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 Southern Regioi 
 Library Facility^
 
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 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 CHRONICLES 
 
 OF 
 
 BLACK WALL YARD 
 
 PART I. 
 
 BY 
 
 HENRY GREEN and ROBERT WIGRAM. 
 
 " Nos .... nee gravem 
 Pelidcc stomaclium, cedere nescii. 
 Nee ciirsus diiplicU per mare U/ixei, 
 
 Nee sava»i Pelopis domiim 
 Coiiannir, teniies grandia ; . . . " 
 
 Hor., Lib. I.. Car. IV. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY WHITEHEAD, MORRIS AND LOWE. 
 lS8l.
 
 2>0l 
 
 @^ronicIc6 of '^iackxxxxii ^ar6. 
 
 1067. 
 1299. 
 
 Lyson's En- 
 virons^ 
 p. 678. 
 
 Stows 
 Annals. 
 
 P- 319- 
 
 1307- 
 Edward II. 
 
 AT the time when our Chronicles commence, the Hamlet of Poplar 
 and Blackwall, in which the dockyard whose history we propose 
 to sketch is situated, was, together with the Hamlets of Ratclifie and 
 Mile End, included in the old Parish of Stebunhethe, now Stepney, in 
 the hundred of Ossulston. The Manor of Stebunhethe is stated in 
 the Survey of Doomsday to have been parcel of the ancient demesnes 
 of the Bishopric of London. It is there described as of large extent, 
 and valued at ^48 per annum! In the year 1299 a Parliament was held 
 by King Edward I., at Stebunhethe, in the house of Henry Walleis, 
 Mayor of London, when that monarch confirmed the charter of liberties. 
 Stebunhethe Marsh adjoining to Blackwall, which was subsequently called 
 the South Marsh, but now the Isle of Dogs, was some years after this 
 described as a tract of land lying within the curve which the Thames 
 forms between Ratcliffe and Blackwall. Continual reference is made in 
 local records to the embankments of this marsh, and to the frequent 
 breaches in them. In an inquisition taken in the reign of Edward II. 
 relating to the repairs of the embankments of Stebunhethe Marsh, it is 
 stated that a former Lord of the Manor had recovered 100 acres of land 
 from the river " by making of banks and ditches, which, when neglected 
 to be repaired were liable to be overflown ;" that the same lord after- 
 wards granted 42^ acres of this land in parcels to his freemen, and the 
 residue to his bondmen, each person being required to repair the banks 
 upon his own land. It appears that the freemen had done what was 
 requisite on their parts, but that the bondmen had suffered the banks 
 upon their lands to go to decay, in consequence of which they and the 
 Bishop of London (as Lord of the Manor) were by the Sheriff of the 
 County required to repair them, which was done accordingly. 
 
 1371^23
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1324' Soon afterwards, in the year 1324, a great flood happened, which 
 
 caused a breach upon the land of one of the Bishop's tenants near 
 Shadwell, when a question arose whether the expense of this repair 
 should fall only on the landowner where the breach happened, or whether 
 the other proprietors of marsh land within the Manor should be obliged 
 to join in bearing the expense. The matter came to a trial and was 
 determined in favour cf the Bishop's tenant, as may be seen more at large 
 in " Dugdale on Draining and Embanking," where is an account of several 
 commissions for viewing and repairing the banks of Stebunhethe Marsh. 
 
 In this Marsh stood an ancient chapel called the Chapel of St. Mary 
 in Stepney Marsh. It is mentioned by that name in a will of the 15th 
 century. The object of its foundation does not appear. It is not likely 
 that the Marsh could at that time have had many inhabitants. Perhaps 
 it was a hermitage founded by some devout person for the purpose of 
 saying masses for the souls of mariners. In 1821 this Chapel had been 
 converted into a neat farm-house, standing upon the same foundation, 
 and was then the only dwelling place upon the Marsh. It is described 
 as exhibiting no remains of antiquity, except in the lower parts of the 
 walls which are built of small stones and flints. A Gothic window was 
 removed about the year 1 790. 
 
 135 1. In the 24th year of Edward III., Sir John de Pulteney, an eminent 
 
 citizen of London, who had been four times Lord Mayor, and was founder 
 of Pulteney College, died seized of the Manor of Popeler (now Poplar). 
 This .Sir John de Pulteney is said to have lived in a quaint old house, 
 still existing in Coldharbour at Blackwall, nearly opposite to the well- 
 known "Artichoke" Tavern. In this same house it is also said that the 
 celebrated discoverer Sebastian Cabot lived some years afterwards, when 
 he is described as having been in " strict correspondence with Sir Thomas 
 Pert, Vice-Admiral of England, who had a house at Popeler, and promised 
 Sebastian Cabot a good ship of the King's in order to make discoveries." 
 Tradition, further assigns the same house a few years later to no less a 
 tenant than the great Sir Walter Raleigh. 
 
 1377. The first distinct mention of Blackwall is, we are told, to be found 
 
 in an old record of 1377, when J. Milend and others obtained a contract for 
 embanking the river Thames at Blackwall. 
 
 1396. In the year 1396, the reversion of the Manor of Popeler was granted 
 
 after the death of Margaret, wife of Sir John Devereux, by William de 
 Wickham, Bishop of Winchester, Sir Aubrey de Vere and others to the
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 Abbey of St. Mary de Graces, near the Tower of London. After the 
 dissolution of monasteries, this Manor remained long vested in the Crown, 
 and was among the Manors settled on Charles I. when Prince of Wales. 
 By King Charles I, it was, in the fourth year of his reign, granted to 
 certain persons, trustees for the city of London, by whom it was afterwards 
 sold to Sir John Jacob. In 1558 it was conveyed by Bridget Gardye to 
 Sir Francis Jopson, in 1583 by John Hampson to Thomas Fanshaw, by the 
 latter in 1588 to Edward Elliott. In 1620 it was the property of John 
 Wyllams, who obtained a fresh grant of it in that year ; in 1637 he sold it to 
 Robert Hooker. It has since passed through many private hands, and is 
 now, we believe, the sole property of James Humphries, Esq. 
 
 Lands in this Manor descend according to the custom of gavel-kind. 
 
 The Manor House of Poplar has long been held separately from the 
 demesne ; it was formerly possessed and occupied by Sir Gilbert and Sir 
 William Dethick, successively Garter King-at-arms, and it was still in the 
 possession of the Dethick family in 1709. 
 
 The house, an ancient wooden building, was situated on the south 
 side of the present East India Dock Road, but being in a very dilapidated 
 state, it was partially re-built by Mrs. Wade in 18 10, and is now in the 
 occupation of Dr. F. M. Corner. 
 ^5^5- In the sixth year of the reign of King Henry VIII., who virtually 
 
 was the founder of the English navy, and who established the Navy Office 
 and the Royal Dockyards at Deptford, Woolwich, and Chatham, we find 
 the following record from November 2nd, 1515, to the 20th of April in the 
 following year: — "There was paid by John Hopton, then being Clerk 
 Controller of all the King's Royal ships, &c., the cost of bringing the 
 'Mary George' from Blackwall to Barking, 17 shillings. The 'Mary 
 George' being of portage 250 — 300 tons lyeth upon the south side of the 
 Isle of Dogs, and must be caulked within the board and without ; also she 
 must be searched for worm holes, because she hath been in Levant. The 
 ' Mary and John,' from Blackwall to Limehouse, 8 shillings." 
 
 1587. We now come to the first mention of the scene of these Chronicles, which 
 
 occurs in the twenty-ninth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth — that is, in 
 the year preceding the arrival of the Spanish Armada — when Henry, the third 
 Lord Wentworth leased on November ist for five hundred years to Roger 
 
 A 1
 
 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 
 
 Richardson " a parcel of ground called Blackwall, extending from Poplar 
 to the landing-place there, in length by estimation four hundred yards, and 
 a parcel of waste ground, extending from the said landing place to a sluice 
 towards the south-west, in length six hundred and fourteen yards," &c., 
 &c. The above term was assigned by Roger Richardson to Nicholas 
 Andrews, and it must have been during the tenure of either Richardson or 
 Andrews that one of them, or possibly the first East India Company, which 
 
 (See title is supposed to have been in occupation of this property a few years later, 
 
 deeds.) commenced to lay out Blackwall Yard. 
 
 At this time the greatest anxiety was experienced throughout the 
 country with regard to the threatened invasion of the so-called " Invincible 
 Armada," and among the various preparations that were made to check 
 its progress, the following order was issued for the protection of the River 
 
 Charmck. Thames : — " The manner how the River of Thames shall be kept assured 
 
 against any attempts of the galleys, by the care and good regard of Sir 
 Henry Palmer, who is appointed to the charge of that service. 
 
