The Environs of London, 1810

WANDSWORTH.

Name. THIS place is so called from its situation upon the banks of the small river Wandle, which falls into the Thames in this parish. Worth, in the Saxon language, signifies either a village, or a shore. In Domesday-book, the name of this place is spelt Wandesorde, and Wendlesorde; in other ancient records, Wandlesworth and Wendlesworth.

Situation, boundaries, soil, &c. The village is situated on the road to Kingston, about five miles and a half from Westminster-bridge, and lies in the western division of Brixton hundred. The parish is bounded by those of Battersea, Streatham, Merton, Mitcham, Tooting, Wimbledon, and Putney. The land is divided in nearly an equal proportion between arable and pasture. About 150 acres are occupied by market gardeners: twenty acres are occupied by plantations of rose trees for the distillery of Mr. Rigge, the perfumer, in Bond-street. The soil is chiefly a sandy loam upon a bed of gravel. About one half of the common, which takes its name from Wandsworth, is in this parish: it contains about 400 acres, and extends nearly two miles in length towards Streatham. A part of Putney-heath is also in this parish.

Manufactures. Aubrey mentions1 a manufacture of brass plates for frying pans, kettles, and other culinary vessels, which was established here by Dutchmen, who kept it as a mystery. The houses where this manufacture was carried on, bore the name of the frying-pan houses.

French refugees. Towards the close of the last century, when great numbers of French protestants fled from the persecution which prevailed in the reign of Lewis XIV. many of them settled at Wandsworth, where they established a French church2.

Manufacture of hats established by them. Among these refugees were a considerable number of hatters, who introduced their manufacture at this place, and carried it on with great success. Though much diminished in its extent, the manufacture still exists; Mr. Chatting, a grandson of one of the refugees, being now a hatter in Wandsworth. Most of their descendants, who either remain here, or are dispersed into the neighbouring villages, have so Anglicised their names, that the memory of their extraction is almost lost. The art of dying cloth has been practised at this place for more than a

century. Other manufactures. There are now two dyers here, Messrs. Barchard and Platt; and Williamson; the former house carries on the branch of scarlet dying to a great extent. There are also two manufactories here for bolting cloth, belonging to Blackmore and Co. and Marks and Co.; Mr. Henckell's iron-mills; Messrs. Gardiner and Dixon's calico-printing manufactory, which is of considerable extent; another of the same kind belonging to Messrs. Bartlett and West; Mr. Rigby's manufactory for printing kerseymeres; Mercy's manufactory for coach and livery lace; Moore, Johnson, and Mason's manufactory for whitening and pressing stuffs; Mr. Were's linseed oil and white lead mills; Mr. Atkinson's oil mills; Messrs. Gattey's vinegar works, and Leader, Attlee, and Langdon's distilleries.

Railway. At this place commences a railway to Croydon, which was made pursuant to an act of parliament passed in the year 1801; a subsequent act has been passed to extend it to Reigate. This railway passes through Garrett, Merton, and Mitcham, and conveys the manufactures of those places to the Thames.

The citizens of London meet Richard II. at Wandsworth. The citizens of London, who had been deprived of their privileges by Richard II., sent a deputation of 400 members of their corporation, with the Recorder, to meet the King at Wandsworth, in his road from Sheen, and implore his pardon, which he graciously granted; and upon their earnest intreaty, rode through the city on his return to Westminster, being received with great magnificence3.

Manor. It appears by the Conqueror's Survey, that the manor of Wandsworth, which contained four ploughlands, had been held of Edward the Confessor, by six free men, who might go where they would; that Ansculf took possession of it when he obtained the sheriffalty, but the men of the hundred reported, that they never saw the King's seal, or the livery. His son William, however, inherited it, and was in possession when the survey was taken. In consequence of this representation, the King probably seized it into his own hands, for it is known that he gave it to the church of Westminster4. In 1291, the Abbot of Westminster's estates at Wandsworth were valued at 17l.5

Manor of Wandsworth. The manor which bears the name of the village was connected with that of Battersea, and has undergone the same alienations6, being now the property of the Right Honourable George John Earl Spencer.

