PORTOBELLO LANE.
The name was given by a Mr. Adams, who was then occupier of the farm at the end of the lane. It was named at the time Porto Bello was captured. In 1844 the farm was called Wise’s Farm, Mr. Wise being the owner.
The lane ended outside the Farm, and a gate opened to a pathway which lead over a bridge on the canal to Kensal Green.
To the west of this Farm lay the old Farm of Knotting Barns, an ancient brick building surrounded by spacious barns and outhouses. A road to Kensal Green passed through the farm yard.
In 1844 this was known as Salter’s Farm, Mr. Salter being the proprietor.
In 1524 it is recorded in the will of Robert Fenrother, Alderman of London, that Knotting Barns Farm consisted of 40 acres of land, 140 acres of meadow, 200 acres of wood, 20 acres of moor, 20 acres of furze and heath.
In 1543 Henry VIII. took this farm and land in exchange for some he had held (in the county of Southampton). In 1675 it had decreased in size and was reckoned as 130 acres. How many acres were connected with in 1844 I cannot record, but I have said that on all sides nothing but corn or meadow land was visible. The site of Portobello Farm may be known as upon that spot is erected a Roman Catholic building, a home for the aged.
Notting Barn Farm was at the lower part of St. Mark’s Road. Norland House, where Norland Square was built in 1850 to 1856, was noted for its artesian well which was sunk in 1794 by Mr. Vulliamy to the depth of 260 feet, when the water rose and overflowed at the rate of 46 gallons a minute. The water was leased to 3 persons at 7/- each per week and sold in the neighbourhood at 2/6 per ton, or ½d a pailful.
Thirty-eight years ago there were no houses from Notting Hill Terrace to Acton with the exception of a few small houses opposite Shepherd’s Bush Common. This Common had been notorious some years before as a place of execution for highwaymen, and for years gibbets were standing there with the remains of some of the fraternity dangling in the wind. I never saw them, but when a boy I have seen the remains of pirates hanging by chains by the river side past Greenwich. The Common was even till late years claimed as the property of the inhabitants, some of whom claimed to the last the right to turn out their horses or goats upon its scanty grass.
Behind the road of Notting Hill there was a lane called Pottery Lane. In this lane was a place where tiles were made and at the end of the lane a colony of pigkeepers. Every house here had a colony of the porcine family in its yard. A number of carts filled with tubs passed daily to London gathering refuse from hotels and mansions to feed the large families of pigs gathered here.
It was not a savoury place and at the time of the cholera the inhabitants suffered severely.
Rough looking people they appeared, but upon closer acquaintance it was seen they looked more uncouth than they really were. The only religious or secular education the people and children received was provided by the members of the Baptist chapel at Silver Street, and the congregation at Hornton Street. Their place of meeting for some years, was in an unfinished house with its unplastered walls on two floors not divided into separate rooms.
Their teachers were poor but they had love to God in their hearts and proved it by their love to their neighbours.
Their names unrecorded on earth will never be forgotten by Him who said “Inasmuch as ye did it to the least of these my brethren ye did it to me.”
Beyond this colony I discovered another in Latimer Road where there was no Sabbath teaching or secular education. In looking back I feel grateful to God for the numbers I was enabled to gather together on the Sabbath, both of adults and children and also for the many children who received instruction in a day school I established. It is many years ago but I meet with some now who thank God that in the Sabbath teaching there they received that acquaintance with Jesus which has proved a blessing to them and their children to the present time. But what a place it was when I first discovered it—comparatively out of the world—a rough road cut across the field, the only approach. Brickfields and pits on either side, making it dangerous to leave on dark nights.
A safe place for many people who did not wish everybody to know what they were doing. I am afraid that there were more spirits about there than there were either bodies or bottles to contain.
I could tell a great deal about Latimer Road in 1844 to 1850, but other Pharoahs have arisen there who know not Joseph and they are doing a good work in that which by the opening of a railway station has become a well-known place.
Westbourne Grove was a pleasant Grove of small villas with gardens in front and behind. Newton Road was a similar place.
The only road by which they could be approached was Black Lion Lane, now Queen’s Road and a footpath across the field where Princes Square now stands.
The Royal Oak was a country inn.
There were no houses of business then in the Grove, but where the Redan and about twelve shops down the Grove stand, there was a nursery ground, which in former times was a favourite resort of Queen Ann.
The inhabitants of the Grove were principally City or West-end men of business, who reached their habitation by the Bayswater or Paddington omnibuses.
These omnibuses belonged to two companies, the principal proprietors were:—Messrs. Melliship, Treadaway, Carpenter and Grant.
The General Omnibus Company afterwards bought up all their vehicles.
There was also one omnibus, the “Eagle,” which ran from Kensington Church, through Church Street, Bayswater Road, New Road, Islington to the Bank.
There were no cab stands but a stray cab might often be found at the Black Lion in the Bayswater Road or outside one of the other country inns.