 I. " First a pinnace to lie at Tilbury Hope, or in the best place 
 thereabout ; this pinnace, upon the discovery of any galley, shall weigh 
 and shoot her ordnance to give the alarm to the forts and '\''ictory.' The 
 ' Victory ' to lie between the two forts of Gravesend and Tilbury, and 
 that order be taken that certain of the inhabitants of the town of 
 Gravesend and thereabout may be selected and appointed upon the 
 alarm, to go with their furniture, in all possible speed, aboard the ' Victory' ; 
 and that the barges and boats of the said town may set them on board 
 the ship, albeit it be in the night. Upon which alarm, and certain view 
 of the galleys, the said ships and forts are to shoot off their ordnance and 
 give the alarm to the ' Lyon.' The ' Lyon ' to ride about Greenhithe, 
 there to receive the alarm from the ' Victory ' and forts, and thereupon 
 to send away up to the Court the row barge, with some discreet person to 
 advertise, and also to give the alarm to those ships that ride at Blackwall, 
 that they may prepare." 
 ic88. In 1588, a plan, now in the British Museum, entitled " Thamesis 
 
 descriptio," by Robert Adams, surveyor of the buildings to Queen Eliza- 
 beth, was published. " On a small parchment roll, drawn with a pen, 
 showing lines across the river to mark how far and from whence cannon- 
 balls may obstruct the passage of any ship on an invasion, from Tilbury 
 to London, with proper distances marked for placing the guns." This 
 plan shows also a barrier, or stockade, across the river at Blackwall, but
 
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 r
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 it is considered doubtful whether this was ever really carried out, although 
 certain large piles running apparently across the river, which were dis- 
 covered many years afterwards, when laying the foundations of a new 
 graving-dock in Blackwall Yard, would appear to support the idea that it 
 
 1589. really was constructed. The fear of the Spanish Armada, and the success- 
 
 ful enterprise of Sir Francis Drake had by this time aroused the energies 
 of the country, and the force collected to resist the invasion amounted to 
 197 vessels of various descriptions, of the aggregate burden of nearly 
 30,000 tons. 
 
 ]6oo. At the beginning of the year 1600, the mercantile navy of England 
 
 was reduced to a very low state, most of the commerce being carried on in 
 foreign bottoms. The incitement offered by the advantageous trade in 
 which the Dutch had long engaged to India, at length, however, moved the 
 nation, and on the 31st December in this year, Elizabeth, at the solicitation 
 of several great men and eminent merchants, granted to them an exclusive 
 charter for fifteen years for the establishing of a commerce to the East 
 Indies, thereby constituting them a body corporate, by the style of the 
 Governor and Company of the Merchants of London trading to the East 
 Indies. This Company is commonly known as the " First English East 
 India Company." In consequence of this charter the Company lost no time 
 in raising a Joint Stock for promoting their design of carrying their project 
 immediately into execution, in which they were so successful as soon to find 
 themselves masters of ^72,000 (no small sum at that time) ; with this they 
 determined to commence their trade, and gave beginning to it by fitting out 
 five able ships for the first voyage to the Moluccas and Java, of which 
 squadron the " Dragon " of 600 tons was admiral, the " Hector " of 300 
 tons was vice-admiral, the " Susannah " and " Ascension " of 200 tons each, 
 and the " Guest," a store-ship of 130 tons burthen; the whole complement of 
 men was 420, the expense of equipping them ;^45,ooo, and the remaining 
 ;^2 7,000 of their cash was expended in the purchase of cargoes. They sailed 
 from Torbay 2nd of May, 1601. 
 
 The formation of this East India Company was soon followed by the 
 
 1603. building at Woolwich, in 1603, of the largest ship that had yet been con- 
 
 structed for the purposes of commerce, at least in England ; King James I., 
 in whom the Company found a powerful protector, dined on board of her, 
 and gave her the name of the " Trades Increase " ; she is reported to have 
 been of twelve hundred tons burthen. The king also named a pinnace of 
 two hundred and fifty tons, that was built at the same time, the " Pepper- 
 
 Format'wn 
 First 
 
 East India 
 Company. 
 
 of
 
 Chronicles of Blackball Yayd. 
 
 corn." The impetus once having been given, before the end of the reign of 
 King James an important mercantile navy was owned by British merchants. 
 
 1604. In 1604 the East India Company fitted out and despatched a second 
 squadron of four ships, under the command of Sir Henry Middleton, for 
 
 1605. the Moluccas and Java. And in the following year, the growing interest 
 that was felt throughout the country in all matters connected with ship 
 building was further marked by the formation of the Shipwrights' Company. 
 
 1607. In 1607 th^ East India Company undertook a third expedition to the 
 
 East with three ships only, which they successfully performed, especially in 
 the Moluccas, and, though their treatment by the Dutch was very indifferent, 
 yet they could not hinder these ships from procuring a valuable cargo 
 of spice, which they brought safely to the Downs May loth, 1610, "with 
 this remarkable instance of Providence that in this whole voyage out and 
 home they had not lost a single man." 
 
 16 10. In 1610 we find the following description of " a most goodly ship for 
 
 warre," built at Woolwich : — " The keel whereof was one hundred and 
 fourteen feet long, and the cross beam was forty-four feet in length, she 
 will carry sixty-four pieces of great ordnance, and is of the burden of four- 
 teen hundred tons. This Royal ship is double built, and is most sump- 
 tuously adorned, within and without, with all manner of curious carving, 
 painting, and rich gilding, being in all respects the greatest and goodliest 
 ship that ever was built in England ; and this glorious ship the king gave 
 unto his son, Henry Prince of Wales. The 24th of SejJtcmber the King, 
 the Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, and the Lady 
 Elizabeth, with many great lords, went unto Woolwich to see it launcht ; 
 but, because of the narrowness of the dock, it could not then be launcht. 
 Whereupon the Prince came the next morning by three o'clock, and then, 
 at the launching thereof, the Prince named it after his own dignity, and 
 called it the ' Royal Prince.' The great workmaster in building this ship 
 was Mr. Phineas Pett, gentleman, some time Master of Arts of Emmanuel 
 College, in Cambridge," who continued Principal Engineer of the Navy 
 during the reign of Charles II. 
 
 16 1 2. In May, 161 2, the Shipwrights' Company before alluded to was 
 
 formally incorporated by a charter granted " to the Master, Wardens and 
 Commonalty of the Art or Mystery of Shipwrights," the above-mentioned 
 Mr. Phineas Pett being appointed the first Master. 
 
 It may here be stated that the family of the Petts had held the ofiice 
 of architects to the Royal Navy for two hundred years, and were the great
 
 Chronicles of Blackioall Yard. 
 
 instruments in the improvement of our ships of war. They modernized 
 them by divesting all their vessels of a great deal of the cumbrous top 
 hamper entailed on them from the castellated defences which had been 
 necessary in, and which yet remained from, the hand-to-hand encounter of 
 the middle ages ; and it is probable that but for the taste for gorgeous 
 decorations which prevailed during the seventeenth century this ingenious 
 family would have been able to effect much more. As it was, they decidedly 
 rendered England pre-eminently the school for naval architecture during the 
 time they constructed its fleets. 
 
 The year 1612 is a most interesting and important date in the 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard, or of the East India Yard, as it was then 
 called, for in this year the Dwelling House and Offices, with probably the 
 dry docks, storehouses, and other buildings were completed, a tablet on the 
 inside wall above the gateway bore this date, while on the outside wall were 
 placed the arms of the first East India Company. These arms heraldically 
 described are : Azure three ships of three masts, rigged and under full 
 sail, the sails, pennants, and ensigns argent, each charged with a cross gules, 
 on a chief of the second a pale quarterly azure and gules. On the first and 
 fourth a fleur-de-lys. In the second and third a lion passant quadrant all 
 of the second, two roses gules seeded on barbed rest. Crest : a sphere with- 
 out a frame bound with the zodiac in bend or, between two split pennons, 
 flotant argent, each charged in chief with a cross gules. Over the sphere 
 these words : " Deus indicat." Supporters : two sea lions or, the tails 
 proper. Motto: " Deo ducente nil nocet." 
 
 It may be doubly interesting in these Chronicles to mention that in 
 this year the East India Company dispatched three vessels to the Indies, 
 viz. : " The Globe," " The Hector," and " The Thomas." 
 
 The " Globe " was intended for a trading voyage, but through the 
 treachery of the Dutch she did not return till nearly four years afterwards. 
 May it not fairly be assumed that the well-known " Globe " Tavern 
 adjoining to the yard, and apparently of about the same date was named 
 after this long looked-for vessel ? 
 
 1614. In this year the East India Company dispatched the " New Year's 
 Gift," of 650 tons, the " Hector," of 500 tons, the " Merchant's Hope," 
 of 300 tons, and the " Solomon," of 200 tons. Some of these ships would 
 not improbably have been built and fitted out in the Company's new 
 
 16 1 5. dockyard at Blackwall. In the following year, however, the depressed 
 state of the merchant shipping interest of England had again reached
 
 8 
 
 Cliyonicles of Blackiuall Yard. 
 
