Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 5.djvu/225

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.V.MARCH io, 1906.] NOTES AND QUERIES.


181


LONDON, SATUEDAY, MARCH 10, 1906.


CONTENTS. No. 115.

NOTES: St. Michael's Church, Burleigh Street, 181 Provincial Booksellers, 183 Ballad by Reginald Heber, 184 New Moon : Fortunate or Unfortunate -Newman's Lead, Kindly Light' Maynards of Curriglas, 185 Dignities Hereditary Created, not Made Devon and Cornish Speech: "Dimpsy": " Teening Time" How to deal with Difficult Questions of Pedigree Adelphi Names, 186 Blackguard and the 'N.B.D.' "Dog's Nose" Centenarian Voters, 187.

QUERIES : The German Emperor and Poets Laureate " Muckibus," 187 King's College, Cambridge "Garage" Lassalle's " Iron Law " 'Memoires de St. Petersbourg' "Music Tree" Aristophanes: Modern Reproductions of 'The Wasps' Royal Arms in Churches Rebus in Churches, 188 Copes and Cope-Chests " Diamond State " Saxon Kings : Living Descendants Sir Thomas Player Classical Literature as an Educative Force Lindo or Lindot, Portrait Pain-er, 189 Maitland Family Princess Royal's Daughters Heraldic Dr. Johnson's Club and the Literary Club-Rhyl, North Wales The Babington Conspiracy John Aug. Longworth Meriah " Hamber- bonne " of Wheat, 190.

REPLIES :- Dr. Letsum or Lettsom G. J. Holyoake: Chartists and Special Constables. 191 George III.'s Daughters, 192 Peacock as a Christmas Symbol " Smith" in Latin Doubtful Pronunciations, 193 Party Colours Colour Transition These are the Britons" Dekker's ' Sweet Content ' Twizzle-twigs, 194 Guineas Novel : Title Wanted Dogs in War Beaumont and Fletcher : Folk-lore Medicine-Jenkyn, Little John, &c. Archer of Umberslade, 195 Fonseca's 'Devout Contem- p'ations ' Maidlow, 196 -Jervis Family of Birmingham Charing and Charing Cross "Vendium" "Pogrom" Laconic Letters, 197 English Spelling : English Culture " Vastern " Portman Family King's Money" Kes " or " Kese." to Kick, 198.

NOTES ON BOOKS: 'The History of England from the Earliest Times to the Norman Conquest ' ' Ecclesiological Essays ' Routledge's " New Universal Library " ' Shake- sperian Synopses ' ' Willing's Press Guide ' 'Antiquary.'


ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, BURLELGH STREET.

IT is not often that the City of Westminster has witnessed the extinction of a church, so that when this rare event happens it is well that a note should be made of its occurrence. The utilitarian tendencies of the present day are found all around us. and they are to be met with in matters ecclesiastical as well as in things of a more worldly nature. Within the last few years the old-world chapel of St. Matthew, in Spring Gardens ; Hanover Church (formerly Chapel), on the west side of Regent Street, between Hanover Street and Princes Street ; and St. Philip's, in the same street, near Waterloo Place, have gone ; and no w St. Michael's, Burleigh Street, Strand, has been doomed to follow in their wake.

We are told that the street was formed in 1678, "on the site of Cecil, Burleigh, or Exeter House, the town residence of Sir William Cecil, the great Lord Burleigh, and of his eldest son Thomas, afterwards Earl of Exeter"; and that the street is on the "north side of the Strand, leading into Tavistock Street." The street itself seems to


be of inconsiderable note, but it may be said that in it are situated the offices of The, Guardian, and the royal and private en- trances to the Lyceum. The church of St. Michael is situated at the corner of Burleigh Street and Exeter Street. How it came to be built at all seems at the present day to be something akin to a mystery, for as this locality is full of churches, the spot, even in its most palmy days, could hardly have needed another. But it was built, and was long known as St. Michael's Chapel, being a chapel-of ease to the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. It was designed by Mr. James Savage, and may be taken, on the whole, as a fairly good example of the Gothic of the thirteenth century according to the ideas of the early nineteenth century. It is perhaps best described by the word " neat," for it is almost entirely devoid of ornament. It was consecrated on 26 Sep- tember, 1833, by the then Bishop of London (Dr. Blomfield) ; consequently it is under seventy-three years old. In 1848 it was established as a " perpetual curacy, and under the Bishop of Oxford's Act, in 1868, a vicarage was attached to the church.

Although a comparatively modern church, it has not, in some degree, lacked associa- tions of an interesting character. Many well-known people have at different times shown their kindly regard for it and those who ministered there. The Duke of Bedford presented the site for the vicarage, and at various times successive dukes have con- tributed largely to the funds required for the due celebration of divine worship. The Baroness Burdett-Cputts, in conjunction with some of the parishioners, gave the easb window, in memory of the great Duke of Wellington, the window being a very fair specimen of the stained glass of the period ; and Mr. Gladstone gave a ready support to many of the works connected with the church and parish.

There are only three tablets upon the walls of the church, all of them being on the south wall. The first in importance is of bronze, of good design and excellent workmanship, and records that it was placed there

" To the Glory of God. and in memory of Victoria

| the beloved Empress-Queen of Greater Britain |

who fell asleep on Jan. 22nd, 1901, in the sixty-fourth

| year of her reign. As Daughter, Wife, Mother, |

& Sovereign, she was dutiful, sympathetic, wise &

courageous, ever seeking with prayerful love the

best welfare of her myriads of contented subjects. | To commemorate her noble life the congregation collected | 300/., and expended it on restoring and beautifying this parish | Church of St. Michael's, Burleigh Street, London. | Alfred J. Poynder, Vicar. W. Gibbs, G. Horn, Churchwardens."