Queen’s Road (Black Lion Lane) was only partly built on and the houses were small. A Wesleyan Chapel and Orphanage stood then on the site of the Queen’s Road Chapel, and in 1846, a high house (about No. 153, since taken by Mr. Whiteley) was erected for a Chartist Club House. It afterwards became the Queen’s Hotel. The houses opposite the baths were also built about 1846.
Porchester Terrace was only partially built, but on the west side resided Mr. Linnel, an artist, whose paintings of corn fields, &c., are so much admired by all who see them.
The reader may judge what sort of house the Royal Oak was by looking at the newspaper shop a few doors away. Beyond this to the railway on both sides of that which is now Bishop’s Road was a waste wilderness. I only remember one house and that a wooden one which had an inscription “The Cottage of Content.” It was a large basin-like piece of land and upon this Westbourne Terrace, Gloucester Gardens, Bishop’s Road, the north end of Porchester Terrace, and Craven Hill Road were built.
The Bishop of that day gave the deepest hole to the parishioners to build a church—about the worst part of what was then his large estate. It cost about £2,000 to fill up the hole to its present level before Trinity Church could be built. This church, like others, the ratepayers paid for with Church Rates. I had the pleasure of seconding a resolution to make the last Church rate in Paddington.
St. Mary’s Hospital was commenced about 1845 and under its excellent management has proved to be a great blessing to Paddington.
On the site of the Trinity Schools in the Harrow Road was a public Maze, a great resort for holiday people as it was then completely in the country. Here too was a magic mirror, in which for twopence any young lady might behold (?) her future husband.
In the Harrow Road, opposite the Vestry Hall, stood until 1860, the oldest charitable buildings in the parish, a block of small almshouses. They afforded shelter for about 16 poor old women. No doubt they felt more independent in their actions than they would have done in the Workhouse. It is doubtful if they were so well cared for as they would have been in the larger house with its excellent Master and Matron, who take a great interest in the comfort of all the inmates.
They are not answerable for the separation of old married couples, against which separation I strongly protest.
It is not, however, every married couple who wish to live together; of this I had a proof once when I asked a man if he would not be more happy with his aged wife? After a moment’s consideration he answered “Thank you sir, I have had enough of her.” This I think must have been a rare exception.
Kensal Green Cemetery had in 1844 already received not a few bodies but the majority have been interred since.
Members of Silver Street Chapel used to look with deep interest at the tomb of John Colston, a much-loved Superintendent of their Sabbath School. With the same deep interest many look upon the grave of a later Superintendent of the School at Westbourne Grove Chapel, the highly esteemed Thomas Faulkes, whose memory is still dear. How many a member of the old and also of the new Westbourne Grove Chapel have gone with sad hearts to that God’s acre. To mention names would be painful to both reader and writer; I only add “Till He come.”
A few names of public men and women buried here will, perhaps not, be out of place:—
Duke of Sussex, Sydney Smith, Anne Scott and Sophia Lockhart, daughters of Sir Walter Scott, John Hugh Lockhart his grandson, Thomas Hood, Thackeray, Calcott, Mulready, John Leach, John Cassel, The Princess Sophia of Gloucester, Statesmen, Poets, Actors, Artists, Physicians and Quacks. The rich and the poor have all found here one common resting place, but amongst those unmentioned names how many an one whom the world has not esteemed will be found in the end to be among the number of whom the “world was not worthy.”
In writing the history of the transformation of Notting Hill from country to its present condition I must mention a gentleman, the Rev. Mr. Walker, who it was said came to the neighbourhood with half a million sterling to invest. Who were his advisers I do not know; but he was not long in causing hundreds of carcases of houses to be built. If he had commenced his operations on the London side of the estate no doubt the houses would have sold and a fine investment made, but as he preferred building from Clarendon Road (where roads were not made) towards London the land was covered with unfinished houses which continued in a ruinous condition for years and the consequence was the investor was almost ruined.
This gentleman built All Saints Church and intended to put upon it a spire as high as that on Salisbury Cathedral. Sad tales could be told of not a few who sank their all in bricks and mortar. Lawyers and money-lenders have in time past reaped a rich harvest at Notting Hill, but many a hard working man falling into their hands has been ruined.
Between Richmond Road and Ledbury Road is a road called Artesian Road. This is in remembrance of an artesian well which was sunk there. The water was very pure and cold and houses in Ledbury Road and in its neighbourhood were supplied with water from this well until the water companies bought it up.
The Richmond Road was built about 1848. Mr. Plimley, fruiterer, and Mr. Anderson, confectioner, are the oldest inhabitants. Sutherland Place, Courtnell Street, Archer Street, were built about 1850. The first two houses built in Portobello Road stood for many years unfinished and were called “The Folly.”
The house now occupied by the London Photographic Co’s studio at the corner of Norfolk Terrace was built in the middle of a field, and for some time seemed likely also to be called The Folly, and certainly in its solitary position it looked for some time very foolish, but the builders knew what was likely to follow better than those who were not in the secret.
But even they could not have thought that the quiet Westbourne Grove of their day would ever become the busy place it is now with its enterprizing men of business and its crowded thoroughfares.