Sir James Wishart resided in Little Chelsea, and died in May, 1723. He was a native of Scotland, and was made an Admiral by Queen Anne; in 1710 he became a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, in which year he was returned Member of Parliament for Portsmouth. The Queen also conferred the honour of knighthood upon him; but, in the following reign, he lost all his places, and was dismissed from the service, for favouring the interest of the Pretender.
Admiral Sir John Balchen, another distinguished naval officer, resided in Little Chelsea about 1723. He was lost in the “Victory” in the year 1744. Sir John sailed, in July, from Spithead with a strong squadron, in quest of an opportunity to attack the French fleet at Brest, under the command of M. de Rochambault. In the Bay of Biscay he was overtaken by a violent storm that dispersed the ships, and drove them up the English Channel. Admiral Stewart, with the greater part of them, arrived at Plymouth; but Sir John Balchen’s own ship, the Victory, which was at that time considered to be the most beautiful first rate in the world, foundered at sea; and this brave officer perished, with all his officers, volunteers, and crew, amounting to eleven hundred choice seamen.
The Right Hon. Edward Hyde, third Earl of Clarendon, died at his house at Little Chelsea in 1723. He married Catherine, daughter to Henry Lord O’Brien, eldest son and heir to the Earl of Thomond, of Ireland, by whom he had a son and two daughters. The title descended to the Earl of Rochester, and soon after became extinct.
Fatal Duel.—In January, 1784, a duel was fought in a field near Little Chelsea, between Captain Charles Mostyn, of the navy, and Captain Clarke, of the African Corps, which terminated in the death of the former, who was shot through the heart. The quarrel originated in defence of a Jew, who went about diverting company, by taking off Mr. Fox. Some words arising, Captain Clarke demanded an apology, which Captain Mostyn declined to make to him. Mr. Mostyn was a gallant officer, only 25 years of age, who, for his intrepid behaviour, had been made post-captain in the Solitaire, a French ship of the line, taken by the Ruby. Happily for the humanity of England, such dark blots on its history are now for ever erased, by the adoption of more stringent laws and the advancement of religious and moral principles.
Dr. Baldwin Hamey was born in 1600. He retired to Little Chelsea from the hurry of his profession the year before the Fire of London, saving thereby his library; he also escaped from the direful effects of the plague in London. At Chelsea he contributed largely towards the erection of the church steeple, and gave the great bell which had his name on it. I may here state that the first large bells are mentioned by Bede, in the year 680. Before that period the early British Christians made use of wooden rattles (sacra ligna) to call the congregation of the faithful together. Dr. Adam Littleton, in gratitude to Dr. Hamey for the above benefactions, printed at the end of the first edition of his Latin Dictionary, a copy of Latin verses which he dedicated to him. Dr. Hamey was a great scholar, a philosopher, and an eminent physician. At his death he bequeathed to the College of Physicians the estate of Ashlins, in Essex, besides money and books. There is a manuscript life of him, written about 143 years ago, by his relation, Mr. Palmer. “Chemistry,” says the biographer, “now began to come into vogue, which Dr. Hamey could not well be reconciled to, from his Galenical principles, and at his age. It seemed to him to be a stroke of quackery.” He declined a knighthood, and the offer of being first physician to Charles II. after his restoration. The same modesty made him waive the offer of being President of his beloved College of Physicians, although he had held all other subordinate offices in it. He died in 1676, and was buried in the Old Church.
The Goat and Boots Tavern still stands at the eastern corner of Park Walk, West Brompton, or Little Chelsea, although from its age it seems probable that in a few years a new house will be substituted for it. The sign was originally painted by Morland, to pay his tavern bill. In old deeds it is called the Goat. Perhaps poor Morland added the “Boots” to the sign to make it more attractive, and to get a better price from the proprietor, but this is mere conjecture.
Park Walk, in a very old map of Chelsea, is called Lovers’ Walk, and it appears to have been planted with trees, but from some unknown cause—surely all the loving lads and lasses had not left the parish—it degenerated into Twopenny Walk. After dark, from its retirement and seclusion, it was dangerous for persons passing that way. It has been now for many years a good thoroughfare from the King’s Road to West Brompton, having Park Chapel in a central position, and houses on both sides of the road. When the improvement at the bottom of Milman’s Row is entirely completed, there will then be an excellent and continuous roadway to the river-side.
Park Chapel, &c.
This Chapel was so called from being situated within the precincts of Chelsea Park, which originally formed the northern part of Sir Thomas More’s grounds. It was built in 1718, by Sir Richard Manningham, who, in 1730, granted a lease of it to the Rev. William Lacey, of Battersea. At that period there was only the Old Church, and an additional episcopal place for Divine worship was needed for the convenience of the residents in Little Chelsea.
The following is a complete list to the present period of the Clergymen who have been Ministers at Park Chapel:—