November 1846

Sunday 1st November 1846

Rose at 7 o’clock, breakfasted and went and took a turn in St Paul’s Cathedral, and from thence to St Mary-at-Hill.  Returning home through Pancras Lane, I met a man who accosted me in a peculiar manner telling a distressing tale and prevailed in getting a penny out of me, I, by his manner, believing him to be true.  After dinner went to meet Ann with the intent of going to St Paul’s, but, after waiting till it was too late, I proceeded alone to St Anne’s Soho, looked over the tablets and stopped while prayers. Had Ann up in the evening.  Took walk  with Ann over  Westminster Bridge, and after the outside of the Abbey etc, returned home about half past 9 o’clock.  Saw the 2d omnibuses running for the first time in Trafalgar Square north side.

Monday 2nd November 1846

On making up money tonight, I found deficient one shilling, which I made good at my own expense.  I like not this sort of thing (since rectified).

Tuesday 3rd November 1846

Old Mrs Lea from Barnet paid visit to her son George at the Wharf for to stop a while, I suppose.  She gave me a shilling to give my mother for to assist her in her present illness and distressed circumstance.

Wednesday 4th November 1846

This morning between 4 and 5 o’clock the Garrick Theatre, Leman Street, Goodmans Fields, was discovered to be on fire.  By 9 o’clock the fireman succeeded in getting the flames totally extinguished – supposed to originate from some of the gun wadding lodging in the flats during the firing the cannon at the Battle of Waterloo acted the previous evening.

Thursday 5th November 1846

Dame Granny Shepard paid a visit to Eccleston Wharf, Pimlico, to see old Mrs Lea.  She stopped nearly the whole day from 11 o’clock till 8 o’clock and was by them treated very nobly.  Came from thence home with me.  I had tea at coffee shop, Compton Street, Soho, side of St Anne’s churchyard.

Friday 6th November 1846

Whilst mending a pen this morning, the knife slipped and gave me a very nasty cut on the middle finger.  I hastened to the chemist and bought a pennyworth sticking plaster.  In evening strolled into Richmond’s Auction Rooms, Rathbone Place.  Moore the toyman’s house in a very dangerous condition propped up with deals, the inhabitants being obliged to make a hasty quittal, the foundations having gave way and the front wall bulging forward, which, but for the support offered to it, would in all probability before this time have been level with the ground.

Saturday 7th November 1846

Went to pay £10 into bank (Sir Claude Scott’s).  Rode back to Wharf in the four-wheel chaise with Mr Lloyd, whom I met there - something uncommon, being the first time of riding in a vehicle of Mr G Lea’s.  Had some baked mutton, potatoes and pudding when I got home - a very unusual dish with me, especially for the time of day - and afterwards pint tea at coffee shop, Compton Street, Soho.  Office dial cleaned and repaired by Moginie, Brewer Street, Pimlico.

Sunday 8th November 1846

Started early for the church of St Mary Islington.  Took down few inscriptions in churchyard and thence into the church.  Sat in free seats in middle of church.  Pork sausages for dinner.  Started at 2 o’clock for St Alban’s, Wood Street, and took down two inscriptions in the churchyard and then went into the church.  Meant to take down some in the church, but the afternoon was so dark that I could not see.  Stopped service time and then returned home to tea. Had Ann up in  my room as usual in the evening.   At home all the evening reading etc.

Monday 9th November 1846

This morning at 10 minutes past 4 o’clock Joseph Richards, son of Mrs Richards, lodger in front attic, 9 Richmond Buildings, died of inflammation of the chest, aged 31 years and 5 months and 5 days.  Born June 4th 1815.  Went in the evening to the Auction Rooms, Leicester Square, for first time  with Ann Fox. Albert Prince of Wales completed his 5th year.  Lord Mayor’s  entry into London: Alderman Sir G Carroll.

Tuesday 10th November 1846

Fire bells lit for first time this season.

Wednesday 11th November 1846

A massive tomb, shaped as a deep sarcophagus for the last resting place of Sir Walter Scott and his lady, has been completed of beautiful red petered ground - seven feet long, six feet broad - and is about to be placed over their contiguous graves in Briberg.  In the compartment is inscribed ‘Sir Walter Scott, Bart, died September 21 AD 1832, Dame Charlotte Margaret Carpenter, wife of Sir Walter Scott, died May 5th AD 1826’.

Editor’s note:  The tomb of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), poet and novelist, is actually at Dryburgh Abbey, Berwickshire, not at Briberg as Nathaniel states.

Thursday 12th November 1846

Mrs Lea senior left Eccleston Wharf for Beauvoir Wharf, Kingsland Road, her eldest son Mr Charles Lea.