 Lindsay's 
 History of 
 Merchant 
 Shipping. 
 
 1616. 
 
 1620. 
 1621. 
 
 1629. 
 
 1632. 
 1637- 
 
 so low an ebb, that there were only ten ships belonging to the port of 
 London of more than two hundred tons burthen. The work of fitting 
 up the new East India Yard at Blackwall was evidently not yet quite 
 completed, for the dockyard bell still bears the date of 16 16, with a motto — 
 " God be my good speed," together with two initials ; and its weight : 
 3 cwt. I qr. 7 lbs. When weighed in 1865 it was found to weigh only 
 3 cwt. o qr. 27 lbs., having lost, according to this, 8 lbs. weight in two 
 hundred and fifty years. The size of this bell is : height i ft. 6 in., breadth 
 at top I ft, I in., at bottom i ft. 6 in. 
 
 On December 31st, 1620, the yard was leased by Nicholas Andrews 
 to William Burrell for 464 years at a peppercorn rent. And on January 
 30th, 162 1, William Burrell leased the same premises (reserving a certain 
 right of way) to Sir Thomas Smith, Robert Johnson, Thomas Westrow 
 and Jeffery Kirby for 463 years, from Lady-Day, 1620, at the rent of 
 two shillings and sixpence payable at Michaelmas. 
 
 In the year 1629 there is mention of a great breach made in the 
 South Marsh Wall (Isle of Dogs), when the whole level, it is stated, was 
 exposed to danger. 
 
 It appears by extracts from the Court books of the Honourable 
 East India Company, that before the year 1632 the well-known Almshouses 
 at Poplar, for invalided Petty Officers of the Company's ships had been 
 already founded. In the year 1637, King Charles II. added to the Royal 
 Navy the largest vessel yet constructed, this was the " Sovereigne of the 
 Seas," or "Royal Sovereign," a three-decked ship of nearly 150 guns 
 designed and built at Woolwich Yard by Captain Phineas Pett, one of the 
 principal officers of the Navy, shortly afterwards referred to as Sir Phineas 
 Pett, and Mr. Peter Pett his son, who was the master builder, and had made 
 the model of this ship before he was twenty-five years of age. Of this 
 young man a contemporary writer says : " Pallas herselfe flew into his 
 bosome, and not only injoyned him to the undertaking, but inspired him in 
 tlie manageing of so exquisite and absolute an architecture." This 
 famous ship is said to have been in length, by the keel, one hundred and 
 twenty-eight feet ; in breadth, forty -eight feet ; in length, from the fore-end 
 of the beak-head to the after-end of the stern, two hundred and thirt)'-two 
 feet ; and in height, from the bottom of her keel to the top of her lanthorn, 
 seventy-six feet ; she bore five lanthorns, the biggest of which would hold 
 ten persons upright ; she had three flush-decks, a forecastle, half-deck, 
 quarter-deck, and round-house. Her lower tier had thirty ports ; middle
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 tier, thirty ports ; third tier, twenty-six ports ; forecastle, twelve ports ; half 
 deck, fourteen ports ; thirteen or fourteen ports more within board ; besides 
 ten pieces of chace-ordnance forward ; ten right-aft ; and many loop-holes in 
 the cabins for musket-shot. She had eleven anchors, one of four thousand 
 four hundred pounds weight. She was of the burthen of one thousand six 
 hundred and thirty-seven tons. 
 
 No further special record of the East India Yard is obtainable until 
 we come to the time of Henry Johnson, whose name was for so many years 
 pre-eminently associated with Blackwall. This Henry Johnson may have 
 been connected with the Robert Johnson who leased the dockyard with 
 Sir Thomas Smith, Thomas Westrow, and Jeffrey Kirby, in 162 1, but of 
 this we have no certain information. He was the eldest son of Francis 
 Johnson, Esq., of Aldborough, in the county of Suffolk, and of Mary his 
 wife, daughter of Peter Pett, of Deptford, in the county of Kent, brother of 
 Sir Thomas Pett, knight. 
 
 1639. In the year 1639 Henry Johnson was apprenticed at the age of 
 
 si.xteen to his cousin Sir Phineas Pett, the well-known master shipbuilder, 
 and it was probably upon the famous " Sovereigne of the Seas " already 
 mentioned that young Henry Johnson learned his first lessons in the art of 
 ship-building. 
 
 1642. In the year 1642 the inhabitants of Poplar and Blackwall renewed 
 
 a request they had formerly made to the East India Company for a piece of 
 ground to build a chapel on, and a house for the minister. It was then 
 resolved by the Court that the ground behind the almshouses already 
 spoken of should be granted for that purpose ; and that sixty loads of stones 
 belonging to the Company, which lay there, should be given for the purpose 
 of laying the foundation. 
 
 1648. Ox December 13th, 1648, Henry Johnson, at the age of twenty-four 
 and having now completed his apprenticeship, married Dorothy, the 
 daughter and heiress of William Lord, of Milton, in the County of Kent, 
 Esq. ; at the time of her marriage, Dorothy Lord was only fifteen and a 
 half years old. From Charnock's " Marine Architecture," we learn that in 
 
 1649. the following year, 1649, Henry Johnson, then of Deptford, where he doubt- 
 
 B
 
 lo Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 
 
 less had been led through the influence of his cousin, Sir I'hineas I'ett, 
 launched the " Assurance " of 44 guns and 478 tons, and the "Assistance " 
 of 42 guns and 555 tons. 
 
 The "Assurance" was at once commissioned and formed part of the 
 rteet sent to reinforce Admiral Blake then cruising off Lisbon, his special 
 object being to hunt down Prince Rupert, who, the Royal cause being 
 now desperate on shore, was carrying on a guerilla, not to say piratical, warfare 
 on his own account, and seizing any British ships he came across. This 
 little known page of history is interesting, but to pursue it now would carry 
 us too far from our subject. The " Assistance " took her full share in the 
 action oft Portland in 1653, when she was taken and retaken in the course 
 of the day. Engagements such as these are doubtless represented in the 
 panel paintings in the house in Blackwall Yard, where the Dutch flag is 
 generally seen sinking to St. George's Cross. The " Assurance " is 
 mentioned many years afterwards in a report on the Navy dated 1703, as 
 " one of the old shipps built in the Parliament time." 
 
 It may be well to mention here the great difficulty which has naturally 
 been experienced in obtaining reliable information as to the vessels built at 
 this remote period. The records obtainable are most imperfect, and fre- 
 quently for many years all records have been lost. 
 
 Returning now once more to Blackwall, we find by the Parliamentary 
 
 1650. survey in 1650, that the foundations of the East India Company's Chapel, 
 
 for which a grant of land had been made in 1642, were by this time laid. 
 
 The subscription for building this chapel was begun by Gilbert Dethick, Esq., 
 
 with a benefaction of ^100. The whole expense was above /^2,ooo, and 
 
 Sir Henry Johnson, whose arms were placed on the front of the gallery, 
 
 1652. was among the chief contributors. In 1652, upon another petition of the 
 
 inhabitants, the East India Company voted the sum of ;^200 towards 
 
 '653. completing the work; and in the following year "the adventurers in the 
 
 second general voyage, on a like petition, contributed another ^50." The 
 
 1654. chapel was opened for service in 1654, when Thomas Walton was appointed 
 
 chaplain by William Greenhill, vicar of Stepney. 
 
 In the year 1653, Charnock records that the " Dreadnought," of 
 62 guns and 732 tons, was built by Henry Johnson, of Blackwall ; it is 
 evident therefore that Henry Johnson must have migrated from Deptford to 
 1654. Blackwall since the year 1649. In 1654, the "York," of 62 guns and 749 tons, 
 
 was built by Henry Johnson, and from an old record of some years later, we 
 learn that *' Many line of batde ships had been built in Blackwall Yard from
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 1 1 
 
 the year 1654." We may suppose therefore that the arrival of Henry 
 Johnson at Blackwall had infused a fresh life into the building operations of 
 the establishment. 
 
 '^56- From parish records of this date we learn that Henry Johnson was 
 
 interesting himself a good deal in the welfare and improvement of the 
 neighbourhood. He was very active in the affairs of the hamlet, his name 
 appearing in the minutes of nearly every meeting of the inhabitants from 
 
 1660. thg year 1656, until the time of his death. In April, 1660, his name is 
 
 mentioned as a member of the Commission of Sewers, formed in 1647, and 
 
 '661. he served the office of churchwarden in 166 1. On January 15th, 1661, the 
 
 celebrated Samuel Pepys, secretary to the Admiralty, makes the following 
 note : — " We took barge and went to Blackwall, and viewed the Docke, [the 
 Wet Dock], which is nearly made there, and a brave new merchantman, 
 which is to be launcht shortly and they say to be called the ' Royal Oake.' 
 Hence we walked to ' Dick Shoare,' [now called Duke Shore], and thence 
 to the ' Toure,' and so home." 
 