Manor of Dunsford. The manor of Dunsford belonged to the Prior and Convent of Merton, who leased it in 1538 to Robert Kyrwen at the yearly rent of 6l. 13s. 4d. for the term of 31 years, to commence in 1546, at the expiration of a former term granted

to John Hale7. It was granted, after the suppression of that monastery, to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk8, and was by him sold for the sum of 403l. 6s. 8d. to Thomas Lord Cromwell9. It was granted in the year 1564 to Robert Lord Dudley, afterwards Earl of Leicester10, and was alienated by him to Sir William Cecil (afterwards Lord Burleigh11). Within a few years it was again alienated to John Swift Esq.12, and by the latter to Thomas Smith Esq.13, who died seised of it in 157514. In the year 1664 it was conveyed to the Brodrick family15, in whose possession it has continued for several generations, being now the property of George Brodrick Viscount Midleton, of the kingdom of Ireland, who has a seat at Pepperharrow in this county.

Manor of Downe, or Downe-buys. The manor of Downe, or Downe-buys, situated partly in this parish, and partly in that of Battersea, was given to Westminster-abbey in the year 1377 by Thomas Pernell16. The site of the manor was leased by the Abbot and Convent in 1527 to John Hill for 32 years, at the rent of 6l. 6s. 8d.17 The manor appears to have been kept in the hands of the crown till the thirty-third year of Queen Elizabeth's reign, when the fee-simple was purchased by William Cammock Esq.18, for the sum of 191l. It was alienated the next year to Sir William Cecil19, and sold by the heirs of his grandson, Edward Viscount Wimbledon, to Thomas Hewett20 Esq., of whom it was purchased in 1698, by Mrs. Elizabeth Howland. The late Duke of Bedford, who was representative of the Howland family, sold it about twenty years ago to the Right Honourable George John Earl Spencer.

Manor of Allfarthing. The manor of Allfarthing appears to have belonged formerly to the baronial family of Molins21, it was afterwards parcel of the possessions of the monastery of Westminster, and at a subsequent period was annexed to the honour of Hampton-court22. It was leased by King Henry VIII. in 1534, for 60 years to Thomas Lord Cromwell, who assigned the lease to Elizabeth Draper, widow23. It was renewed

in 1570 for 31 years to Elizabeth Snowe, by whose family it was assigned to John Bowyer Esq. This manor was among the lands settled upon Charles I. when Prince of Wales, and in the year 1625 was demised, for 99 years, to Sir Henry Hobart and others24, under whom Endymion Porter, gentleman of the bedchamber, and one of the favourite attendants of King Charles, took a lease of thirty-one years, to commence in 164625. He afterwards procured the remainder of this term26, and in the year 1628, the fee-simple was granted in reversion to Thomas Porter Esq.27, from whom it descended to the late Pierce Patrick Walsh Porter Esq.: it is now vested in his son. The manor-house has been many years a school28.

Various estates at Wandsworth. In the Conqueror's survey, mention is made of an estate in this parish, which belonged to the Abbot of Wandregisili, who held it for Ingulphus the monk: it was valued at 20s. and had been held of King Edward by Swein. It is probable that this estate was afterwards seized by the crown as the property of an alien priory. King Edward IV. granted certain messuages in this parish to his aunt, Ann Duchess of Buckingham, late wife of Walter Blount Lord Mountjoy29. A part of the estate which was annexed to the see of York, by the Archbishop, Lawrence Booth, is in this parish. In Strype's Annals of the Reformation30, mention is made of an annuity of 13l. 6s. 8d. paid out of certain lands at Wandsworth, belonging to the Archbishop of York, towards the endowment of a school at Guildford.

The church. The church, which stands nearly in the centre of the village, is dedicated to All Saints. It is a brick structure, and consists of a nave, chancel31, and two aisles. At the west end is a square tower, which was built in the year 1630, before which time there was a leaded steeple32. The greater part of the church was rebuilt in the year 1780, at the expence of about 3500l.

Tomb of an officer of Henry V. Near the pulpit is the tomb of an officer of Henry the Fifth's army, who died in 1420. The part of the inscription which contained his name has been torn off, and his figure, which was engraved on brass, much mutilated.

