Proceeding a little to the north-west, we arrive at what was formerly called Little Chelsea, but which is now designated West Brompton. Without wishing to remove our neighbour’s land-mark, or to trespass beyond the precise boundaries of Chelsea, the parish of Kensington being on the north side of West Brompton, we will notice the residence of William Boscawen, Esq., who resided near to those spacious mansions now being erected on the grounds formerly known as Walnut-Tree Walk, now called Redcliffe Gardens. Mr. Boscawen was the younger son of General George Boscawen, and was born in 1752. At an early age he was sent to Eton, where he obtained the particular notice and favour of the celebrated Dr. Barnard. From Eton he removed to Exeter College, Oxford, and afterwards studied the law, became a member of the Middle Temple, and was called to the bar. His legal studies were not unfruitful, as he published an excellent book under the title of “A Treatise of Conviction on Penal Statutes,” &c., 1792, 8vo. In 1785 he was appointed a Commissioner of the Victualling Office, in consequence of which he soon after quitted the bar, and in the following year married a daughter of Dr. Ibbetson, Archdeacon of St. Albans. Being an excellent classical scholar, and warmly attached to literary pursuits, Mr. Boscawen published, in 1793, “A Translation of the Odes of Horace,” which, being much approved of, was soon followed by a Translation of the Satires, Epistles, and Art of Poetry. In 1801 he published a small volume of Poems, which displayed an elegant taste, a poetical mind, and a correct versification, and he was for several years an able coadjutor to the British Critic. He died, after a short illness, in 1811. That excellent institution, the Literary Fund, he considered almost as his child, and his affection to it was testified not only by contribution, but by annual verses in its praise, and assiduous attendance at its meetings.
Mr. Lochee’s Military Academy was established at this place about the year 1770, and enjoyed a high degree of reputation; many of our most eminent military characters received their education under him. The premises, which were laid out as a regular fortification, and were opened to view, excited much attention at the time. Mr. Lochee afterwards, unfortunately, engaged in the revolutionary troubles which agitated Flanders in the year 1790, and being taken prisoner by the Austrians, was condemned to be hanged; he, however, obtained permission to come to England, to settle his affairs, upon condition of leaving his only son as a hostage; and upon his return to the Continent he suffered the punishment of death. His son, afterwards, married a daughter of the late Mr. King, an eminent book auctioneer, of King Street, Covent Garden, and, lamentable to relate, fell by his own hands.
Balloon Ascent in 1784.—On the 16th of October, in the above year, an immense concourse of people assembled at Mr. Lochee’s Military Academy, to witness Mr. Blanchard’s ascent in his balloon. The fields, for a considerable distance round the spot, were crowded with horse and foot, in consequence of which, a general devastation took place in the gardens, the crops being either trampled down or torn up; the turnip grounds were totally despoiled by the multitude; all the windows and houses were filled with company, and every roof and tree was crowded with spectators. At twelve o’clock Mr. Blanchard, and Mr. Sheldon, a surgeon, stepped into the car, and the cords being loosened, the balloon slowly ascended, when it was discovered that it would be requisite to throw out some ballast; but before this could be accomplished, it struck some trees and descended to the ground. Being lightened, it again ascended, and moved horizontally about a quarter of a mile, when it made a rapid direction towards Sunbury, where they alighted, and Mr. Sheldon reluctantly quitted the car. Mr. Blanchard re-ascended, and pursued his aerial excursion to Rumsey, Hants, where he descended, at half-past four in the afternoon, in a meadow, and still standing in his car. The balloon was first seen over Abbotswood Common, and appeared about the size of a small hogshead. Upon his alighting he was jovially entertained. The day being rather dark, and the atmosphere low, the balloon was out of sight in about thirty minutes.
About the year 1699, the Earl of Shaftesbury purchased an estate at Little Chelsea, which had formerly been the property of Sir James Smith, whose widow resided there in 1695. The Earl rebuilt the house, and generally resided in it during the sitting of Parliament. He was first charged to the parish rates in 1700. Locke here wrote part of his “Essay,” and Addison several of the Spectators.