 In April of this year, we find an account of another breach made 
 in the Marsh wall (Isle of Dogs) which cost ^16,000 to restore. This 
 is probably the breach shown in Gascoyne's map, which was afterwards 
 enlarged into the City Canal, and eventually became the South West India 
 Dock in 1867. 
 
 1662. On January 16th, 1662, Evelyn relates in his Diary, that he 
 
 " accompanied the Duke of York to an East India Vessel that lay at 
 Blackwall, where we had entertainment of several curiosities. Amongst other 
 spirituous drinks, as punch, &c., they gave us Canary that had been carried 
 to and brought from the Indies, which was indeed incomparably good." 
 
 1665. On September 22nd, 1665, Samuel Pepys gives the following 
 
 account of a second visit to Blackwall Yard. He says " At Blackwall there is 
 observable what Johnson tells us, that in digging the late Docke, they did, 
 twelve feet under ground find perfect trees overcovered with earth, nut trees, 
 with the branches and the very nuts upon them ; some of whose nuts he shewed 
 us, their shells black with age, and their kernell, upon opening, decayed, but 
 their shell perfectly hard as ever ; and a yew tree, (upon which the very ivy 
 was taken up whole about it) which upon cutting with an addes, we found to 
 be rather harder than the living tree usually is." 
 
 In this same year when the plague was at its height, Defoe paid a 
 visit to the neighbourhood, which he describes in his " History of the Great 
 Plague," and an extract from which we venture here to give at length. 
 
 B I
 
 1 2 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 " Much about the same time, I walked out into the fields towards 
 Bow, for I had a great mind to see how things were managed in the river, 
 and among the ships ; and as I had some concern in shipping, I had a notion 
 that it had been one of the best ways of securing one's self from the infection 
 to have retired into a ship, and musing how to satisfy my curiosity in that 
 point, I turned away over the fields from Bow to Bromley and down to 
 Blackwall, to the stairs that are there for landing or taking water. 
 
 " Here I saw a poor man walking on the bank or sea-wall as they 
 call it, by himself, I walked awhile also about, seeing the houses all shut up ; at 
 last I fell into some talk at a distance with this poor man. First, I asked 
 how people did thereabouts ? Alas ! Sir, says he, almost desolate, all dead or 
 sick : here are very few families in this part, or in that village, pointing at 
 Poplar, where half of them are not dead already, and the rest sick. Then 
 he, pointing to one house, they are all dead, said he, and the house stands 
 open, nobody dares go into it. A poor thief, says he, ventured in to steal 
 something, but he paid dear for his theft, for he was carried to the church- 
 )'ard too last night. Then he pointed to several other houses. There, 
 says he, they are all dead, the man and his wife and five children. There, 
 says he, they are shut up, you see a watchman at the door, and so of other 
 houses. Why, says I, what do you here all alone ? Why, says he, I am a 
 poor desolate man, it hath pleased God I am not yet visited, though my 
 family is, and one of my children dead. How do you mean then said I, 
 that you are not visited ? Why, says he, that is my house, pointing to a 
 very little low boarded house, and there my poor wife and two children live, 
 said he, if they may be said to live, for my wife and one of the children are 
 visited, but I do not come at them. And with that word I saw the tears 
 run very plentifiilly down his face, and so they did down mine too, I assure 
 you. 
 
 " But, said I, why do you not come at them ? How can you abandon 
 your own flesh and blood ? Oh, sir, says he, the Lord forbid ; I do not 
 abandon them, I work for them as much as I am able ; and, blessed be the 
 Lord ! I keep them from want. And with that, I observed, he lifted up his 
 eyes to Heaven with a countenance that presently told me I had happened 
 on a man that was no hypocrite, but a serious, religious, good man ; and his 
 ejaculation was an expression of thankfulness that, in such a condition as he 
 was in, he should be able to say his family did not want. Well, says I, 
 honest man, that is a great mercy as things go now with the poor. But 
 how do you live, then, and how are you kept from the dreadful calamity
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 13 
 
 that is now upon us all ? Why, sir, says he, I am a waterman, and there is 
 my boat, says he, and the boat serves me for a house ; I work in it in the 
 day, and I sleep in it in the night, and what I get, I lay it down upon that 
 stone, says he, showing me a broad stone on the other side of the street, a 
 good way from his house ; and then, says he, I halloa and call to them till 
 I make them hear, and they come and fetch it. 
 
 " Well, friend, says I, but how can you get money as a waterman ? 
 Does anybody go by water these times ? Yes, sir, says he, in the way I 
 am employed there does. Do you see there, says he, five ships lie at anchor, 
 pointing down the river a good way below the town ? and do you see, says 
 he, eight or ten ships lie at the chain there, and at anchor yonder, pointing 
 above the town. All those ships have families on board, of their merchants 
 and owners and such like, who have locked themselves up, and live on 
 board, close shut in for fear of the infection ; and I tend on them to fetch 
 things for them, carry letters, and do what is absolutely necessary, that they 
 may not be obliged to come on shore ; and every night I fasten my boat on 
 board one of the ship's boats, and there I sleep by myself ; and, blessed be 
 God, I am preserved hitherto. 
 
 " Well, said I, friend, but will they let you come on board after you 
 have been on shore here, when this has been such a terrible place, and so 
 infected as it is ? 
 
 " Why, as to that, said he, I very seldom go up the ship side, but 
 deliver what I bring to their boat, or lie by the side, and they hoist it on 
 board ; if I did, I think they are in no danger from me, for I never go into 
 any house on shore, or touch anybody, no, not of my own family ; but I 
 fetch provisions for them. 
 
 " Nay, says I, but that may be worse, for you must have those provi- 
 sions of somebody or other ; and since all this part of the town is so infected, 
 it is dangerous so much as to speak with anybody ; for the village, said I, is, 
 as it were, the beginning of London, though it be at some distance from it. 
 
 " That is true, added he, but you do not understand me right. I 
 do not buy provisions for them here ; I row up to Greenwich, and buy fresh 
 meat there ; and sometimes I row down the river to Woolwich and buy 
 there ; then I go to single farm houses on the Kentish side, where I am 
 known, and buy fowls, and eggs, and butter, and bring to the ships, as they 
 direct me, sometimes one, sometimes the other. I seldom come on shore 
 here ; and I came only now to call my wife and hear how my little family do, 
 and give them a little money which I received last night.
 
 14 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 " Poor man ! said I ; and how much hast thou gotten for them ? 
 
 " I have gotten four shilHngs, said he, which is a great sum, as things 
 go now with poor men ; but they have given me a bag of bread, too, and a 
 salt fish, and some flesh ; so all helps out. 
 
 " Well, said I, and have you given it them yet ? 
 
 " No, said he, but I have called, and my wife has answered that she 
 cannot come out yet, but in half-an-hour she hopes to come, and I am waiting 
 for her. Poor woman ! says he, she is brought sadly down ; she has had a 
 swelling, and it is broke, and I hope she will recover, but I fear the child 
 will die ; but it is the Lord ! Here he stopt and wept very much. 
 
 "Well, honest friend, said I, thou hast a sure comforter, if thou hast 
 brought thyself to be resigned to the will of God ; He is dealing with us all 
 in Judgment. 
 
 " Oh, sir, says he, it is infinite mercy if any of us are spared ; and who 
 am I to repine ! 
 
 " Says't thou so, said I, and how much less is my faith than thine ? 
 And here my heart smote me, suggesting how much better this poor man's 
 foundation was, on which he stayed in the danger than mine, that he had 
 nowhere to fly, that he had a family to bind him to attendance which I had 
 not, and mine was mere presumption, his a true dependence and a courage 
 resting on God, and yet, that he used all possible caution for his safety. 
 
 " I turned a little away from the man, while these thoughts engaged 
 me ; for indeed, I could no more refrain from tears than he. 
 
 "At length, after some further talk, the poor woman opened the door, 
 and called, Robert, Robert ; he answered and bid her stay a few moments, 
 and he would come ; so he ran down the common stairs to his boat, and 
 fetched up a sack in which was the provisions he had brought from the 
 ships, and when he returned he hallooed again, then he went to the great 
 stone which he showed me, and emptied the sack and laid all out everything 
 by themselves, and then retired, and his wife came with a little boy to fetch 
 them away ; and he called and said : such a captain had sent such a thing, and 
 such a captain such a thing, and at the end adds, God has sent it all, give 
 thanks to Him. When the poor woman had taken up all, she was so weak 
 she could not carrj- it at once in, though the weight was not much neither, 
 so she left the biscuit which was in a little bag, and left a little boy to watch 
 it till she came again. 
 
 " Well, but, says I to him, did you leave her the four shillings too. 
 which you said was your week's pay ?
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 15 
 
 " Yes, yes, says he, you shall hear her own it. So he calls again, 
 Rachel, Rachel, which it seems was her name, did you take up the money ? 
 Yes, said she. How much was it ? said he. Four shillings and a groat, 
 said she. Well, well, says he, the Lord keep you all ; and so he turned to 
 go away. 
 
