August 1846

Saturday 1st  August 1846

A very remarkable heavy thunder and hail storm commenced this afternoon which will not be soon forgotten by those who witnessed it.  It began with tremendous heavy rain, accompanied by flashes of lightning, and some very loud claps of thunder, followed by a hail storm hardly remembered by man living.  The stones that fell were larger than marbles, and heavier, and some few might be seen to measure the size of a halfpenny.  Those persons having skylights and summer houses are severe sufferers thereby, it having almost without exception smashed every of them.  Reid’s Stone Wharf and Magnus’s Slate Works napped it in their skylights while a florist in Elizabeth Street, Pimlico, had his glass house literally demolished.  It also caused a sad accident to happen to a poor man named Samuel Pritchard, who sent to Wharf for half ton coals, which was loaded into his cart, and the force of the hailstones falling caused the horse to fall, which broke both shafts of the cart, besides damaging the harness, and slightly hurting the horse.  Mr G Lea’s staircase skylight was smashed and the lower storeys of all houses were almost inundated.  People might be seen dipping the water by pailfuls out of their kitchens and areas, and some using pumps.  The fall of water was so great as to have like to have sunk our ‘Sal’ barge.  Richmonds Buildings had not escaped having the skylight smashed and the rooms nearby flooded.  The storm commenced about half past three and continued unceasingly for three hours.

Sunday 2nd August 1846

Rose quarter past 5 o’clock, breakfasted and prepared for journey to Hampton Court.  Started from home accompanied by Matthew Ward at 8 o’clock, ditto from Hungerford Pier half past nine.  Weather seeming very unfavourably, raining hard with thunder, though it looked beautiful at first starting.  It continued to pour down in torrents till just previous to our landing at Richmond, when it cleared off and turned into a beautiful afternoon.  Landed at Richmond 20 minutes past 12 o’clock and walked through Twickenham and Teddington to Hampton Court.  Had our dinner of bread and beef at public house fronting entrance of Palace and got inside Palace half past two.  M Ward was agreeably entertained at the splendid paintings, tapestry etc, as I was myself.  Afterwards walked about gardens and went inside the maze.  Left Hampton Court at 5 o’clock and travelled through Bushey Park etc to Richmond and returned by same boat ‘Echo’ about half past seven.  Landed at Hungerford at 10 o’clock and got home quarter past 10 o’clock, having spent a very pleasant day.  The rain in morning having deterred many persons coming that had not started already; we had it quietly to ourselves, the company being thin.  The expenses of this were cheap for myself.  Mattie cost me about 2s.Monday 3rd August 1846.

Monday 3rd August 1846

The baths and wash-houses for the labouring classes in George Street, Euston, opened this day.  (Cold, shower, warm and vapour, and family baths.  Wash-houses – two hours use of tubs, hot water and wringing machine, mangle, drying closet, irons and ironboard etc at charges exceedingly low for encouragement of cleanliness).  The New Metropolitan Theatre is to be forthwith erected on a plot of ground on the east side of Leicester Square, formerly the site of Jaunay’s Hotel.

Wednesday 5th August 1846

Thunder and lightning and very heavy rain nearly the whole morning (the persons having had their skylights broken by the late storm must have known it).

Thursday 6th August 1846

Duke of York, the Queen’s second son, completes his second year.

Friday 7th August 1846

Cut date in piece of quartering in brickwork inside hayloft over stable of Eccleston Wharf ‘AD 1844’ (when built); broke own knife over the job.

Saturday 8th August 1846

Black cat at Wharf caught mouse this morning.

