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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
The only History of Hyde Park, at all worthy of the name, is Vol. I. of “The Story of the London Parks,” by Jacob Larwood. But, its author says, definitely, “What happened in Hyde Park subsequently to 1825, approaches too near to contemporary history to be told in these pages.” This (for Hyde Park has a history since then), added to the inaccuracies and imperfections of the book, has induced me to write a History of Hyde Park from Domesday Book to Date. JOHN ASHTON. ...
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CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER I.
The forests round London—The manor of Eia in Domesday Book—Its subdivision—The Manor of Hyde—The Manor of Ebury—The Manor of Neate—The Neat houses—Henry VIII. and Hyde Park—Queen Elizabeth and Hyde Park—James I.—The deer in the park—Last shooting therein—Foxes—The badger. In old times London was surrounded by forests, of which the only traces now remaining are at Bishop’s Wood, between Hampstead and Highgate, and the Chase at Enfield. FitzStephen, who lived in the reign of Henry II., tells us, i
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CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER II.
Hyde Park in the early Commonwealth—Its sale—Toll on horses and carriages—A hurling match—Cromwell’s accident—Attempts to shoot him in the Park—Notices against trespassers—The Park at the Restoration. It was not until after the martyrdom of the King, and a little before Cromwell found himself strong enough to become Lord Protector of the three Kingdoms, that the Parks, etc., were sold. But on Dec. 31, 1652, was passed “An Act for the Exposing to Sale divers Castles, Houses, Parks, Lands and Here
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CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER III.
The camp in Hyde Park during the Plague of 1665—Boscobel Oaks in the Park—When first opened to the public—What it was then like—The Cheesecake House—Its homely refections—Orange girls. In 1665, at the time of the great Plague, Hyde Park was put to a sad use, as is well described in a contemporary poem entitled “Hide Park Camp Limned out to the Life, etc.” In connection with Hyde Park and the Restoration, I may mention the following, copied from The Times , December 18, 1862. “ A Relic of the Pas
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CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IV.
Foot and horse racing in the Park—Prize fighting—Duelling—The duel between Lord Mohun and the Duke of Hamilton. Then , also, there were races run in the Park, both horse, coach and foot. In Shirley’s Hide Parke we read,— L. Bonavent. Be there any races here? Mr. Lacy. Yes, Sir, horse and foot. . . . . . . . Mistress Bon. Prethee, sweetheart, who runnes? La. An Irish and an English footeman! M. Bon. Will they runne this way? La. Just before you, I must have a bet! [ Exit. M. Bon. Nay, nay, you sh
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CHAPTER V. Duelling in Hyde Park.
CHAPTER V. Duelling in Hyde Park.
The first duel in Hyde Park (chronicled in the Gentleman’s Magazine , which commenced in 1731) is one fought on February 24, 1750, “between Admiral Knowles and Captain Holmes , with pistols, when two or three shots were exchanged on each side, but no hurt was done. His majesty being informed that more challenges were depending, particularly four Challenges sent to the said Admiral, order’d three officers into Custody.” But the bellicose officers under his command did not care for that example, a
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
Skating on the ponds and Serpentine—The Ring—Many notices thereof—Fireworks in the Park—Bad roads therein, and accidents caused thereby—Regulations in the time of Queen Anne—Making the drive—Riding in the Park. Soon after the opening of the Park to the public, the water therein was utilized, during a hard frost, for skating, as Pepys tells us in his diary: “Dec. 8th, 1662. Then into the Parke to see them slide with their skeates, which is very pretty. Dec. 15th. Up and to my Lord’s, and thence t
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CHAPTER VII.
CHAPTER VII.
Rotten Row, the King’s Old Road—The New King’s Road made and lighted—The Allied Sovereigns in the Park—The Park after the Peninsular War—The Duke of Wellington in the Park—The Queen and Royal Family in the Park. If we look at the old map of Hyde Park, we shall find that what is now called Rotten Row was then termed The King’s Old Road and The King’s New Road , whence the generally accepted derivation of Rotten Row , from Route du Roi . Soon after the accession of William III., and his purchase o
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CHAPTER VIII.
CHAPTER VIII.