 "As I could not refrain from contributing tears to this man's story, 
 so neither could I refrain my charity for his assistance, so I called him : 
 Hark thee, friend, said I, come hither, for I believe thou art in health, that I 
 may venture thee ; so I pulled out my hand, which was in my pocket before. 
 Here, says I, go and call thy Rachel once more, and give her a little more 
 comfort from me; God will never forsake a family that trusts in Him, as 
 thou dost ; so I gave him four other shillings, and bid him go lay them on 
 the stone, and call his wife. 
 
 " I have not words to express the poor man's thankfulness, neither 
 could he express it himself, but by tears running down his face. He called 
 his wife and told her God had moved the heart of a stranger, upon hearing 
 their condition, to give them all that money, and a great deal more such as 
 that he said to her. The woman too made signs of the like thankfulness, 
 as well to Heaven as to me, and joyfully picked it up, and I parted with no 
 money all that year that I thought better bestowed." 
 1666. In the year 1666, the " Warspight," of 60 guns and 492 tons, was 
 
 launched from Blackwall Yard. Concerning this vessel Pepys makes the 
 following entry in his diary on May 19th. " Another great step and improve- 
 ment to our navy, put in practice by Sir Anthony Deane, was effected in the 
 'Warspight' and 'Defiance,' which were to carry six months' provisions, 
 and their guns to be 4^ feet from the water." 
 
 On June 2nd, 1666, Pepys recounts the following incidents in 
 connection with the embarkation of troops at Blackwall, in view of an 
 expected attack from the Dutch fleet : — • 
 
 "Up and to the office, where certain news is brought us of a letter 
 come to the King this morning from the Duke of Albemarle, dated 
 yesterday at eleven o'clock as they were sailing to the gun fleete, that they 
 were in sight of the Dutch fleete, and were fitting themselves to fight them, 
 so that they are ere this certainly engaged, besides, several do aver they 
 heard the guns yesterday in the afternoon. This puts us at the Board into 
 a tosse. Presently come orders for our sending away to the fleete a recruite 
 of two hundred soldiers. So I rose from the table, and to the Victualler's 
 Office, and thence upon the river among several vessels, to consider of
 
 i6 Chronicles of Blackiuall Yard. 
 
 sending them away and lastly down to Greenwich and there appointed two 
 yachts to be ready for them, and did order the soldiers to march to 
 Blackwall. Having set all things in order against the next flood, I went on 
 shore with Captain Ewin at Greenwich, and into the Parke, and there we 
 could hear the ginis from the fleete most plainly. We walked to the water- 
 side, and there seeing the King and Duke come down in their barge to 
 Greenwich House, I to them, and did give them an account what I was 
 doing. They went up to the Parke to hear the guns of the fleete go off. All 
 our hopes now are that Prince Rupert, with his fleete, is coming back, and 
 will be with the fleete this even, a message being sent to him to that purport 
 on Wednesday last, and a return is come from him this morning that he did 
 intend to sail from St. Ellen's point about four in the afternoon yesterday, 
 which gives us great hopes, the wind being very fair, that he is with them 
 this even, and the fresh going off of the guns makes us believe the same. 
 Down to Blackwall, and there saw the soldiers (who were by this time 
 gotten most of them drunk) shipped off. But Lord, to see how the poor 
 fellows kissed their wives and sweethearts in that simple manner at their 
 going off, and shouted, and let off their guns, was strange sport. In the 
 evening come up the river the Katharine jacht. Captain Fazeby, who hath 
 brought over my Lord of Alesbury (Robert Bruce, created earl of Alesbury 
 1663), and Sir Thomas Liddall (with a very pretty daughter, and in a pretty 
 travelling dress) from Flanders, who saw the Dutch fleet on Thursday and 
 ran from them, but from that hour to this hath not heard one gun, nor any 
 news of any fight. Having put the soldiers on board, I home." 
 
 Sir Thomas Brame in a letter dated September 29th, 1666, writes 
 that " Blackwall hath the largest wet docke in England, and belongs chiefly 
 to the East India Company." 
 1667. "On June loth, the Dutch fleet, under Admiral de Ruyter, captured 
 
 Sheerness and burnt several ships of the line, with the magazine containing 
 stores valued at ^40,000. The English, apprehensive that the enemy 
 might venture up to London Bridge, sunk thirteen ships at Woolwich and 
 four at Blackwall, and raised various platforms with artillery to defend the 
 approaches to the City." 
 
 On June 14th, Pepys writes : "We do not hear that the Dutch are 
 come to Gravesend, which is a wonder, but a wonderful thing it is that to 
 this day we have not one word yet from Brouncker or Peter Pett or 
 I. Minnes of anything at Chatham. At night come home Sir W. Batten 
 and W. Pen, w-ho only can tell me that they have placed guns at Woolwich
 
 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 17 
 
 and Deptford, and sunk some ships below Woolwich and Blackewall, and 
 are in hopes that they will stop the enemy's coming up. But strange our 
 confusion! that among them that are sunk, they have gone and sunk without 
 consideration, "The Franclin," one of the King's ships, with stores to a very 
 considerable value, that hath been long loaden for supply of the ships ; and 
 the new ship at Bristoll and much wanted there, and nobody will own that 
 they directed it, but do lay it on Sir W. Rider." 
 1677 Phineas Pett, in his journal, gives the following account of a visit which 
 
 he paid to his nephew, Henry Johnson, at his seat at Friston, in company 
 with Sir Anthony Deane, Surveyor to the Navy — 
 
 "Started, Tuesday, May 29th. 
 
 " On Tuesday, 5th of June, from Wickham we went to Friston to desire 
 Mr. Johnson to go with us to Aldborough to view the ground and harbour 
 and to see if a ship might be built there, which we found could be done ; 
 then we returned and lay at Friston all night. 
 
 " Wednesday, 6th. — W'e departed from Friston and went to Yoxford, 
 where Mr. Henrj^ and Robert Cooper met us to treat about their timber ; 
 Mr. Henry told us he had disposed of all his to Sir Henr)- Johnson, which 
 would make about eighty load of 4-inch planks ; it was very good and large 
 timber." 
 1678. The year 1678 appears to have been a very important one in the life of 
 
 Henry Johnson, for in this year he was elected with Sir Henry Haddock to 
 represent his native town of Aldborough, in the Parliament, 1678-1679. In 
 this year also he rebuilt the fine old red brick mansion which stands at the 
 entrance of Blackwall Yard, and which bears on a tablet the inscription 
 "Built 1612, Rebuilt 167S," with his own monogram between the dates. 
 This excellent specimen of domestic architecture is worthy of remark. The 
 principal rooms were panelled throughout with wainscot oak, richly carved 
 after the fashion, if not by the hand of Grinling Gibbons and ornamented with 
 the *panel paintings which have already been referred to. A large portrait of 
 the " Royal Prince," built by Phineas Pett, at Woolwich, in 16 10, adorned one 
 mantel-piece, while a second was decorated with a portrait of the " Soveraigne 
 of the Seas," launched from the same yard, 1637. These pictures had no 
 doubt been placed here by Sir Henry Johnson in remembrance of his cele- 
 brated cousin, Phineas Pett, and of the ship on which he probably had learned 
 his craft. 
 
 * These paintings are now in the possession of Robert Wigram, Esq. 
 
 C
 
 1 8 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1679. In 1679, " The Essex," of 62 guns and 1072 tons and the " Kent," of 
 62 gTjns and 1069 tons, were built at Blackwall, and in this year Henry 
 Johnson received in his own house the honour of knighthood from King 
 Charles II. This distinction was no doubt well merited, and from a 
 Sovereign who had paid such personal attention to the details of his navy, 
 and was himself an inventor in matters connected with ship-building, it was 
 a very natural token of sympathy and desire to foster and promote this 
 national industry. The following e.xtract from a letter, dated August 4th, 
 1673, which King Charles had written to Prince Rupert, shows the personal 
 interest which he took in naval matters — " I am very glad the ' Charles ' 
 does so well, a gerdeling this winter when she comes in will make her the 
 best ship in England next summer. I believe if you try the two sloops that 
 were built at Woolwich that have my invention in them, they will outsail any 
 of the French sloops." 
 
 1680. The sister ships, " Exeter" and " Suffolk," of 70 guns, w^ere this year 
 launched from Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1682. On April 7th, 1682, a certain Samuel Moyer left by will to his son 
 " one thirty-second part of a ship now building for Captain Dyk in Sir Henry 
 Johnson's dock, for which ^100 had been already paid." Also "one thirty- 
 second part in each of the following ships in the service of the East India 
 Company: the ' Defence,' Captain J. Heath, now on a voyage to the Bay of 
 Bengal ; the 'Williamson,' Captain W. Busse, on a voyage to the Coast of 
 Coromandel and Bay of Bengal ; and the ' Royal Resolution,' Captain Henry 
 Wilshere, on a similar voyage." These ships had also probably been built in 
 Sir Henry Johnson's yard. 
 
