Southwark.
Gravel Lane.—In the beginning of last century a pottery was carried on by Nathaniel Oade, connected with whom and whose business a shocking circumstance is detailed in the Post Boy of March 1st, 1718. It appears that Oade had a family of four sons, who were determined to have the business and house made over to them, leaving him to exist on what property he had acquired. This he declined to do; when they swore they would have it in spite of him, and soon afterwards had him arrested on judgment in a sham action in the Marshalsea Court for £500, and thrown into prison. The sons then, with their vile attorney, conveyed arms and a store of provisions into the house, and at once turned their mother and servants out and barricaded the place. “In their rage they shot a woman who was passing by; also their own mother and a servant who would not give up possession of the books of account. The constables and the military at length arriving, they capitulated.” The youngest son and another man were executed for the murder; the others were found guilty of manslaughter. In 1750 the roof of a pottery belonging to Mr. Oade was thrown down by an earthquake, and an account of the circumstance was sent to the Royal Society by William Jackson, a potter.