Various monuments. In the chancel are the monuments of Henry Smith Esq. who died in 1627–833, and Susannah Powell, widow of John Powell, servant to Queen Elizabeth, who died in 1630. At the east end of the north aisle is the monument of Sir Thomas Brodrick, who

died in 1641, and his wife Katherine, who died in 1678: it is adorned with busts, well executed, in white marble. On the same wall, over the gallery, is the monument of John Powell Esq. who died in 1611. At the west end of the same aisle are the monuments of Samuel Palmer Esq. F.R.S. Surgeon of St. Bartholomew's hospital, who died in 1738; and Edward Barker Esq. Cursitor-Baron of the Exchequer, who was born at Wandsworth in 1678, and died in 1759. Among other epitaphs, which are not now to be seen, Strype mentions that of Thomas Tayer Esq. of Rants, in the county of Northampton, who died in 1653, at the age of 10134.

Cemetery. At the distance of about half a mile from the church, where the roads branch off to Clapham and Vauxhall, is a cemetery, which was walled in and consecrated towards the latter end of the seventeenth century. It contains, among others, the tombs of James Boudouin Esq., born at Nismes in France, "who fled from tyranny and persecution in 1685," and died in 1739, aged 91; and other French refugees.

Rectory. The church of Wandsworth is in the diocese of Winchester, and in the deanery of Southwark. The benefice is a vicarage. The rectory was appropriated to Westminster-abbey by Richard Toclivius Bishop of Winchester35; and it was ordained by his successor, Godfrey de Lucy, that the monks should receive an annual pension of six marks out of the revenues of this church, leaving the vicar enough to support himself, and to pay the episcopal burdens36. After the suppression of monasteries, this rectory was granted to John Whyte Bishop of Winchester37: it was afterwards annexed to the honour of Hampton-court38. In the reign of Edward VI. Milo Smith was lessee of the rectories of Battersea and Wandsworth, subject to the joint rent of 128l. 2s. 9¾d. per annum39. Queen Elizabeth granted this rectory with the advowson, to Edward Downing and Peter Ashton40, trustees, probably, of Robert Knaresborough, who continued in possession at the time of his death in 1611. It is probable that Mrs. Susannah Powell, who charged the rectory with the payment of a benefaction to this parish in 1630, was his daughter. In the year 1658, the rectory and advowson belonged to Mr. Thomas Andrews41; some time afterwards they came to the Acworths, who were for many years proprietors of both. They alienated the former some time ago to the trustees of

Mr. Marshall's charitable donations. The representatives of the late Gabriel Acworth Esq. are still patrons of the vicarage.

Vicarage. William de Raleigh Bishop of Winchester, about the year 1249, endowed the vicarage with the great tithes of Heyford and Dunsford, and all the lands of William Fawkner and William Fitzharvey42. The rectory was taxed at thirty marks in the year 1291; the vicarage at ten marks. In 1646, the sum of 50l. per annum, out of the manors of Walworth and Lambeth, was voted for the augmentation of the vicarage of Wandsworth. In 1650 the rectory was said to be 50l. 10s. 8d. clear yearly value; the vicarage 40l. In the King's books the latter is valued at 15l. 5s. 5d.

Vicars. Griffith Clerke. In the year 1540 Griffith Clerke, vicar of Wandsworth, with his chaplain, servant, and Friar Waire, were all hanged and quartered at St. Thomas Watering, most probably for denying the King's supremacy; though Stow, who mentions the fact43, professes himself ignorant of the cause of their execution.

John Field. Anthony Wood makes mention44 of John Field, a famous preacher and minister of Wandsworth, who died in 1586. He published several sermons and religious tracts, among which was a pamphlet called "God's Judgment at a Bear-beating at Paris Garden."

Nathan Resbury. Nathan Resbury, instituted to this vicarage in 1674, was author of several sermons and tracts against popery45. The present vicar is the Reverend Robert Holt Butcher, M.A.

First Presbyterian congregation in England at Wandsworth. The first Presbyterian congregation established in this kingdom was at Wandsworth in the year 1572. Among the principal promoters of this establishment were John Field of Wandsworth, Mr. Smith of Mitcham, and Mr. Crane of Roehampton. Eleven elders were chosen on the eleventh day of November in the year above-mentioned, and their offices described in a book called the Orders of Wandsworth. The Presbyterians of that day, commonly called Puritans, dissented from the church of England in matters of discipline only, and the wearing of habits46.