 1683. Sir Henry Johnson died at the age of sixt)', and was buried in the 
 ground adjoining the East India Company's Chapel on Nov. 19th, 1683. He 
 left two sons, Henry, the eldest, who succeeded him, and William, who is 
 described in the records of Aldborough as a " capital burgess and once a 
 bailiff," and who a few years later represented Aldborough in Parliament with 
 his brother, and became ultimately Governor of Cape Coast Castle, where he 
 died in 1718. By his will, dated September 14th, 1683, but proved only in 
 1688, Sir Henry Johnson, of Blackwall, knight, devised and bequeathed to 
 his son Henry, afterwards Sir Henry Johnson, his heirs and assigns for 
 ever, " all that his messuage or tenement wherein he then dwelt, situate and 
 being at Blackwall aforesaid, and all other his messuages, yards, docks, 
 cranes, wharfs, grounds, &c., with the appurtenances called the East India 
 Yard, situate at or near Blackwall ; and all those three acres of land in the
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 19 
 
 South Marsh of Poplar, which he bought of Tweedie Crowder, upon trust 
 to expend a sum of ^300 for the building and erecting six good and 
 substantial messuages or tenements upon the ground then called ' Globe 
 Yard.' Each house to contain two rooms, with a chimney in each room 
 for the dwellinge and habitation of six poore aged shipp carpenters, either 
 bachelors or widowers, every such shipp carpenter to be three score-years 
 of age at least, each pensioner to receive two shillings and sixpence a week, 
 and two shillings and sixpence extra on Christmas Eve, and a gowne of 
 blue cloth of the value of thirty shillings, with his coat of arms in brass 
 thereon, at least once a year." 
 
 Strype in his edition of Stow's " Survey," gives the following anecdote 
 of Blackwall Yard at this period : " In the time of the elder Sir Henry John- 
 son, knight, ship-builder, an horse was wrought there thirty-four years, driven 
 by one man, and he grew to that experience, that at the first sound of the bell 
 for the men in the yard to leave off work, he also would cease labouring and 
 could not by any means be brought to give one pull after it, and when the 
 bell rang to work, he would as readily come forth again to his labour, which 
 was to draw planks and pieces of timber from one part of the yard to 
 another." A public house in Blackwall, adjoining the yard, received the 
 sign of the " Old Hob," in honour of the horse which bore that name, and 
 which took this very independent mode of showing his importance. 
 
 The following description of the neighbourhood at this time, is from 
 the same author : " Of late years. Shipwrights and (for the most part) othrr 
 Marine men have builded many large and strong houses for themselves, and 
 smaller for saylors, from Radcliff almost to Poplar and so to Blackwall." 
 At Poplar that lyeth within the Parish of Stepney, is a Chapel and an Alms 
 House for poor Seamen, both belonging to the old East India Company. 
 Here is the Isle of Dos^s, a fine rich level for fatning of cattle. Eieht oxen 
 fed here of late, were sold for ^34 a-piece, and a hog fed here was sold for 
 _^20 and 6d. A butcher is said to have furnished a weekly club at 
 Blackwall all the year round with a leg of mutton of 281b. in weight, 
 cut from a sheep in this marsh. Here is also a well-known wet Dock, 
 called Blackwall Dock, belonging to Sir Henry Johnson, knight, very 
 convenient for building and receiving of ships. About twenty years ago, 
 more or less, in breaking up an old ship that was returned from, the 
 East Indies, they found a solid piece of oak in the keel, pierced eight 
 inches deep, with a kind of horn that stuck fast in it. The master of the 
 
 vessel did remember that when they were on the main sea the ship 
 
 c I
 
 20 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 received a sudden shock which made it stop for the present, tho' it were in 
 full sail At first they thought they had struck on a rock, but considering 
 where they were they concluded that could not be, and they found no harm 
 tho' they went down and searched the bottom of the ship, but they observed 
 the sea bloody. But now the cause appeared that it was some sea fish that 
 struck the ship, and broke his horn in the side of it." 
 
 It is probably to this horn that Evelyn refers in his diary, June 8th, 
 1664: "To our Society to which his Majesty had sent that wonderful horn 
 of the fish which struck a dangerous hole in the keel of a ship in the India 
 Sea, which being broken off with the violence of the fish, and left in the 
 timber, preserved it from foundering." 
 
 1685 Sir Henry Johnson was succeeded at Blackwall by his eldest son, 
 
 Henry, who, two years after his father's death, was himself knighted in 
 accordance with the custom of the time, which we believe almost invariably 
 conferred this honour on the eldest sons of knights. 
 
 1688. We find this year an apparently very accurate navy list, giving not 
 
 only the names of all the Royal vessels, but also in most cases their place of 
 building, and are thus able to identify as still afloat the " Dreadnought," 
 "Exeter," "Essex," "Kent," "Suffolk," "Warspight," "York," "Assistance," 
 and "Assurance," all built by Henry Johnson. This matter of identification 
 is important and very difficult, as ships lost or destroyed were frequently 
 replaced by others of the same name, and it is a matter of considerable 
 difficulty to discriminate between the new and the old vessels. 
 
 i68g. The second Sir Henry Johnson, of Blackwall, was also made an Elder 
 
 Brother of the Trinity House, and in 1689 was, with William Johnson, 
 returned to Parliament for Aldborough, which place they represented together 
 until the year 1714. He married Anne, daughter of Hugh Smithson, Esq., 
 second son of Sir Hugh Smithson, of Stanwich, in the county of York, 
 baronet. By this marriage he had one daughter, Anna, who was afterwards 
 married to Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford. 
 
 1690. In 1690, the "Strombolo" fireship of 8 guns and 260 tons was 
 
 launched, and in the montli of October this year the " Dreadnought," 62 
 guns, built by the first Sir Henry Johnson in 1653, foundered off the North 
 Foreland. A memorandum of this date referring to the state of the navy 
 is interesting as having been written by Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell ; 
 it suggests, among other things, "that the masts of the ' Kent' (built at 
 Blackwall, 1679) should be shortened two feet, and the tops widened eight 
 inches on a side, and to be made oval." The " Warspight," " Essex,"
 
 THE HAMLE 
 
 > 
 
 ST. UUNSTAN, STEPNEY. 
 
 .Ilim STEBUA'HEJTH, being 
 
 One of the Ten Parishes in the County of 
 mldulesex, adjacent to the 
 
 Describing exa(5^iy the Bounds of the Nine Hamlets 
 HI ye s^' Parilli. 
 
 CHARI.ES WALKEU. -| | IUtcl.ff. 
 
 WILLIAM WHliATLY, j CImriliwarileii | Limehous. 
 THOMAS WALKER, )- ■{ Poplek 
 
 lOHN .MUMl'-onO. I ,/'"■ I MiLF, End Old 
 
 ' I. Town. 
 
 WIIJ.IAM CAXIER, 
 
 ABKAM. MOM'ORT, j Chiir.lmmh;, j SriTTLE I'EiLns. 
 
 WILLIAM LEE, ^ -! Bethnal Gkbbn. 
 
 HU.MPII. C-OSTIOR, I ./■"■ IMileEki>Nk« 
 
 J I. TOWNK. 
 
 Taken .Anno Dom. 1703 by loEi. Gascovne. 
 Engraven bv Iihin I!.\hki>.
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 1 1 
 
 "Suffolk," "Exeter," and "York" were all engaged this year against the 
 Dutch in the action off Beachy Head. 
 r69i. In September, 1691, the "Exeter," of 70 guns, built by Sir Henry 
 
 Johnson's father, was blown up at Plymouth. An interesting relic of this 
 date was found in Blackwall Yard during the alterations made by the Midland 
 Railway Company in 1878. This was a brass two-foot rule, similar to the 
 rules now used by shipwrights, with name and date — "Edward Gast, 1691." 
 
 1694. In 1694 the "Blaze" fireship, of 8 guns, was built at Blackwall, 
 
 1695. and in the following year the " Burlington," of fifty guns. On the 25th of 
 November of this year eleven acres of copyhold land at Blackwall were 
 surrendered to Sir Henry Johnson by Henry Dethick, Esq., one of an old 
 and influential family, whose name is frequently mentioned in the records of 
 this hamlet. The portrait of Sir Gilbert Dethick, Garter Principal King 
 of Arms, still hangs in the hall of the College of Arms. 
 
 1703. In 1703 Sir Henry Johnson married for his second wife Martha, 
 only daughter and heiress of John Lord Lovelace, of Hurley, in the county of 
 Berks, declared Baroness Wentworth, and so walked at the coronation of 
 Queen Anne, 1702. She died a widow without issue in 1745, at the age of 
 about eighty-five years. 
 