The springs in Hyde Park—Used as water supply for Westminster—Horses in the Park—The Westbourne—Making the Serpentine—The “Naumachia” thereon—Satires about it—The Jubilee Fair. Hyde Park has several springs of water, one of which was said to have been slightly mineral. The one shown in this illustration still exists, and the author of “The Morning Walk” thus eulogizes one:— Some of these springs were utilized for the supply of water outside the Park—but the larger quantity came from the Westbour
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CHAPTER IX.
CHAPTER IX.
Coronation of George IV.—Boat-racing on the Serpentine—Illumination of the Park—Fireworks—Coronation of Queen Victoria—Fair in the Park—Fireworks in Hyde Park, at “Peace rejoicing,” May, 1856. The next jollification in Hyde Park was on July 19, 1821, at the Coronation of George the Magnificent. According to The Morning Chronicle of that date, “The preparations for the amusements of the populace are extensive. Boats were conveyed to the Serpentine River, and the arrangements for the fireworks and
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CHAPTER X. The Great Exhibition of 1851.
CHAPTER X. The Great Exhibition of 1851.
But what has rendered Hyde Park historically immortal is the choice of it as the site of the “ Great Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations ,” in 1851, an institution which was claimed to have been foreseen by Chaucer, as evidenced by portions scattered at wide intervals over his Book of Fame . [36] The Society of Arts organized a small exhibition of manufactures in 1847, at their rooms, which attracted much attention, so much, indeed, that in 1848 they had an exhibition of pottery, and in 18
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CHAPTER XI.
CHAPTER XI.
Royal Humane Society’s Receiving House—Boats and bathing—The Dell—Chelsea Water Works reservoir—Walnut-trees—Flower-walk—Military executions—The Magazine, Whip, Four in Hand and Coaching Clubs—Their dress—Satire on coaching—The Park as a military centre—The first review—Fort at Hyde Park Corner—Guard-house—Camp in Hyde Park—Insubordinate troops. On the north bank of the Serpentine, nearly on the site of the Cheesecake House, is the Receiving House of the Royal Humane Society, built in 1834 (the
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CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XII.
Grand Reviews in 1660-1661-1668, 1682-1695-1699—Camps in 1715-1716-1722—Poem on the latter—Reviews in 1755-1759-1760. A few weeks before the restoration of Charles II. Hyde Park was the scene of a very grand review, which is thus described in The Parliamentary Intelligencer , April 23-30, 1660. “On Tuesday, April 24, the Militia forces of the City Trained Bands and Auxiliaries, according to an Order of the council, marched into Hide-Park, the Maior in his Collar of S’s, with the Mace, Sword, Cap
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CHAPTER XIII.
CHAPTER XIII.
Reviews in 1763-1764—Shooting-butts in 1778—Camp in 1780—Severe Sentence of a Court-martial—Volunteer reviews, 1799-1800—The rain at the latter. It would be wearisome to chronicle every review, except grand ones such as the following, which is thus described in the St. James’s Chronicle , June 25-28, 1763. “On the morning of the 27th inst. at half-past eight, his Majesty, the Duke of York, and Prince William Henry, attended by Earl Delawar, and escorted by the first troop of Horse Guards, mounte
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CHAPTER XIV.
CHAPTER XIV.
Volunteer reviews of 1803—Review in honour of the Allied Sovereigns, 1814—Popularity of Blücher—Review by the Queen in 1838—Volunteer review, 1860. As far as I can learn, there were no more grand Volunteer reviews in Hyde Park, until 26th Oct., 1803, and this, I think, is borne out by the “gush” of the Annual Register on the occasion, which would hardly have occurred had they been frequent. “This was a truly proud day for the country. It presented the sublime spectacle of a patriot Monarch, who
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CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Volunteer Reviews, 1864, 1876—Mobs in the Park—Funeral of Queen Caroline. The next review in the Park was also of Volunteers, 21,743 in number, who were inspected by the Prince of Wales on 28th May, 1864. After the inspection, the Prince, who wore the uniform of the Honourable Artillery Company, took his place at the head of his corps. The following is from The Times , 30th May, 1864:— “The Royal carriages, meanwhile, had drawn up close to the flag-staff, and, as they took their position, His Ro
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CHAPTER XVI.
CHAPTER XVI.
