Chelsea in the olden & present times / by George Bryan.

  • Bryan, George.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Chelsea in the olden & present times / by George Bryan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    opposite to the Vestry Room where they assembled, it was particularly convenient on such occasions for the accommodation of the ratepayers generally. The above society comprised a great.many members, and acted in conjunction with a large number of the resident gentry of the parish. Justice Walk, which extends from Church Street to Lawrence Street, took its name from a magistrate who lived in it. An avenue of lime trees formerly adorned it, and, being kept in good order, it was a very agreeable footway for passengers. There is now in it a commodious Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1841. The exterior is plain and unpretending. The interior is neat, comfortable, and well ventilated. Beneath the chapel is a spacious school room, in which the Sunday School is held. This school is very well attended. Through the exertions of the members, and other friends, the interior of the chapel has recently been painted, and rendered more comfortable in many respects. The Chelsea China Manufactory was situate at the corner of Justice Walk, and occupied the houses to the upper end of Lawrence Street. Several of the large old houses were used as shew-rooms. It has been discontinued for nearly 90 years. The manufactory of Chelsea porcelain was set on foot and carried on by a Mr. Spremont, a foreigner. The establishment employed a great number of hands; but the original proprietor having acquired a large fortune retired from the concern, and his successors, wanting his enterprise and spirit, did not so well succeed, and in a few years finally abandoned it. Previous to the dissolution, the proprietors presented a memorial respecting it to the Government, requesting protection and assistance, in which they stated that “ the manufacture in England has been carried on by great labour and a large expense j it is in many respects to the full as good as the Dresden ; and the late Duke of Orleans told Colonel York that the metal or earth had been tried in his furnace, and was found to be the best made in Europe. It is now daily improving, and already em- ploys, at least, 100 hands, of which is a nursery of thirty lads taken from the parishes and charity schools, and bred to designing and painting ; arts very much wanted here, and which are of the greatest use in our silk and printed linen manq- factories.”