 1704. In this year was gained the important naval victory off Malaga, the 
 Trafalgar, as it has been called, of the i8th century; this was a great day for 
 the Blackwall ships present under the orders of Admirals Sir George Rooke 
 and Sir Cloudesley Shovell, the "Essex," "Kent," the "Old Assurance," and 
 the " Warspight," which last suffered very severely. No such victory had 
 been gained over the Spanish flag since the Armada ; indeed, with Malaga 
 and the capture of Gibraltar at sea, and Blenheim on land, this year must 
 unquestionably stand one of the foremost in the annals of England. 
 
 Returning once more to Blackwall we learn from Stow that in the 
 
 1705. year 1705 "were two whales of different sorts brought and cut up at 
 Blackwall, and in this year a 50-gun frigate, called the ' Blackwall,' was 
 
 1706 captured by the French." For the following remarkable anecdote we are 
 
 again indebted to Stow : " A person lately living in this hamlet [Poplar 
 and Blackwall] having a great concern for the safety of a ship that was like 
 to break her back at Blackwall, had his blood and spirits set into such an 
 extraordinary ferment, or ebullition rather, by the fear of her miscarriage, 
 that by the violence of it the tops of the nails of his hands and feet were 
 cast off to a great distance from their natural situation, and so remained to 
 his death, and many persons now living have attested the same."
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 The " Deal Castle," of 24 guns, was captured by the Frencli this 
 year, and the "Squirrel," of 24 guns, foundered off the coast of Holland. 
 Both these ships had been built in Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1707. The "Kent" captured the new French frigate " Superbe," of 
 
 56 guns; and the " Suffolk" took the French frigate "Guillard," of 56 guns. 
 Among a number of old plans of ships of war belonging to this period, 
 and which are carefully preserved in the archives of the Yard, there is a 
 very perfect drawing of the " Suffolk," 70 guns ; unfortunately, however, 
 many of these plans have neither name nor date, and consequently cannot 
 be identified. 
 
 The " Essex," " Kent," " Warspight," " Squirrel," and other vessels 
 built in Blackwall Yard, are repeatedly mentioned about this time as serving 
 in the fleets under the commands of Admirals Sir George Rooke, 
 Sir Cloudesley Shovell, and Sir George Byng. 
 
 iyo8. About this time the manager of Sir Henry Johnson's Yard was a 
 
 certain Philip Perry, whose history and introduction to Blackwall has been 
 given as follows. In or about the year 1690, Philip Perry was a carpenter 
 on board of one of His Majesty's ships. During a severe storm the vessel 
 was in much danger of foundering from a bad leak, but in consequence of 
 Philip Perry's skill and ingenuity the ship was saved and brought safely back 
 to port. The Commissioners of the Admiralty, to mark their appreciation of 
 his service, gave him an important post at Plymouth Dockyard, whence he 
 was transferred to Deptford, where he greatly increased his reputation. 
 This position he is said to have relinquished to superintend Sir Henry 
 Johnson's business at Blackwall. 
 
 1709. The "Assurance" and "Assistance," with three other vessels, engaged 
 
 in a bloody conflict with four French frigates ; the battle was fought in the 
 Channel, and victory to the last remained doubtful, neither side making a 
 capture, while much about the same time the " Kent" brought two prizes 
 into Plymouth. 
 
 In this year too the " Suffolk" and " Kent" formed part of the fleet 
 which, under Admiral Byng, attempted the relief of Alicante. The story 
 of this siege is so remarkable an instance of English dogged courage, and 
 is besides so litUe known, that we shall make no apology for giving it 
 at length. 
 
 " The garrison, driven by the besiegers into the almost impregnable 
 citadel which from the top of a lofty crag overhangs the town, awaited there 
 the formation and firing of the mine which was to blow the whole fortress
 
 Chronicles of Blackiuall Yard. 2^ 
 
 into the air. Due notice of the event was given by the chivalrous Spanish 
 commander, who himself escorted a deputation of the beseiged over his work, 
 and earnestly hoped they would do him the honour of surrendering before 
 6. A.M. of the third day. All to no purpose. Major-Gen. Richards, while fully 
 recognizing the skill with which the mine was laid, regretted his inability to 
 meet the Don's wishes, and at 5.30 a.m. repaired to the west batter)^ where 
 he could see the fuse ignited. He had not long to wait, punctual to time 
 himself with his field officers, their company, ten guns, and about eighty 
 sentinels, women and peasants, were blown into the air ; but thanks to a 
 f counter-mine, enough of the castle yet remained to enable Lieut. Col. D'Albon 
 
 to hold out until the arrival of the fleet, on board which he, with the 
 remnants of his garrison, safely embarked," 
 
 " Time preserves the Spartan story of Leonidas's glory, 
 
 How with his brave three hundred Persia's swarms he held at bay ; 
 
 Fame records the Switzer's daring, who Burgundian overbearing, 
 
 Tamed hundreds matched 'gainst thousands on Morgarten's bloody day ; 
 
 But Swiss nor Spartan annals contain no deed more glorious, 
 
 No feat of stubborn hardihood o'er mightier odds victorious." 
 
 1 710. The fleet cruising off the Lizard sighted the French squadron, when 
 
 the " Kent," " York " and " Assurance " were immediately ordered to give 
 chase ; these vessels were apparently good sailors, for both the " Kent " and 
 " Assurance " made prizes, after a severe action, for which Captain Johnson 
 obtained great credit ; it must, however, be admitted, that he had a real 
 superiority in guns. In this year, too, the " Warspight " aided in taking 
 the French frigate, the " Moor," and this is the last performance of our 
 
 1713- vessels before the Treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, put for a time an end to their 
 
 adventures. 
 
 1 714. In an account of the stopping of the great breach at Dagenham this 
 
 year by Captain John Perry, the well-known civil engineer, who is supposed 
 to have been the eldest brother of the Philip Perry before-mentioned, 
 reference is made to a pontoon built expressly to assist in closing the breach ; 
 the first attempt at closing did not, however, prove successful, and the 
 " aforesaid machine," as it is called, " which was built at Blackwall, rose up 
 from the ground and broke and tore to pieces." 
 
 1718. Peace in these days was seldom of long continuance, and in this year 
 
 we have again to record one of the great naval victories of the i8th century. 
 Admiral Byng encountered the Spanish fleet off Cape Passaro, and defeated 
 them with the loss of some fifteen Spanish vessels ; the " Essex " was
 
 24 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 
 
 engaged, and so of course was the " Kent," who, with her quondam enemy 
 the " Superbe," especially distinguished themselves, capturing between them 
 the Spanish Admiral's vessel. The Spaniards taken they allege at a 
 disadvantage, for war had hardly been declared, offered no very formidable 
 resistance, " their ships," says the chronicler, " being old, their artillery 
 none of the best, and their seamen not to be depended on." 
 
 On May 19th, 1718, Sir Henry Johnson, being in a declining state of 
 health, devised his Blackwall property to William Guidot, Thomas Tooke 
 and George Tooke, their heirs and assigns upon trust for sale, for payment 
 1719- of his debts, legacies, and funeral expenses, and on September 24th, 17 19, 
 
 he died at Bath, and was buried at Tuddington. Administration was 
 granted to Thomas, Earl of Strafford, the husband of his only child, Anna, 
 during the minority of their two daughters, Anna and Lucy Wentworth. 
 
 Many years later Sir Henry Johnson's representative, Agneta 
 Johnson, daughter of Henry Johnson, Esquire, of Berkhampstead, described 
 as a great heiress, married in 1769 the Honourable Charles Yorke, brother of 
 Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. Portraits of this lady and of Sir Phineas Pett 
 are now at Wimpole, in Lord Hardwicke's possession. 
 
 1723. In the unfortunate expedition to the West Indies, under Admiral 
 Hosier, we are not able to trace any record of our Blackwall ships, and 
 when the ghost of that ill-fated commander complained so pathetically — 
 
 " I with thirty sail attended, did the Spanish town affright, 
 Nothing then their wealth defended, but my orders not to fight," 
 
 it is satisfactory to think that not one of the thirty was the workmanship of 
 either Henry Johnson or Philip Perry. 
 
 1724. On June 17th, Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, and Anna, his 
 countess, with the concurrence of William Guidot and George Tooke, the 
 surviving trustees of Sir Henry Johnson's will, sold and conveyed to Captain 
 John Kirby, on behalf of himself and his partners. Captains E. Pierson, 
 Jonathan Collett, and Richard Boulton, for the sum of ^2,800, all that capital 
 messuage or mansion house at Blackwall, with garden terrace walk on 
 east side of same, and the orchard on north side of the yard, three acres. 
 
 All that yard called East India Yard. 
 
 Also a wet dock, 3 dry docks, and 4 launches in yard, storehouses 
 on north and east sides of yard, 3 messuages or tenements and smith's shop 
 in said yard, in occupation of Robert Wynne, Edward Hall, and John 
 Crowley, Esquires.
 
