The history, topography and antiquities of the parish of St. Mary Islington, in the county of Middlesex : including biographical sketches of the most eminent and remarkable persons who have been born, or have resided there ; illustrated by seventeen engravings

Front matter

s< THE History CopograpJ^ anti Antiquities OF THE PARISH OF St. MARY ISLINGTON, IN THE COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX. INCLUDING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE MOST EMINENT AND REMARKABLE PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN BORN, OR HAVE RESIDED THERE. ILLUSTRATED BY SEVENTEEN ENGRAVINGS. BY JOHN NELSON. Old Iseldon, tho' scarce in modern song Nam'd but in scorn, may boast of honour' d days ; For many a darling child of Science there Hath srimm'd hie lextstp, and wove his laurel crown. Aud Iseldon, as ancient records tell, • In distant time as now, had much to boast Of other praise, in Nature's bounty rich. For thither, then, from London's hectic town Her fam'd chalybeates oft allur'd the sick ; Her fresh lactarian draughts the babe sustain'd. Fox LONDON: PRINTED FOB THE AUTHOR BY JOHN NICHOLS AND SON, RED LION PASSAGE, FLEET STREET AND SOLD BY C. RUSSELL, AT THE CIRCULATING LIBRARY, UPPER STREET, ISLINGTON MESSRS. BLACK, rARRY, AND KINGSBURY, LEADENHALL STREET; VERNOR, HOOD AND SHARPS, POULTRY; GREENLAND, FINSBURY PLACE ; ANO SETCHEL AND SON, KINO STREET COVENT GARDEN.

" »*«»«»* 1811. THOMAS TOPHAM, COMMONLY CALLED THE STRONG MAN, Continues to perform his Two Actions, allowed to be Strength, at his house, the sign of the Bell and Dragon, in Hog-Lane, near Norton Foigate, in the Parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, and no where else: his Reward as usual, [less than] five Spectators to give one Crown ; more than that number, to pay Twelve Pence each. There have been no visitors yet — Giants or Dwarfs, to act in either of the Two Feats, which causes the Curiosity to be the greater. Although he dwells in mud and mire, The beer he draws, is good entire ; It warms the blood, nourishes the nerves, Both meat and drink, mankind it serves. Finis Coronat Opus. July 25, 1745. Thomas Topham's early celebrity appears to have originated in Islington, when there located as 'mine host' of the Duke's Head, a public-house, situated at the south-east corner of Cadd's- Row,* on Islington-Green, nearly opposite to the Fax publicHiouse.

A Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music was performed at Stationers' Hall, ©n Westft'esdayJ J&Iy 10, 173d, "for the benefit of Mr. Topham, the Strong Man, of Islingtoa." i;A Jiand-bHlf of the time states the great bills would express particulars of the Concert, " afterwhielfr a^-the desire of several gentle men and ladies, Mr. Topham is to entertain the aHdience„with Tiis surprising Performances of Strength. Tickets of admission, Five Shillings each." ' Later, a letter from Dublin, dated April 9, 1737, mentions " Mr. Topham, the Strong Man, whose fame not only London, but Islington pro claims, i« arrived here, and performs in this kingdom." Desaguliers, Hutton, and other writers, have particularised many of Topham's extraordinary Herculean performances, yet none of them have the grand distinction of his surprising commemo rative exploit, in honour of Admiral Vernon's reduction of Porto-Bello.

Preface

. THE Author of the following sheets is fully aware of his own ina bility to add much to the stock of the experienced Antiquary and Topo grapher, — his chief motive was the information and amusement of his neighbours and friends ; his end will therefore be sufficiently answered, if in what he has done he should meet with their kind approbation and support. Injustice to himself it must however be observed, that the materials for the present work were for the most part collected and prepared for the press during his hours of relaxation from mercantile pursuits. In the progress of the volume it has been the Writer's aim to collect all the original information which such time and opportunity afforded ; and in this he might probably have been more successful, had his en quiries always met with that attention which he flattered himself the subject deserved; but which opinion he was too often unable to impress upon the minds of those who had it in their power to render him ma terial assistance.