Meeting-houses. There are now at Wandsworth meeting-houses for the Methodists, the Independents, and the Quakers. There are about twenty families of the latter, and two schools for children of that persuasion; adjoining their meeting-house, which was rebuilt in 1787, is a small burial-ground, given by Joan Stringer in 1697: the burials in this ground do not exceed four in a year upon an average.

Parish register. The earliest date of the parish register is 1603.

The early part of the register appears to have been accurately kept, as it does during the greater part of the last century; but the intermediate period is too defective to admit of forming any average of burials, nor is that of baptisms by any means satisfactory. The population of this place appears to have increased in a proportion of nearly four to one since the beginning of the seventeenth century. The great numbers of children who are brought into this parish to be nursed, many of whom die and are buried here, will account for the average of burials having sometimes exceeded that of baptisms.

Present number of houses and inhabitants. The number of houses in 1792, exclusively of the workhouse of this parish, and that of St. Mary le Strand, is 689. Of these 26 were empty, 11 of them having been newly built. The inhabitants were accurately numbered by Mr. Spencer, master of the charity-school, in the month of July 1792, and were found to amount to 4554. In this number were included 367 children at the various boarding-schools, and 46 poor belonging to the parish of St. Mary le Strand, and lodged in their workhouse. Mr. Spencer remarked, in his list of the inhabitants, that the number of lodgers amounted to 843; that of servants to 460. By the returns made to Parliament under the population act in 1801, it appears that there were then 746 houses, of which 26 were unoccupied, and that the number of families was then 1191, that of inhabitants 471547. The present number of houses is about 870.

Plague years. The plague appears to have been particularly fatal at Wandsworth; the number of persons who died of that distemper at various periods is thus specified in the register:

Mention is made of a few persons who died of the plague in the years 1636, 1641, 1643, 1644, 1645, 1647, and 1648. It seems, by the following entries in the churchwardens' accounts, that this distemper was very fatal in the year 1643:

Among the persons who died of the plague in 1665 are "the Ladie Henderson, buried Aug. 19," and "Mr. Richard Bowden, (Dr. of physic) buried Oct. 10." Several of those who fell victims to this fatal malady in 1665 and 1666 were buried at the pest-house and in the fields adjoining.

Extracts from the Register.

"Alice Palladaye, widow, aged 114 years, buried Mar. 25, 1622."

"Mr. Thomas Tayer, aged 101, buried Dec. 30, 1653."

"Mary Cross, widow, aged 102 years, buried Aug. 5, 1760."

These are the only very remarkable instances of longevity. Six persons of 90 years of age and upwards were buried between the years 1800 and 1808.

"Henry Smith Esq. was buried the 14th day of Feb. 1627–8."

Mr. Smith, whose name is well known on account of his various benefactions to the poor, died at his house in Silver-street on the 30th of January, and his funeral "was worshipfully solemnized at Wandsworth, it being his desire to be there buried, because it was the place of his nativity48." He was once married, but his wife dying many years before him without issue49, he made over his estates real and personal, in the year 1620, to trustees for charitable purposes, reserving out of their produce 500l. per annum for his own maintenance. By his last will, bearing date April 24, 1627, he bequeathed legacies to various persons to the amount of nearly 1000l. (among which was 200l. to the Countess of Dorset, and 100l. to Lady Delaware;) 1000l. to his nephew, Henry Jackson; 1000l. to his poor relations; 10,000l. to buy impropriations for godly preachers; 150l. to found a fellowship in Cambridge for his own kindred; 1000l. to redeem poor captives taken by Turkish pirates; 500l. to the parish of Wandsworth; 1000l. to Richmond; and 1000l. to Reigate to buy lands of inheritance for the use of the poor; the residue of his estates real and personal he bequeathed to his executors to be allotted to the poor of various parishes according to their discretion. In this distribution the county of Surrey has been principally regarded. It may be collected from Mr. Smith's will and