Sunday 9th August 1846

Rose at 6 o’clock, went to Westminster Baths, Charles Street, Oakley Street, Westminster Bridge Road, for first time this season.  Home to breakfast half past eight and after ditto went to St Margaret’s Westminster.  Very well amused with monuments etc therein; sat on free seats north side.  After dinner took walk up Holborn to see the late smash of two houses falling down, 22 and 23 Middle Row, directly opposite Grays Inn Lane.  Such a sight I never before saw.  The ruins have not been disturbed since they fell (one day last week – Sunday last, 2nd instant), and they falling straight have carried all the furniture with them, completely burying greatest part, but some few articles may be seen sticking out, of which I noticed a chest of drawers and a chair, and against the wall I saw a print or two hanging, with two looking glasses, presenting a novel sight.  One flight of stairs was still hanging.  This event had likely to have caused a great loss of life, but they providentially escaped, having just quitted the crumbling fabric.  Walked on through the City and returned by Clerkenwell, noticing the damage done by the late storm and the fast increase of buildings in the new street in continuation with Farringdon Street.  After tea had Ann Fox up.  After looking through prints got to our old tricks in which I got a little further than ever by just catching a glimpse of the hairs covering her c**t.  She wore a new straw bonnet for the first time.  Hope to get on better hereafter in matters of secrecy.  Saw two persons of whom I have not seen a long time, Benjamin Smart and Henry Kitchingman – the former in Fore Street, Cripplegate, the latter in Dean Street, Soho – neither of whom spoke to me, not liking my appearance, being too ancient.  At home the rest of evening.

Monday 10th August 1846

Nursery maid at Wharf left her situation.  Mother went to a doctor’s in Gower Place and was so fatigued and ill that she was obliged to be brought home in a cab and was expected to die on the road.  Bought penknife - pearl handle and three blades - Victoria Road, Pimlico.

Tuesday 11th August 1846

New nursery maid came to Wharf this day.

Wednesday 12th August 1846

Took shilling 1846 of Mr Lutman: the first I have seen this year.

Thursday 13th August 1846

Adelaide, Queen Dowager, completes her 54th year.

Friday 14th August 1846

Succeeded at last in getting ‘Johnson’s Dictionary’ 1786 at Mitchell bookseller, corner Wells and Charles Street, after having tried about 50 shops unsuccessfully.  … condition first rate, bound in russet leather … imitation of the same.

Saturday 15th August 1846

Ornamental blind with collier and whippers at work, and bell and plate fixed: ‘Coal Office: Ring the Bell’ – zinc plate and bronze handle.  A shocking murder was perpetrated about quarter past 12 this morning by JV Smith, man cook at the Guildhall Coffee House, King Street, Cheapside, on the body of Susan Tolledy, the kitchen maid, by cutting her throat in a fit of passion.

Sunday 16th August 1846

Rose quarter past six.  Went and bathed in Serpentine.  Breakfasted and to St Margaret’s Church.  Stopped but a short time, took down Mr Emery Hill’s inscription, and then went to Christ Church, Westminster, and took down a few inscriptions in burial ground, the most remarkable of which is ‘Margaret Patten 136 years of age’, and also inscriptions on almshouses in York Street.  Home to dinner and afterwards to St Margaret’s Church again, and took down some more inscriptions in scrapbook before and after service, which I stopped, making third visit to this church successively.  After tea had Ann up but to very little purpose.  I saw more of her cabinet than I ever did.  At home reading remainder of the day.

Monday 17th August 1846

Died Sir Charles Wetherell, a very celebrated lawyer, half past 5 o’clock this evening at Preston Rectory, Maidstone.  His family mansion was 34 Berkeley Square.  He was born 1770, therefore aged 75 years.

Tuesday 18th August 1846

Duchess of Kent, mother to the Queen, completed her 60th year yesterday.

Wednesday 19th August 1846

Eccleston Wharf been opened in coal trade by Mr G Lea two years.

Thursday 20th August 1846

Old Walker, proprietor of the hotel, 33 Dean Street, Soho, corner of Queen Street, has had his house lately pointed down and painted, and has this day had a square lamp fixed, lit with gas, which till now has been a round one with tin top and lit with oil, and which was no doubt the original one put up when the house was built, which is about 160 years.  This is an alteration which I am both surprised and displeased at as the house preserved its ancient look so like hotel and tavern of the 17th century.  The proprietor thereof is very old both in years and fashion, wearing at all times a black suit with breeches and black stockings, and as I have heard saw Margaret Nicholson attempt to stab George III.

