Spring Gardens: Drummond's Bank

Antiques from London on eBay

Soup / Dessert Spoons Geo. Angell - London 1867-8
30 Jun 2010 at 12:12am
US $49.99
End Date: Thursday Jul-29-2010 22:17:48 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $49.99
Buy it now | Add to watch list
LORD BYRON, THE WORKS, MURRAY LONDON 1832-33 17 VOLUMES
30 Jun 2010 at 7:05am
US $1,299.00
End Date: Friday Jul-30-2010 5:05:22 PDT
Buy It Now for only: US $1,299.00
Buy it now | Add to watch list

Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of Spring Gardens with this look at Drummond's Bank:

"Locket's ordinary, a house of entertainment much frequented by gentry," was on the site of Drummond's Bank:

Come, at a crown ahead ourselves we'll treat:
Champagne our liquor, and ragouts our meat;
        *       *       *       *       *
With evening wheels we'll drive about the Park,
Finish at Locket's, and reel home i' the dark.

Vague rumour assigns an earlier house to Cromwell on the same spot.

The bank was established about 1712 by Mr. Andrew Drummond, a goldsmith.

George III transferred his account from Coutts' to Drummond's when he was displeased with the former firm, and he desired Messrs. Drummond to make no advances to Frederick, Prince of Wales, who also had an account here.

This order was obeyed, with the consequences that in the succeeding reign the royal account was transferred again to Messrs. Coutts.

The County Council offices are at present a very noticeable feature in Spring Gardens, and the aspect of the place is no longer rural.

Next: Whitehall: The Metropolitan Police: Old Scotland Yard