Westminster | Page 9

the same site.
Emanuel Hospital was a charming old building which stood south of
the chapel on the same side of the street. It was founded in 1594 by
Lady Dacre "for the relief of aged people and the bringing up of
children in virtue and good and laudable arts, whereby they might the
better live in time to come by their honest labour." The low range of
buildings running round a quadrangle had tall chimneys, and the central
house was decorated by a cupola and clock. It was the sort of place that
took the sharpness off charity by covering it with a sheath of that
dignity which is always to be found in antiquity.
By Lady Dacre's will there were to be twenty almspeople, and each of
them was at liberty to bring up one child. It was, however, not until the
year 1728 that a school was first established, for before that the funds
had been insufficient.
In 1890 thirteen of the almshouses stood empty from failure of income,
and subsequently it was resolved to demolish the almshouses and offer
the present valuable site for building purposes. It is not the intention of
the trustees to erect new almshouses. The charity will in future be
entirely in money pensions known as Lady Dacre's pensions.
Caxton Street was originally called Chapel Street, but was renamed in
honour of the great printer, who lived for some years at a house in the
Almonry, now replaced by the Westminster Palace Hotel (see p. 34).
On the south side of the street is a curious little square brick building
with the figure of a Bluecoat boy over the porch, and the inscription on
a slab, "The Blue Coat School, built in the year 1709." On the back is a
large painting of a similar boy and the date of foundation: "This School
founded 1688." A small garden stretches out behind. The building itself
contains simply one hall or classroom, which is decorated by an
ornamental dental cornice, and has a curious inner portico with fluted
columns over the doorway. It is supposed to have been built by the

great Sir Christopher. The Master's house, covered with Virginia
creeper, stands on one side of the main building.
The school was first established in Duck Lane, and was instituted by
Thomas Jekyll, D.D., one of the chaplains of the Broadway Chapel. It
is said to have been the first school in the Metropolis supported by
voluntary contributions. It was at first for boys only, but in 1713 twenty
girls were included in the scheme, but these were afterwards dispersed
and only the boys retained. Westminster was exceptionally rich in these
foundations of the charitable, both for the young and for the old.
Further eastward, on the north side of Caxton Street, is the Medical
School in connection with Westminster Hospital. The Town Hall stands
close by. The foundation-stone was laid by the Baroness Burdett-Coutts.
In the muniment-room there are preserved 3,400 records, etc., of
exceptional interest. Here, also, are the St. Ermin's Mansions and Hotel,
which derive their name from St. Ermin's Hill, evidently a corruption of
Hermit's Hill, under which name the place is marked in some old maps.
Christ Church is of considerable size. It is of the last century (1843),
and its stumpy tower, which is incomplete, gives it an odd appearance.
The church is on the site of the Broadway Chapel, founded by Darrell,
a Prebendary of the Abbey, who in 1631 left £400 for its erection.
Various subscriptions were added to this sum, including one of £100
from Archbishop Laud. The churchyard had been consecrated in 1626.
The chapel was opened 1642, and saw many vicissitudes of fortune.
During the Civil War it was used as a stable for the soldiers' horses, and
at other times as a council-room and a prison. In the churchyard Sir
William Waller, the Parliamentary General, is buried.
York Street was named after Frederick, Duke of York, son of George
II., who resided here temporarily. Previously it had been called Petty
France, from the number of French refugees and merchants who
inhabited it. Milton lived in No. 19, now destroyed. The house
belonged to Jeremy Bentham, and was afterwards occupied by Hazlitt,
who caused a tablet bearing the words "Sacred to Milton, Prince of
Poets," to be placed on the outside wall in memory of his famous
predecessor.

Milton came here in 1651, when turned out of chambers in Scotland
Yard which had been allowed him as Latin Secretary to the Council. He
still retained the office. He had lost the sight of one eye, and two years
later was totally blind. He was obliged to have an assistant-secretary, a
post occupied for some time by Andrew Marvell. His daughter Deborah
was born here, and