declaration of uses, that his object was to set such poor people to work as were able; to relieve the impotent with clothes and provisions; to educate children, and to bind them apprentices. A schedule of the present amount of the allotments to each parish mentioned in this volume, as paid in the years 1791, and 1807, (obligingly communicated by William Bray Esq. of Great Russell-street, the treasurer,) is given in the note50, with the names of the estates out of which they issue. The story of Smith's having been a beggar rests upon a very vague tradition: its fallacy, as far as relates to his excluding Mitcham from the benefits of his charity because he was whipped out of that parish, may be deduced from the subjoined account. It appears, nevertheless, that he was a person of very humble extraction, from his leaving money to his poor kindred, viz. such as were aged, impotent, and unable to help themselves. Upon being asked which of his poor kindred he meant? he said, the poorest of his sisters' children, and their

children successively51. Mr. Smith was buried in the chancel; on his grave-stone is the following inscription:

"Depositum Henr. Smith, Senatoris Londinensis.

Mole sub hac quæris quis conditur, optime lector.

Cujus et qualis, quantus in orbe fuit;

A dextris muri, statuam tu cernere possis

Oranti similem, marmore de Pario;

Subter quam statuam cernatur tabula sculpta

Auratis verbis quæ tibi cuncta notant."

Henry Smith's monument. On the east wall a monument has been erected to his memory, with his effigies kneeling at a desk in the attitude of devotion: underneath is a tablet inscribed as follows:

"Here lyeth the body of Henry Smith Esq. sometimes citizen and alderman of London, who departed this life the 30th day of January A°. Dom. 1627, being then neere the age of 79 yeares. whome while he lived gave unto these several townes in Surrey following:—One thousand pounds apeece to buy lands for perpetuity for the relief and setting poore people on worke in the said townes, viz. to the towne of Croydon, one thousand pounds; to the towne of Kingston, one thousand pounds; to the towne of Guildford, one thousand pounds; to the towne of Darking, one thousand pounds; to the towne of Farnham, one thousand pounds; and by his last will and testament did further give and devise, to buy lands for perpetuity and setting the poore a-worke, unto the towne of Reigate, one thousand pounds; to the towne of Richmond, one especialtye or debt of a thousand pounds; and unto the towne of Wandsworth, wherein he was borne, the sum of five hundred pounds, for the same use as before; and did further will and bequeath one thousand pounds to buy lands for perpetuity, to redeem poore captives and prisoners from the Turkish tyranny; and not here stinting his charity and bounty, did also give and bequeath the most part of his estate, being to a great value, for the purchasing lands of inheritance for ever for the relief of the poor and setting them a-worke: a patterne worthy the imitation of those whom God has blessed with the abundance of the goods of this life to follow him therein."

"Sarah, daughter of Praise Barbone, was buried Ap. 13, 1635."

It is probable that this was the celebrated Puritan, commonly called "Praise-God Barbone," a distinguished member of the parliament which took its name from him. He was a leather-seller in Fleet-street52.

"Sir Thomas Brodrick Knt. buried Feb. 4, 1641–2."

"[Allan Brodrick Lord] Viscount Middleton, buried June 13th, 1747."

"George Brodrick Viscount Middleton, aged 35, buried Aug. 28. 1765."

Several others, of the Brodrick family have been interred at Wandsworth:— Sir Allan Brodrick Knt. who died Nov. 25, and was buried here Dec. 3, 1680, was surveyor-general of the kingdom of Ireland. Anthony Wood says, that he was endowed with a poetical wit, of which several specimens were extant53. His burial is not entered in the register.

"Dr. Tobias Whittaker primarie physician to his Maj^s houshold, buried May 19, 1666."

He wrote upon the small-pox, and was author also of "A Discourse of Waters;" and a treatise on "the possibility of maintaining human life (without sickness) from infancy to extreme old age, by the use of wine."

"Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, sons of John Rowton, were baptized Jan. 25, 1693–4."

"David Montolieu, Baron de St. Hyppolite, aged 93, buried June 16, 1761."

"The honourable Alice Scot, relict of Francis, late Duke of Buccleugh, aged 63, buried Dec. 13, 1765."