Friday 13th November 1846

Mr G Lea, accompanied by George Palmer, went to Kingston Fair to purchase a horse, which he did – a horse with only one eye, the other knocked out.  Went round to Ann at Mrs Kennington.  She has her head bound up in consequence of whilst breaking a coal, a piece thereof flew into her eye, causing her much pain and inconvenience, and of which at present all is not extracted.

Sunday 15th November 1846

Rose at 6 o’clock, breakfasted and started at 9 o’clock for St Mary Lambeth.  On my way copied into scrapbook the inscriptions of stones against Crown Court, Richmond Buildings, and James Street, as also a few inscriptions in and outside church.  Afternoon the burial of Joseph Richards.  The body left Richmond Buildings at 2 o’clock in a single horse hearse and coach followed by six mourners - first his mother, and brother, and brother’s wife, and three other gents - to St Giles’s cemetery adjoining Old St Pancras, whence they arrived at 3 o’clock.  I, accompanied by Ann, followed and saw him deposited in his last resting place, a grave very damp and about six feet deep at nearly the bottom of the ground between the tomb of Thomas Bethell and the flat ledger of Anne Allston, about four feet from the former and about two feet from the latter, with his head to the west.  He was taken in the chapel.  The coffin was about five feet four inches by 16 inches … and oiled and finished with white furniture ornamented with stars on the lid and sides.  After the funeral we went into Old St Pancras and took off into scrapbook the inscription on William Woollatt’s stone.  Afterwards returned home to tea.  A birth also took place in our house, first floor back room: the wife of Mr George Mitchell, bricklayer, was delivered of a daughter this morning at 11 o’clock.  The husband during his wife’s confinement takes his rest in the bed occupied by Uncle John Sheppard (back attic).   Had Ann up in my  room as usual in the evening.   Closed the day by reading a portion of Ainsworth’s Latin Dictionary.

Monday 16th November 1846

As soon as I arrived at Wharf, I found a horse dead in the stable, which had been bad some time and has had its throat open this past week and been attended by veterinary surgeons.  It died last night late and was opened this morning by the knackers to find the cause of its death, and which was found to be a diseased windpipe, thereby suffocating, accelerated by the breaking of the skin dividing the guts from the ribs caused by inward straining (it is the first horse I ever saw opened and a most wonderful sight it is).  It knocked up a terrible stink in the stable, but it was a rare day for the black cat, who feasted on the flesh till it could eat no more.  In the evening the knackers fetched him away.  They gave 35s for him.  Cut initials and date ‘N B 1846’ in the privy between stairs.  A curious circumstance happened today: Granny Shepard, whilst out in the Buildings, was stopped by a young woman who asked her who was buried from No 9 yesterday, and on being told a young man, “What?” says she, “that young man that lived in the garret that was out of his mind” and, on being told such was not the case, she looked amazed and said “Oh, but he was a little out of his mind, I am sure”.  Whom she means is none other than myself, who till last May lived in the garret and certainly the only one in the house who shows any symptoms of insanity.  Thus the neighbours suppose me to be dead and buried, whereas here I am well and hearty.  Mr John McAuliffe, coal dealer, of 18 St James Street, Oxford Street, died aged 28 years, accelerated by catching cold on a previous weakened constitution, by a moving job to Cheltenham.

Saturday 21st November 1846

Westminster Bridge – workmen were employed in levelling the parapets on either side of the bridge with the footway, preparatory to wooden palings being erected in lieu of the former balustrades.  Soon as the work is finished, the bridge will be open again for the use of vehicles, and in that condition will remain until the new bridge is completed.  Received intelligence from Granny Shepard of the death of Mrs Wilcocks, aged about 40, wife of Mr Thomas Wilcocks, pork butcher, Tottenham Court Road, corner of Chapel …, who died this morning early after about two months illness, and whose body yet remaineth uninterred.  The Princess Royal, first daughter of the present Queen Victoria, completeth her 6th year.

Editor’s note:  The Princess Royal was Victoria (1840-1901), later wife of Friedrich III of Prussia and mother of Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Sunday 22nd November 1846