Friday 21st August 1846

Annual bean feast amongst men at Eccleston Wharf comprising the master clerks (except myself only, not liking night feats which disorder the system and break the rest), weigher, carmen, wharfingers, screeners, lightermen, and some of the dealers’ men.  The feast will be held at the Monster Public House, St George’s Place, over the wooden bridge, Chelsea.  Ann Fox bought old edition of ‘The Whole Duty of Man’, with very good plates, at booksellers in Holborn for 1s 3d.

Saturday 22nd August 1846

Only one gang at work owing to last night’s feast and those odd men excepting me, only one carman at work out of three, both screeners absent, one whereof, Charles Dutton, was dreadful drunk.  John Vincent Smith tried at the Old Bailey for the murder of Susan Tolledy last Saturday and found guilty.

Sunday 23rd August 1846

Rose half past 5 o’clock and went to Mechanics Bath, Little Queen Street, Holborn.  Met Jack Rees in Great Queen Street as I was coming out.  After breakfast continued copying the ancestors and members of family of James Wood, the rich banker of Gloucester, who died in 1836, and through whom there has been such difficulty in disposing the property.  Went to church, St Martin’s-in-the-Fields, the handsomest church of modern architecture that I have yet been to, but it is deficient of those embellishments, tablets, of which there is none at all.  Home the whole afternoon copying Wood’s ancestors.  Mother very bad, unable to rise from bed.  M Ward’s hands full.  After had Ann up in room as …; before 8 o’clock took walk with Ann through the Strand and Fleet Street, Gough Square and Johnson’s Court where Dr Johnson composed his English Dictionary.  Returned home by Holborn and New Oxford Street.

Editor’s note:  James Wood, banker of Gloucester (1756-1836), was well known for his miserliness.  After his death, his estate of £900,000 was mainly expended in legal arguments over his will.

Monday 24th August 1846

Worked by candle light for first time since Midsummer owing to the scamp of coalheavers leaving us with one gang only.

Wednesday 26th August 1846

Prince Albert completes his 27th year.

Friday 28th August 1846

Front office, top of gateway, opened for first time.  The window is set off by a transparent blind, with barge alongside ship loading coals, and the different prices of coals on board above in mahogany frame.

Saturday 29th August 1846

Sent copy of verses of own composing to Mr Walker relative to his late removal of his old round lamp – sent it through the post.

Sunday 30th August 1846

Bathed in Serpentine in evening.  Went to St Martin’s Ludgate.  After service, while looking at the tablets, an old gentleman beckoned to me and said ‘This is not a time to be gaping about the church, we are going to receive the sacrament’.  It is also worthy of remark that the sermon preached today at St Martin Ludgate was from the same text as that preached at St Martin’s-in-the-Fields last Sunday, viz Hebrews ch 13 v 8.  After went to St Paul’s Cathedral, but was too late to see the choir, but, however, saw some of the monuments which were certainly very handsome, though forsooth modern.  Through Gough Square and Johnson’s Court, Dr Johnson’s residence, twice today.  Had Ann up as usual in evening, afterwards took walk through Westminster as far as the Broadway; returned home by quarter past 9 o’clock.

Monday 31st August 1846

The new bridge crossing the Grosvenor Basin, Pimlico, called Elizabeth Bridge is this month been cemented over to imitate stone similar to Eccleston Bridge.

The old bridge of Westminster has been long talked of being pulled down, but it seems now to be earnestly intended, as the roadway has been blocked up nearly all this month.  It is intended to build a new bridge near the old one, so we may expect to soon lose the sight of Westminster Bridge, about the oldest on the Thames, with its canopy towers with seats therein and old round lamps over and its old stone balustrades, which I dare say will not be seen in the new bridge.  The present bridge was finished November 10th 1750 and opened the 17th.

The weather this month has been beautiful and fine, dry and warm, but yet without the intense heat of the last month – it has been about the finest month this year.