Memorials of St. James's street : together with the annals of Almack's / by E. Beresford Chancellor, M.A., with sixteen illustrations.

  • E. Beresford Chancellor
Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Memorials of St. James's street : together with the annals of Almack's / by E. Beresford Chancellor, M.A., with sixteen illustrations. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    26/332 (page 18)
    Waller Esq.”1 in 1659, being then domiciled “In the Pavement,” which I imagine was that part of the east side which had by now been formed into something more analogous to the modern street than the rough and ready earlier road could be said to be. As a matter of fact, although St James’s Street is stated by various topographers to have been formed in 1670, it dates from at least ten years earlier. The Rate Books for 1658 give the names of inhabitants under the general heading of “ St James’s.” In the following year no name of district or street (so far as these particular names are concerned) is entered, but in 1660 we find the heading “ St James’s Street.” From this the deduction is fairly obvious that the roadway was made into a regular street in or about 1659, or just eleven years earlier than has hitherto been assumed. The fact that by a Statute of 13 & 14 Charles II. (1661-1662) St James’s Street was ordered to be paved, not only proves that the street had already been formed, but also indicates that it was then regarded as a potentially important thoroughfare. In this connection it is interesting to remember that John Evelyn was one of the Commissioners for the improvement of the streets, and under date of 31st July 1662 thus refers to the matter: “I sate with ye Commissr8 about re¬ forming buildings and streetes of London, and we ordered the paving of the way from St James’s North, which was a quagmire, and also of the Hymarket about Pigadillo [Piccadilly], and agreed upon instructions to be printed and published for the better keeping the streetes cleane.” I may mention here that Hare2 and others have stated that at first St James’s Street was known as “ The Long Street.” I have been at some pains to verify this 1 He is then rated at sixteen shillings. 2 Walks in London.