Rose half past six, breakfasted and made for St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside; in my way there copied into scrapbook inscriptions on stones against houses as near facsimile as possible, as also in church porch an hour previous to service commencing.  On my way home by St Giles’s Church in the Fields, seeing a funeral about to commence, I walked in and stayed the service time.  Richard Andrews, undertaker, about the oldest in the metropolis – a wonderful little man – at a rough guess I should reckon attended to their graves not less than 20,000 bodies.  Liver … for dinner.  Started soon after two o’clock to follow the remains of Mr McAuliffe, coal and potato dealer, of 18 James Street … half past 2 o’clock.  Mutes … .  The hearse and coach arrived with single horse each, Jack Harris and Harry Green, coachmen.  I was told that a Mr Jukes was the undertaker, Hatchard of Crawford was furnisher of the funeral, and Nodes of Chapel Street furnished the carriages.  The coffin was covered with black baize and finished with black nails and cherub head handles, with tin plate inscription with gloria and urn on the lid.  The procession moved about quarter past three.  Two cabs with the friends of the deceased in followed; arrived at the ground (St George Hanover Square, Tyburn Road) about three-quarters past 3 o’clock and was taken into the chapel and from thence to the grave, which was about 16 feet deep, at the further end of the ground from the chapel and a little to the left of ditto, directly at the foot of the headstone of George Frederick Leyde and about five feet from the headstone of James Gamer, in a south-easterly direction, with the head lying direct west.  A neighbouring clock told four just as he was let down.  He was followed by six mourners – the first his widow, and then an elderly gentleman ( I think his father) and mother, with three other females.  His two shopmen (William Wood and another) were also there.  I got home to tea about 5 o’clock.   After  walking about impatiently waiting for three-quarters  of an hour for Ann, I went to her  lodgings in Stephen Street and was there about an hour.  After 8 o’clock at home reading history  of Queen Anne etc.

Wednesday 25th November 1846

Had job for first time to change silver into gold (an unusual thing) at the ‘Monster’ Public House, St George’s Terrace – over wooden bridge, Pimlico – and the Grosvenor Arms, Lower Belgrave Place, Pimlico.  Miss Isabella Emery of 24 Hanway Street died, being subjected to violent fits, of which she had 11 the Sunday previous – this was one of my former mistresses, whom I served in the years 1840-41 as errand boy.

Thursday 26th November 1846

Mrs Wilcocks buried (I am pretty sure).

Friday 27th November 1846

All but out of coals at Wharf, having not one ton to spare in all the warehouses and craft being quite clear, which but for the good management of George Palmer, the weigher, would have been cleaned out in the early part of the afternoon.  Since the Wharf has been opened, we never before have been so near out of coals.

Saturday 28th November 1846

Some person this afternoon threw a basket from Eccleston Bridge with a cat in it, but the cat made its escape by getting out of the basket and swimming across, whilst the coal heavers pushed a light barge off, and took possession of the basket, which was nearly new.  Somewhere about this time died Mr Pharoah, landlord of public house north side Little Pulteney Street, and one door from Wardour Street, aged 22 years.

Sunday 29th November 1846

Went to the church of St Mary Newington Butts; arrived there at 10 o’clock, saw a young couple married.  Looked round the church and read monuments and commenced taking off one (a Latin inscription), but was interrupted by the pew opener, who told me come another day as service was about to commence.  Sat in free seats in middle of church, between pews 51 and 70.  Hastened home and dined on pork sausages.  Afternoon started with Ann (she wore her new cloak for first time) for St Paul’s Cathedral, where we arrived at 3 o’clock.  First looked round the monuments and then went in the choir and stayed the whole of service time (indeed had we been not disposed so to do, we must have stopped the whole time, for the vergers lock the gates and there you are prisoners – only this afternoon two females were taken ill in a fainting state, but no assistance could be rendered without, the verger having locked the gates and departed and went his way, so that there was pretty confusion – people rattling at the gates, but nobody came till half an hour afterwards, when by chance the gate was opened).  Left at 5 o’clock, returned home.   After tea I had Ann up in my room as usual.  We had not been closeted  more than a minute when there came such a rattling at the outer room door which  continued for about 10 minutes till at last the door was opened and Mattie walked in and caught  us in the inner room.  But [he?] said he had come for his milk which we had taken in.  [He?]   nodded as to say he saw how matters stood, but however, although he spoilt our sport, he did   not totally hinder us from getting into mischief, for I made a terrible mess over Ann’s new cloak   and my own breeches.   Reading etc the rest of the evening.

Monday 30th November 1846

Had fire lit in my office for first time this season.  Saw Peter Poland and Morris junior of Hanway Street this evening.

The weather throughout this month has been remarkably fine and mild (with but very little fog) until the two last days which has been remarkably severe, being quite a dry sharp frost.  The commencement of this winter may be dated November 29th.

The Mint, that focus of crime and misery in the Borough of Southwark, it is expected will be shortly demolished.  A new street is projected from Blackman Street to Southwark Bridge Road which involves the entire destruction of the above notorious place.

Workmen are engaged laying down the electric telegraph from the nine elms along the footway on the west side of Lambeth Place, Kennington.  On Monday last its efficiency was tried nearly opposite Vernon Chapel when it was found in good working order, to that point – the wires are placed in hollow hemp … which are again secured in strong metal tubes which are sunk … .

From this month may be dated the running of omnibuses from P… and from Charing Cross to the Bank for 2d, which until lately was … them), they are now quite plentiful.

Editor’s note:  The location of the Mint in Southwark is still commemorated by Mint Street off Marshalsea Road.