Churchwardens' accounts. The churchwardens' accounts in this parish begin in the year 1590. It appears by a minute in these books, that the bridge over the Wandle was built at the expence of Queen Elizabeth, between the 18th and 25th of July 160254.

In the year 1638 the inhabitants were assessed 3s. for the King's hounds. During the civil war are entries of various sums of money paid for complying with the ordinances of those times.

Charity-school. William Wickes, by his will bearing date 1710, bequeathed 200l. towards raising a sum of money for purchasing lands of inheritance of 25l. yearly value to clothe and educate 25 boys. Various persons having contributed towards the accomplishment of this object, an estate was purchased at Ashurst in Kent, which was vested in trustees, and the school established in the year 1720. Other benefactions having since accrued, there is now 300l. in the stocks belonging to this charity, with the interest of which, joined to the collection at an annual sermon, the trustees are enabled to increase the number of children to 35.

The school-house, in which the master lives rent-free, was leased to the trustees of the charity by Lord Middleton, upon their paying an annual acknowledgment of five shillings.

School of industry. The school of industry at Wandsworth was established in 1800 and a school-house was erected in 1805 by voluntary contributions. In this school are 40 girls who are educated and clothed55. They are employed in knitting, spinning, and plain work, and receive a quarter of their earnings; which at present are about 65l. per annum. It appears by the report of 1808 that 22 girls had been then clothed and sent to service, and that seven of these had received the reward given for good behaviour and a continuance of upwards of two years in the same service. The school is liberally supported by the contributions of the inhabitants, aided by the collections at an annual sermon. The treasurer has been enabled, out of the savings of the annual balances, to purchase 200l. in the three per cents.

Sunday Schools. There are also in this parish two sunday-schools supported by voluntary contributions: the number of the children is fluctuating, but on an average there are about 60 in the boys' and about 80 in the girls' school.

Benefactions. Mr. Henry Smith left the sum of 500l. to purchase lands of inheritance for the relief of the poor of this place. Mrs. Elizabeth Blackwell, having left 100l. for the same purpose, the parish, with these two sums, and 60l. more added by themselves, bought an estate at Carshalton which formerly let for 40l. per annum, in 1790 at 86l. now at 175l. free of all deductions. The parish receives an allotment also from the trustees of Mr. Smith's charities, which is paid out of an estate at Stoughton in Leicestershire; this was formerly 16l. per annum, in 1790, 27l., now about 45l. Sir Allan Brodrick, about the year 1610 [?1680], gave to this parish the interest of 360l.; 5l. of which he directed to be paid to the minister for reading prayers, 20s. to the sexton, and six shillings a week to be divided among such of the poor as attended daily prayers. An estate at Wilsden, which was purchased with this money produced in 1790, 39l. 13s. 4d. per annum, now 85l. The parish is possessed of other benefactions, given by Mrs. Susanna Powell, Mr. Francis Millington &c. and 50l. per annum is received from Earl Spencer in lieu of land belonging to the parish which has been inclosed in his park.

Garrett. The hamlet of Garrett appears to have been about two centuries ago a single house, called "the Garvett57." It now contains about fifty houses, and is well known as the scene of a mock election which took place there for many years upon the meeting of every new parliament; when several well-known characters in low-life appeared as candidates, being furnished with fine cloths and gay equipages for the occasion, by the publicans, who made a good harvest of the

day's frolic. Garrett election. This piece of burlesque, which had been some time in the decline, was wholly dropped at the general election in 1790: it was revived after the general election in 1796, but has not been held since. Foote wrote a well-known comedy on this subject, called the Mayor of Garrets.

Wandsworth hills. Upon the hills on each side of Wandsworth, distinguished by the names of East-Hill and West-Hill, are several good houses, which command a fine prospect over the river Thames, the metropolis, and a great part of the county of Middlesex.

Mr. Rucker's villa. A very handsome villa was built at West-Hill by Mr. Gibson of Hackney, for the late John Anthony Rucker Esq. This house, which is now the property and residence of his nephew Daniel Henry Rucker Esq. stands near Lord Spencer's park, on the site of a house which was built for the late Lady Rivers, and was sometime occupied by Lord Stormont. Its elevated situation renders it a conspicuous object in the neighbourhood, and gives it the advantage of a beautiful prospect.