It must however be confessed, that he has availed himself of every printed authority which fell in his way, a circumstance not to be omitted without considerable detriment iu a work of this nature ; and he hopes that those gentlemen to whose labours he may be indebted will pardon him for that liberty, as he believes he has generally acknowledged his obligation at the bottom of the page. With respect to the Engravings that accompany the work, they are, with the exception of the eleventh plate, executed by Mr. J. Hawks worth and his sister, both young artists of considerable promise ; and the Author feels pleasure in expressing an opinion that they are supe rior in execution to the plates accompanying the generality of works on Parochial History and Antiquities. To those persons who have furnished him with information, and fa voured his enquiries, he returns his best thanks ; particularly to Mrs. Hunt of Canonbury, John Nichols, Esq. (the warm friend and pro moter of Antiquarian research ;) Jonathan Eade, Esq. John Bentley, Esq. John Scriven, Esq. Mr. Haslam, Messrs. Dowling, Palmer, and Powell, to each of whom he is under particular obligations.

Islington, May 1, 1811. v ■le-bone SUBSCRIBERS ABBOT, Robert, Esq. Upper-street, Islington. Arch, John and Arthur, Booksellers, Cornhill. Ashby, Robert, Esq. Highbury-terrace. Asperne, Mr. James, Bookseller, 32, Cornhill. Astbury, William, Esq. Portugal-street, Lincoln's-inn-fields Aubert, Anthony, Esq. Woodford, Essex. Banner, T. P. Esq. Broadstairs, Kent. Barr, Mr. Balls Pond. Bedwell, Bernard, Esq. Canonbury. Bentley, John, Esq. Highbury House. Bishop. Nathaniel, Esq. Gloucester-place, New-road, Mary Bowles, Henry-Carington, Esq. Bull's Cross, Enfield. Britton, John, Esq. F. S. A. Tavistock-place. Browne, W.-R.-H. Esq. Canonbury-square. Browjne, Mr. John, Pleasant-row, Islington. Browne, Mr. William, Stanton's wharf, Southwark. Byng, George, Esq. M. P. Wrotham Park, Middlesex. Caley, John, Esq. F. S. A. Spa fields.

Canonbury Book Society. Clark, Mr. Thomas, Crown-street, Finsbury. Clayton, Rev. John, Highbury-place. Clingand, Mr. Thomas, Stanton's wharf, Southwark. Cordell, Mr. 4, Terrace, Upper-street, Islington. Cowie, Robert, Esq. Highbury-place. Cowie, John, Esq. Newington-green. Coxhead, Mr. Bookseller, Holy well-street, Strand. Cross, Mr. James, Upper-street, Islington. VI Davidson, Thomas, Esq. Upper-street, Islington. Dawson, William, Esq. Oddys-row, Upper-street, Islington. Derrick, Charles, Esq. Tyndale-place, Islington. Dowling, Mr. John, Astey's-row, Islington. Drew, Mr. Hedge-row, Islington. Eade, Jonathan, Esq. Stoke Newington. Evans, Rev. John, M. A. Pullin's-row, Islington. Faulkner, Mr. T. Bookseller, Chelsea. Flower, Mr. Upper-street, Islington, two copies. Floyer, Mr. R. Bookseller, 428, Strand.

Foster, J. Esq. Tyndale-place, Islington. Garton, Mr. Colebrooke-row, Islington. Gaskin, Rev. George, D. D. Rector of Stoke Newington and St. Bennet Gracechurch, and Lecturer of Islington. Godfrey, Mr. H. Colebrooke-row. Godwin, Captain, Cross-street, Islington. Gray, Mr. Robert, Terrace, Upper-street, Islington Greenland, Mr. Bookseller, Finsbury-place. Hall, Mr. David, Lower-street, Islington. Hawksworth, Mr. Chapel-street, Pentonville. Hedges, Mr. Henry, Upper-street, Islington. Hope, John-Thomas, Esq. 37, Upper Seymour-street. Hopkinson, Benjamin, Esq. Upper Grove, Highbury. Hood, Mr. Lower-street, Islington. Horton, William, Esq. Highbury. Huckin, Mr. John, Upper-street, Islington. Huddart, Joseph, Esq. F. R. S. Highbury-terrace. Humphreys, Mr. Thomas, Park-place, Islington. Jackson, John, Esq. Paradise-row, Islington.

