“At Knightsbridge, at a tavern called the Swan,
Churchwardens, overseers, a jolly clan,
Ordered a dinner for themselves—
A very handsome dinner of the best, &c.”
Beyond Hooper’s Court (so called from its owner) Mr. J. G. Huck, an artist, lived at No. 11; Ozias Humphry in 1792 and 1793 at No. 19 (Mitchell’s). At 21, Thomas Trotter, an ingenious engraver and draughtsman, especially in portraits. He died February 14th, 1803, and was buried in the Broadway ground, Westminster.
At No. 7 resided Michael Underwood, M.D., one of the most distinguished members of the medical profession then living. He wrote several professional works, which, notwithstanding the advance of the science, yet maintain their reputation. He attended Caroline of Brunswick at the birth of the Princess Charlotte. Was a very benevolent man and the gratuitous adviser to the poor of the whole neighbourhood. He died here March 14th, 1820.
Rutland House, a large red-brick mansion, occupied the site of the present Rutland Gate. John, Duke of Rutland, who bore the sceptre at the coronation of George III., and once filled the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, died here May 29th, 1779, aged 88. The celebrated Marquis of Granby, his son, also resided here. [177] The whole estate, consisting of above six acres, was offered for sale by Mr. Robins in 1833, but was bought in, and in a year or two after the house was pulled down, and the land let for building. It belongs to Furzon Manners, Esq., now, a descendant of the Viceroy.
Rutland Gate was commenced in 1838, and completed as far as Clytha House in 1840. The remainder has been built since, the whole being completed in 1856.
The large detached house on the western side (24) was built by John Sheepshanks, Esq., the distinguished patron of British Art, who here gathered together that choice and valuable collection which he has so nobly presented to the nation. The collection was removed early in 1857.
Clytha House, the residence of Lord Edward Howard, was built for Mr. Jones, of Clytha, who here gathered a collection, chiefly of the early Italian schools, which was sold May 8th, 1852.
Poor Eliot Warburton dated the second edition of his “Crescent and the Cross” from Rutland Gate; at 21 resides Mr. Edward Corbould, one of our finest delineators of female beauty; No. 22 was the residence of the Marchioness Wellesley, widow of the eminent statesman; Mr. Albert Way, the antiquary, Mr. Cotton and Mr. Prescott, both governors of the Bank of England, also number among the residents of Rutland Gate. Nearly opposite the western end of Rutland Gate, built in the roadway, stood an old inn, of very bad character at one time, called the “Halfway House.” An unusual array of stabling, troughs, pig-styes, &c., in a very unsightly manner, were built along the causeway; and over the door were several proofs of the faith in the old superstition that horse-shoes were a preventive to the visits of evil spirits. In one sense the charm was not efficacious, the house, from its lonely situation, being a resort for the highwayman and footpad. A curious notice of a trial is given in “Knight’s London,” where the thief-taker stated that if not met about this spot, they should not have caught the robber at all: a proof of their frequency, indeed! Jerry Abershaw is said to have been a visitor here, and when the house was pulled down a secret staircase from a small chamber in the western part of the house was found built in the wall, to lead gradually down into the stables. Many a villain, doubtless, thus escaped when the officers of justice were close upon him.
The “Halfway House” was pulled down in 1846 at an expense of £3,050, in addition to the purchase of the fee. [180]