become one huge mass of bricks and mortar, it served as a pleasant

place of recreation for the Cits. There was an uninterrupted prospect

of Hampstead and Highgate--which bounded the northern view, and which

was purely pastoral, with the exception of sparsely-dotted farmhouses.

There is a tradition that, on the site of the comparatively modern

_White Conduit House_, was (in the reign of Charles I.), a tavern in

the course of erection, and that, being finished, the workmen were

carousing at the very moment of the monarch's decapitation.

 

Doubtless, in these suburban fields, there was, for very many years, a

place for refreshment, which probably took the form, in the Arcadian

age of the seventeenth and eighteenth century, of new milk, curds

and whey, and syllabubs, for Islington was famous for its dairy

produce,[24] as we know by the account of the entertainment given to

Queen Elizabeth at Kenilworth Castle in 1575 by the Earl of Leicester,

when the Squier Minstrel of Middlesex made a long speech in praise of

Islington, whose motto was said to be, "Lactis Caseus infans."

 

The earliest really authentic notice of the White Conduit House, I

can find, is in the _Daily Advertiser_ August 10, 1754. "This is to

acquaint the public, that, at the White Conduit House, the proprietor,

for the better accommodation of the gentlemen and ladies, has completed

a long walk, with a handsome circular Fish-pond, a number of shady,

pleasant arbours inclosed with a fence 7 feet high to prevent being the

least incommoded from the people in the fields. Hot loaves,[25] and

butter every day, milk directly from the Cows; coffee and tea, and all

manners of liquors in the greatest perfection: also a handsome Long

Room, from whence is the most Copious prospects and airy situation of

any now in vogue. I humbly hope the continuance of my friends' favours,

as I make it my chief study to have the best accommodations, and am,

Gentlemen and Ladies, your obliged humble servant, Robert Bartholomew.

_Note._ My Cows eat no grains, neither any adulteration in the Milk or

Cream. Bats and Balls for Cricket, and a convenient field to play in."

 

This gives us a very fair insight into the sober relaxations of our

great-great-grandfathers: and that the White Conduit House was, about

this time, a resort for harmless recreation; and, certainly, it would

rejoice the modern temperance enthusiasts to find that the principal

beverages there drank were "non-intoxicants." Oliver Goldsmith

used frequently to go there, walking from his house at Islington;

and, in his "Citizen of the World," letter 122, he writes, "After

having surveyed the Curiosities of this fair and beautiful town, I

proceeded forward, leaving a fair stone building on my right; here

the inhabitants of London often assemble to celebrate a feast of hot

rolls and butter. Seeing such numbers, each with their little tables

before them, employed on this occasion, must no doubt be a very amusing

sight to the looker-on, but still more so to those who perform in the

Solemnity."

 

And the same story of simplicity of amusement, and refreshment, is

amusingly told in the _Gentleman's Magazine_ for May, 1760, vol. xxx.

p. 242, in a short poem by William Woty, the author of the "Shrubs of

Parnassus, consisting of a variety of poetical essays, moral and comic,

by I. Copywell, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. 1760."

 

"_And to_ White Conduit _House

We will go, will go, will go_."

 

Grub Street _Register_.

 

"Wish'd Sunday's come--mirth brightens ev'ry face,

And paints the rose upon the housemaid's cheek

_Harriot_, or _Mol_ more ruddy. Now the heart

Of prentice resident in ample street,

Or alley, Kennel-wash'd _Cheapside_, _Cornhill_

Or _Cranborne_, thee, for calcuments renown'd,

With joy distends. His meal meridian o'er,

With switch in hand, he to _White Conduit_ house

Hies merry hearted. Human beings here

In couples multitudinous assemble,

Forming the drollest groupe, that ever trod

Fair Islingtonian plains. Male after male,

Dog after dog, succeeding--husbands--wives--

Fathers and mothers--brothers--sisters--friends--

And _pretty little boys and girls_. _Around,

Across, along_, the garden's shrubby maze,

They walk, they sit, they stand. What crowds press on,

Eager to mount the stairs, eager to catch

First vacant bench or chair in _long-room_ plac'd.

Here prig with prig holds conference polite,

And indiscriminate, the gaudy beau,

And sloven mix. Here _he_, who all the week

Took bearded mortals by the nose, or sat

Weaving dead hairs, and whistling wretched strain,

And eke the sturdy youth, whose trade it is

Stout oxen to contend, with gold bound hat,

And silken stocking strut. The red-arm'd belle

Here shews her _tasty_ gown, proud to be thought

The butterfly of fashion: and, forsooth,

Her haughty mistress deigns for once to tread

The same unhallow'd floor. 'Tis hurry all,

And ratling cups and saucers. Waiter here,

And waiter there, and waiter here _and_ there,

At once is call'd--_Joe--Joe--Joe--Joe--Joe--

Joe_ on the right--and _Joe_ upon the left,

For ev'ry vocal pipe re-ecchoes _Joe_.

Alas, poor _Joe_! Like _Francis_ in the play

He stands confounded, anxious how to please

The many-headed throng. But shou'd I paint

The language, humours, customs of the place,

Together with all curtsy's lowly bows,

 

And compliments extern, 'twould swell my page

Beyond it's limits due. Suffice it then,

For my prophetic muse to say, 'So long

As fashion rides upon the Wing of time,

While tea and cream, and buttered rolls can please,

While rival beaux, and jealous belles exist,

So long _White Conduit_ house, shall be thy fame.

 

W. W."

 

Later on in the century, it was still a reputable place of resort. In

1774, there was a painting at one end of the garden, the perspective of

which served, artificially, to augment its size; the round fish-pond in

the centre of the garden, still existed, and the refreshment-rooms, or

boxes, were hung with Flemish and other pictures.

 

Hone ("Every Day Book," vol. ii. p. 1201, &c.) says, "About 1810, the