Jennings, Rev. Nathaniel, Upper-street, Islington. Knight, George, Esq. River-terrace, Islington. Knight, John, Esq. Upper-street, Islington. Laycock, Mr. Richard, Sebbon's-buildings, Islington. Lewis, Rev. Thomas, Wells's-row, Islington. Lucas, Mr. William, Stapleton-hall, Stroud-green. Lysons, Rev. Daniel, M. A. F. R. S. F. S. A. and L. S. Rector of Rodmar ton, Gloucestershire. Mellish, William, Esq. M. P. Bush-hill, Enfield. Meyers, Mr. J. City-road. Milner, Mrs. Cross-street, Islington. Northampton, the Earl of, Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire. Nares, Rev. Archdeacon, Prebendary of Islington. Neale, Henry-St.-John, Esq. Frith-street, Soho. Nichols, John,Esq. F. S. A. Lond. Edinb. & Perth, Canonbury-lane. Oates, Rev. William, Bray's-place, Islington. Oldershaw, Mr. Veetry Cferk, Lower-street, Islington.

Palmer, William, Esq. Rufford's-buildings, Upper street, Islington. Parker, Rev. William, Rector of St. Ethelburga, Bishopsgate, Astey's-rowj Islington. Parry Roger, Esq. Colebrooke-row. Percival, Richard, Esq. Highbury-place. Percival, Richard, jun. Esq. Highbury-place. Playfair, Mr. George, Hanover-street, Hanover-square. Pocock, Mr. John, Whitefryars. Powell, Mr. Hornsey-row, Islington. Powell, M . Cross-street, Islington. Pownall, John, Esq. River-terrace. Pyman, S. W. Esq. Colebrooke-row. Randall, Mr. Birchin-lane. Rhodes, Samuel, Esq. Islington. Ricardo, Abraham, Esq. Canonbury-lane. r> vm Richardson, Mr. J. M. Bookseller, 23, Cornhill. Rose, Samuel, Esq. Edinburgh. Rowe, Mr. g, Dalby-terrace. Russell, Mr. Bookseller, 122, Upper-street, Islington. Sanders, Mr. Thomas, Upper-street, Islington.

Score, Mr. William, Bank of England. Setchel, Mr. Bookseller, King-street, Covent-garden. Stevenson, Mr. James, Islington-green. Stockdale, Mr. F. W. L. East India House. Strahan, Rev. George, D. D. Vicar of Islington, Rector of Cranham Essex, and Prebendary of Rochester. Sutherland, Alexander, M. D. Physician to St. Luke's Hospital. Swaine, Thomas, Esq. Canonbury. Symonds, Mr. H.-D. Astey's-row. Taylor, William, Esq. 25, Laurence Pountney-lane. Taylor, Mr. James, York-place, City-road. Tibbatts, John, Esq. Tyndale-place. Walker, Mr. J.-G. Conway-street, Fitzroy-square. Watson, Mr. Thomas, Bridle-lane, Islington. Wheble, Mr. John, Warwick-square. White, William, Esq. Highbury-place. Whittomore, Mr. Thomas, Upper-street, Islington Wickings, William, Esq. Barnesbury-place. Widt, Mr. G.-W. Lower-street, Islington.

Wilkinson, Charles, Esq. Highbury-place. Willoughby, Mr. Highbury tavern. Wilson, Joseph, Esq. Highbury. Wilson, John, Esq. Upper-street, Islington. ?► Wilson, Thomas, Esq. Oddys-row, Islington. Wilson, William, Esq. Nether Worton, Oxon. ""*' Wilson, Mr. Robert, East India Dock House. Winkles, Mr. Terrace, Lower-street, Islington. Wood, Matthew, Esq. Alderman of London, Highbury-place. Wormald, John, Esq. 13, Highbury-place. THE HISTORY, TOPOGRAPHY, AND ANTIQUITIES OF ISLINGTON.