Commencement of the reign of King Mob—Sunday Trading Bill, 1855—Riots—Withdrawal of the Bill—Meetings about high price of food, 1855—Rough play and window smashing. This riot was accidental and unpremeditated. We now come to the reign of King [Greek: dêmos] in the Park, and it began on Sunday, July 1, 1855, in a demonstration against Lord Robert Grosvenor’s “Sunday Trading Bill”—the following account of which is abridged from The Times of July 2, 1855. “Three o’clock was the advertised time for
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CHAPTER XVII.
CHAPTER XVII.
Sympathy with Italy, 1859—Garibaldi riots, 1862—Reform League Meeting, 23rd July, 1866—Police proclamation against it—Attempt to hold it—Hyde Park railings destroyed. There were no more meetings in the Park for a long time, but there was one on Sunday, 8th May, 1859, to propose an address to the Emperor Napoleon, sympathizing with the Emperor in the course he had taken with respect to the war in Italy. This meeting passed off quietly, which was a great deal more than another did, which took plac
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CHAPTER XVIII.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Reform League Meeting of 25th July, 1866—Burning a tree—Stone-throwing—Temporizing policy of the Government—Special constables sworn in—Meeting abandoned—Return of police injured—Meeting of “Working Men’s Rights Association,” 1867—Reform League Meeting of 6th May, 1867—Police warning—Legal opinions—Meeting held—Meeting on 5th August, 1867. But the London rough had tasted blood, and as a Reform Meeting was to be held in the Park on 25th, they gathered there in force. How the Park looked may be ju
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CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER XIX.
Demonstrations against the Irish Church, 1868—In favour of Fenians, 1869—Regulations made by Commissioners of Works—Fenian Demonstration, 1872—A speaker sentenced—Meeting about the Eastern Question, 1878—Fight—Preaching in the Park—Modern instances—May-Day and May 6, 1894—Against the House of Lords, Aug. 26, 1894. On Sunday, July 19, 1868, there was a demonstration in the Park against the Irish Church: then there was one in favour of the Fenians in Oct., 1869. But it is not worth chronicling all
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CHAPTER XX. The Children’s Fête in Hyde Park, 1887.
CHAPTER XX. The Children’s Fête in Hyde Park, 1887.
As a refreshing set-off to the mouthings of mobs in Hyde Park, let us turn to the prettiest and pleasantest sight that the Park ever beheld, namely, the Children’s Fête in Hyde Park, on June 22, 1887, in commemoration of the Queen’s Jubilee, the following account of which is taken from The Times of June 23:— “Hyde Park yesterday was the scene both of festivity and ceremonial, the children being the happy mortals who were especially privileged to take part in the former, and witness the latter. I
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CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER XXI.
List of Rangers—A horse jumping the wall—Highwaymen—Horace Walpole robbed—Other robberies—Assaults, offences, etc., in the present reign—A very recent case. The nominal head or Keeper of the Park is called the Ranger , and the first Keeper was made in the reign of Henry VIII. His name was George Roper, and besides lodging, fire, etc., venison, cattle grazing, etc., his salary was sixpence a day; and he kept this position until his death in 1553, when he was succeeded by Francis Nevell, whose sal
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CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Gates—That into Kensington Gardens—Improvements in the Park—Encroachments—The case of Ann Hicks and the other fruit-sellers—Seats in the Park—New house in ditto. There are several entrances into Hyde Park—those called Gates being passable for carriages. These lead into the Bayswater Road, Park Lane, and Knightsbridge, but there is also one connecting it with Kensington Gardens, concerning which there are several paragraphs in The Times of 1794-1795:— “The access to Kensington Gardens is so i
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CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Works of art in the Park—Drinking fountain—Marble Arch—Hyde Park Corner—Achilles statue—Walk round the Park—Cemetery of St. George’s, Hanover Square—Sterne’s tomb and burial—Tyburn tree—The Tybourne—People executed—Henrietta Maria’s penance—Locality of the gallows—Princess Charlotte—Gloucester House—Dorchester House—Londonderry House—Apsley House—Allen’s apple stall—The Wellington Arch—Statues of the Duke—St. George’s Hospital, Knightsbridge—A fight on the bridge—Albert Gate and George Hudson—Kn
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