The Diary of Nathaniel Bryceson Revisited Again

[avm228]

In The Standard of 22 September 1827 was a report of a property auction (front page).

"...The next lot was offered for sale, which was described as Percy Chapel, situate in Charlotte-street, near Rathbone-place, containing sittings for a numerous congregation, with vestry room, extensive vaults, range of small shops in Percy-passage, adjoining the chapel, and a dwelling-house in Upper Rathbone-place... This lot was put up at 500L and knocked down at 8,300L.  Percy Chapel is connected with the Established Church."

The chapel was apparently demolished in 1867:

www.aim25.ac.uk/cgi-bin/vcdf/detail?coll_id=15408&inst_id=118&nv1=search&nv2=

[deb usa]

That's fantastic, Avm !!!!! Great find!

Thanks 

[drykid]

I guess I'm possibly guilty of applying my 21st century notions of what a row of shops looks like.  Maybe in Dickensian times it was quite normal to have shops hidden away in a narrow passage (also it would help to explain why Nat might be located there, since it clearly would be at the more affordable end of things.)  I agree that the bricked up parts must've been windows at some time.

I think I'll have a walk down this neck of the woods the next time I'm in the city.

[avm228]

It may not have been the most salubrious area of town in Nathaniel's time.

A report in the London Daily News of 3 October 1849 details the findings of a sanitary inspector on a recent visit.

"UPPER RATHBONE-PLACE:  One side of this street is in St Pancras, and that parish cleanses and keeps in repair the upper part of the street, viz. from Charlotte-place to Percy-passage.  I found it neglected and dirty, and the road out of repair.  One of the inhabitants declared it had not been cleansed for more than a week.  Between No 41 1/2 in this street and No 8, Percy-passage exist an offensive cess-pool and drain, which have not been cleaned for fourteen years, making these two houses very unhealthy."

A report in the previous year, 1848, named Peter Moore, a labourer, as residing at No. 8, Percy-passage when he gave evidence in a criminal trial.

[deb usa]

Drykid ... Please take photos the next time you're in the city! 

Avm ... great stuff. Sounds like it was an awful place in those days.

The Passage doesn't seem to be long enough to have many shops/homes. Nat was at no. 3. and Peter Moore (in 1848) was a no.8. They must have been excruciatingly tiny places. 

It's hard to imaging Nat having a bookstore there ...maybe things had improved a bit when he was there in 1851.

His son, Nathaniel and family, lived at 47 Charlotte Street in 1891 ...wonder how far that is from PP (Percy Passage)?

[drykid]

Will try and take pictures although in all honesty given the width of the thing it would be hard to take anything meaningful other than at either end.  Otherwise it would just be a close-up of some bricks.

A map of the street numbering of Percy Passage would be very helpful; I know we had a link to one for Richmond Buildings from the 19th C. which was very useful for showing where exactly number 9 was located originally.  Anyone know where that came from?  Was it an extract from a larger map of London as a whole?

[deb usa]

Drykid,

I don't remember. Will try to find something.

Looked for Peter Moore in 1841 and 1851 ...can't find one living in Percy Street. Not sure how to find PP on the censuses. It would be interesting to see who lived there.

[deb usa]

Found this from Kelly’s in 1851
 D. and A. Roudhloff  87 Charlotte St. Fitzy. Sq. London

Then found them in 1851 census …went to enumeration district details …Percy Passage was there.

Handwriting hard to read
4 Percy Passage:
SamL Knight 18 cheesemonger
Thos.  Knight 14 Tailor
Chas. Knight 12
All sons but no head of house. All b St Pancras (?)
/
Samuel ? 58 shoemaker

3 or 5 PP
Margaret ??comb, dau,  Unm, 23 servant, b St Pancras (Enumerated as Margaret Discomb)

8 PP
Stephen ??, son, unm, 24 occ: ?, b London (Enumerated as Stephen Bland)

Not sure why they are "son/dau" when there is no head !?

There is a George Lea (45, engraver, b London) and family living at 1 Charlotte Street. Was he related to Granny Shepard nee Lea?

[drykid]

There is a George Lea (45, engraver, b London) and family living at 1 Charlotte Street. Was he related to Granny Shepard nee Lea?

Wasn't George Lea Nat's boss at the wharf, or am I just stating the obvious?