Holborn: Queen Square

Antiques from London on eBay

1956 New London Harbor - Thames River Connecticut, Large Nautical Chart
6 Jan 2012 at 11:14am
US $24.95
End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 9:19:47 PST
Buy It Now for only: US $24.95
Buy it now | Add to watch list
ANTIQUE J. HICKS LONDON HAND HELD BAROMETER SERIAL NUMBER 8991 GOLDTONE PERFECT
29 Jan 2012 at 10:53am
US $189.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Sunday Feb-05-2012 8:53:24 PST
Bid now | Add to watch list

W. J. Loftie, adding to the incomplete work of Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of Holborn with this look at Queen Square:

Gloucester Street was named after Queen Anne's sickly little son, the only one of her seventeen children who survived infancy.

Robert Nelson, author of "Fasts and Festivals," was at one time a resident.

The street is narrow and dirty, lined by old brick houses; here and there is a carved doorway with brackets, showing that, like most streets in the vicinity, it was better built than now inhabited, and it is probable that where sickly children now sprawl on doorsteps stately ladies in hoops and silken skirts once stepped forth.

St. George's National Schools are here, and a public-house with the odd name of Hole in the Wall, a name adopted by Mr. Arthur Morrison in his recent (1902) novel about Wapping The Hole in The Wall.

Queen Square was built in Queen Anne's reign, and named in her honour, but it is a statue of Queen Charlotte that stands beneath the plane-trees in the centre.

When it was first built, much eulogy was bestowed upon it, because of the beautiful view to the Hampstead and Highgate Hills, for which reason the north side was left open; it is still open, but the prospect it commands is only the further side of Guilford Street.

The Square is a favourite place for charitable institutions. On the east side was, until 1902, a College for Working Men and Women, designed to aid by evening classes the studies of those who are busy all day.

The Hospital for Paralysis and Epilepsy is on the same side.

This was instituted in 1859, but the present building was in 1885 opened by the Prince of Wales, and is a memorial to the Duke of Albany, and a very splendid memorial it is.

The building, which occupies a very large space along the side of the Square, is ornately built of red brick and terra-cotta, with handsome balconies and a porch of the latter material.

There are four wards for men and five for women, with two small surgical wards; also two contributing wards for patients who can afford to pay something toward their expenses.

Almost exactly opposite, across the Square, is a new red-brick building.

This is the Alexandra Hospital, for children with hip disease, and sometimes a wan little face peeps out of the windows.

On the south side is the Italian Hospital, lately rebuilt on a fine scale.

There are other institutions and societies in the Square, such as the Royal Female School of Art, but none that call for any special comment.

Among the eminent inhabitants of the Square were Dr. Stukeley, the antiquary, appointed Rector of the church, 1747 - he lived here from the following year until his death in 1765; Dr. Askew; and John Campbell, author, and friend of Johnson, who used to give Sunday evening "conversation parties," where the great Doctor met "shoals of Scotchmen."

Next: Holborn: Queen Square: St George the Martyr