Anthony Astley Cooper, third Earl of Shaftesbury, the learned author of “The Characteristics,” was born in 1671, in the house of his grandfather, who took such care of his education, that, at the age of eleven, he is said to have read with ease both Latin and Greek. In 1683, he was placed at Winchester School, where he continued till 1686, when he made the tour of Italy and France. About five years after his return from Italy, he visited Holland, where he passed much of his time in the society of Bayle, Le Clerc, and other ingenious men. Soon after his arrival in England, he became Earl of Shaftesbury, by the demise of his father, but did not attend the House of Lords during the first session after he had succeeded to the peerage; nor did he appear there till his friend, Lord Somers, sent a messenger to acquaint him with the pending partition treaty in February, 1701. On the accession of Queen Anne he retired to Chelsea, to continue his favourite course of study; here he resided till 1711, when he set out for Italy, and died at Naples in 1719. His lordship’s philosophical writings are generally known. Of his letters there are several extant, dated from Chelsea in 1708.
The house was afterwards the residence of Sergeant Wynne, and of his son, Edward Wynne, author of several Tracts, whose knowledge and proficiency in polite literature could only be exceeded by his charity and benevolence. Dying a bachelor in 1785, his estates, together with his house at Little Chelsea, and his very valuable library, collected chiefly by his father, devolved to his brother, the Rev. Luttrell Wynne. This house was alienated by him to William Virtue.
The parish of St. George, Hanover Square, purchased it in the year 1787, as an additional workhouse for the poor. An Act of Parliament passed that year, declares it to be in St. George’s Parish, so long as it shall continue to be appropriated to its present use. The same act exempts it from all dues and rates demandable by the Rector and the parish of Chelsea, on condition of paying to the former £3 3s. per annum, and to the latter £6 13s. 4d.
Sir John Cope, Bart., about the year 1700, resided in a large house at Little Chelsea, according to Bowack, which was subsequently occupied as a private mad house. The house has been pulled down, and its site is now called Odell’s Place. Sir John sat for Oxfordshire and Banbury in several Parliaments. He married Anne, daughter of Mr. William Booth, by whom he had seven sons, and one daughter. There are some entries of their baptisms in the Parish Register. Sir John died January 11th, 1721. His fourth son, Galen, born at Chelsea, resided there about the time of his father’s death. The worthy baronet was a magistrate for this county, and his name regularly appears for a series of years affixed, in confirmation of the parochial rates.
Robert Boyle, Esq., a most distinguished philosopher and chemist, the seventh son of Richard, Earl of Cork, resided, in 1661, at Little Chelsea, and there he was visited by the learned and eminent of his time. Monsieur de Monconys, in his Travels, thus mentions a visit which he made to Mr. Boyle at this place:—“I went after dinner with Mr. Oldenburg and my son, two miles from London, in a stage coach, for five shillings, to a village called Little Chelsea, to visit Mr. Boyle.” After giving an account of several experiments which Mr. Boyle made in his presence, he thus proceeds:—“He has a very fine laboratory, where he makes all his extracts, and other operations, one of which he shewed me with salt, which being put in quite dry with gold leaves sixteen times thicker than that used by gilders into a crucible on a slow fire, even over a lighted candle, the salt calcined the gold so perfectly that water afterwards dissolved them both, and became impregnated with them in the same manner as with common salt. He possesses a very fine telescope, and two excellent microscopes, which are larger than mine.” Mr. Evelyn, in his Diary, has also recorded a visit to the same place. “I went with that excellent person and philosopher, Sir Robert Murray, to visit Mr. Boyle at Chelsea, and saw divers effects of the Eolipile for weighing air.” Bishop Burnet, in Mr. Boyle’s funeral sermon, has given an eloquent account of this great philosopher and scholar.
Charles, fourth Earl of Orrery, grand-nephew to Mr. Boyle, was born at Little Chelsea in 1676. He was author of a comedy, entitled, “As you Find it,” and of some verses which discover his wit and poetical genius. Queen Anne created him a peer of Great Britain in 1711, by the title of Lord Boyle, of Marston, in the county of Somerset. His lordship died in 1737. He was the improver of that noble instrument the Orrery, which, in honour of him, was called after his name.