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 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 25 
 
 Coach houses and stables in said yard, and other buildings belonging 
 to mansion and yard, 17 messuages in a row on south side of mansion. 
 
 Messuage on north side of mansion house by the sign of the 
 " Globe," with Globe yard and appurtenances, slaughter house and 9 
 messuages in a row adjoining eastward to the same, 7 of which were 
 used as almshouses, which capital messuage, and the 1 7 houses, and the 
 " Globe " contained in front westward to Poplar Marsh, from north to south 
 584 feet. Also causeway leading from east end of Poplar town southwards 
 towards the Thames, in length from north to south on the west side 1,122 
 feet, and on the east side 1,076 feet, in breadth from east to west 26 feet, 
 and the toll of said causeway, and ropewalk, in length 1,122 and width 28 
 feet, and smith's shop at north end of causeway, in possession of John 
 Harding. 
 
 Also the warehouse at south end of ropewalk. 
 
 And three fields or closes of marsh land lying on the east side of 
 mansion, late in occupation of John Kirby, or his assigns, 8 acres, and the 
 forelanes to the same belonsrinCT. 
 
 Coach houses and stables in yard, and 3 acres of marsh land on 
 south Poplar Marsh. 
 
 All which premises are situate at Blackwall, together with other 
 premises, and contained in the whole 20^ acres. 
 
 And all other hereditaments and premises of said Earl and Countess 
 and said W. Guidot and George Tooke, and late of Sir Henry Johnson, 
 situate in the hamlets of Poplar and Blackwall aforesaid (except copyholds 
 which were intended to be surrendered). 
 
 This purchase was made subject to the first Sir Henry Johnson's 
 bequest for building almshouses, which up to this time had not been 
 properly carried into effect. 
 
 The houses had been partially built, but appropriated to other uses, 
 and the benefits of the bequest withheld under the pretence of a want of 
 proper objects as described by the donor's will. In this year, however, the 
 inhabitants of the hamlet took the matter up, and the Earl of Strafford then 
 consented to allow the sum of ^300 out of the purchase money for building 
 other houses, without further litigation, the inhabitants remitting the arrears, 
 which they were induced the rather to do as Sir Henry Johnson the 
 younger, though he had neglected to pay the pensions, had provided several 
 poor carpenters with habitations rent free, and his ship yard had been of 
 great service to the hamlet. 
 
 D
 
 26 CJironicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1726. The "Kent" put a pleasing finale to the performances of this war 
 
 by carrying Admiral Wagers' flag to the relief of Gibraltar, into which place 
 he was able to throw much needed succour and provisions. 
 
 The peace which again followed in the succeeding year, leaves us for 
 a time with nothing to record of the Blackwall frigates, and although this 
 did not last very long, we are bound to admit that the next thirty years 
 are not among the brightest in our naval annals ; little appears to have 
 been attempted and less done, and although various successes against the 
 Spaniards in the East Indies are an exception to the prevailing dulness, it 
 is not until the elder Pitt's accession to power in 1757 that anything like life 
 appears to have been reinfused into our navy. 
 
 1728. In this year the Rev. Gloster Ridley (so called from having been 
 
 born on board the " Gloucester" East Indiaman), minister of Poplar Chapel, 
 and others, applied to the then proprietors of Blackwall Yard, Captain 
 Collett and Captain Boulton, to have the six carpenters put into the alms- 
 houses as arranged. The reply received was, that if six properly qualified 
 persons could be found they should be put in. 
 
 After the sale of the Blackwall Yard Estate by the Earl and Countess 
 of Strafford, Philip Perry, who had for some years been managing the 
 business for Sir Henry Johnson, took a lease of the premises, and with his 
 son John continued the business on his own account under the style ot 
 P. Perry and Co. This firm is frequently referred to in " Charnock's 
 Marine Architecture," as constructing vessels for the navy. Philip Perry 
 
 1732. died on the 26th of September, 1732, at the age of sixty-one years, and 
 
 was buried near the first Sir Henry Johnson, in the ground adjoining the 
 East India Company's, or Poplar, Chapel, as it was now called. After his 
 death the business was carried on by his son, who, as we learn from local 
 records, had become by this time a person of considerable influence in the 
 neighbourhood. 
 
 1 736. A very perfect drawing still remains in the Yard of the " Weymouth," 
 
 60 guns, launched 31st March, 1736, with a memorandum stating that she 
 was lost on Sandy Island at Antigua, 15th February, 1744. 
 
 1739. Mr. Perry's eldest son Philip was born at Blackwall in this year.
 
 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 27 
 
 1741- In the year 1741, the "Leopard," of 50 guns and S72 tons, was 
 
 launched, and the ever active " Kent," under Captain Fox, is again heard of 
 at the conquest of Cuba, intercepting a San Domingo convoy, valued at 
 nearly a million sterling. 
 
 1742. In 1742, we find from an old list of docks, that Perry's Yard at this 
 
 time " had a wet dock, three dry docks, one double and two single, as well 
 
 * as building slips for many ships of war." 
 
 1743- Mr. Perry's second son, John, who afterwards became so widely 
 
 known in connection with Blackwall Yard, at the time when it was spoken 
 of as "more capacious than any other private dockyard in the kingdom, or 
 probably in the world," and also as the constructor and sole owner of the 
 Brunswick Basin and the adjoining Mast House, was born this year. 
 
 1745. In 1745, we have accounts of the " Norwich," 48 guns and 993 tons, 
 
 being rebuilt at Blackwall Yard. 
 
 1747. An old plan of this date speaks of the East India Company as still 
 
 occupying part of the yard, Captain Collett being the proprietor. The 
 drawings of a ship of 366 tons built in this year are also preserved in the 
 office. The " Kent " again takes a share in Admiral Hawke's engagement off 
 Cape Finisterre, but here for the first time in her long and adventurous career 
 the gallant " Kent " earns no laurel. A court-martial was called on Captain 
 Fox at the request of the Admiral, " for not doing his utmost to engage, 
 distress, and damage the enemy." Though acquitted of the capital charge 
 of cowardice, he was dismissed his vessel in that he had paid too much 
 
 attention to the advice of his first lieutenant and master. " Two bad 
 
 fellows," adds Keppel, who himself sat on the court-martial, " who, I verily 
 believe, did their best to ruin him." 
 
 j_cQ The " Falmouth," East Indiaman, was commenced by Mr. Perry on 
 
 J7C2. the 22nd of August, 1750, and launched on the 14th of August, 1752, a 
 
 copy of one of the elaborate plans of this vessel now hanging in the office 
 at Blackwall is here given. In this year Mr. Perry's wife, Ann Perry, 
 died at the age of thirty-six. 
 
 1755. Until the year, 1755, Sir Henry Johnson's charitable bequest had 
 
 remained uncompleted, but now, after some litigation, a compromise took 
 place, and Keble Gray, a parishioner, bachelor, and ship carpenter, 60 years 
 of age; George Trewitt, ditto, widower, 64; William Wentworth, Limehouse, 
 ditto, 79 ; John How, ditto, "]•] ; John Jackson, of Rotherhithe, widower, 63 ; 
 and Thomas Rising, of Woolwich, bachelor, 62, were admitted. 
 
 The pensions were after this regularly paid by the proprietors of 
 
 D I
 
 28 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 Blackwall Yard ; but instead of the " goune of blue cloth " the inhabitants 
 received the value in the necessaries of life every Christmas. The houses 
 have since then been rebuilt. 
 
 1756. The "Deal Castle," of 20 guns and 407 tons, was launched by 
 John Perry and Co. She was at once commissioned, and made her first cruise 
 under Howe, aiding in the relief of the Channel Islands then threatened by 
 the French. 
 
 1757. The " Osterley," East Indiaman, 642 tons. Captain Vincent, was 
 launched September 29th, 1757 ; this vessel was afterwards captured by the 
 French, but again recaptured some years later. The '' Tilbury," East India- 
 man, 642 tons. Captain Mainwaring, was launched October 14th. 
 
 1758. The "Valentine," East Indiaman, 655 tons, Captain Fernall, was 
 launched September 19th, 1758, and the " Ajax," East Indiaman, 655 tons, 
 Captain Lindsay, on December i6th. 
 
 The " Essex" this year conveyed the Duke of Marlborough, together 
 with a considerable body of men, to the coast of France. The troops were 
 landed without difficulty, but very little else was attempted, and the 
 expedition returned in one month from starting, having proved, says 
 Walpole, that it is not every Duke of Marlborough who can conquer the 
 French. Prior to this date, but after 1748, the old "Assurance," the 
 patriarch of the fleet, had been condemned to be broken up, having outlived 
 by many years both the Johnsons and Philip Perry. 
 
 1759. In 1759 the "Essex" and " Warspright," lately rebuilt, took part 
 in Admiral Hawke's dashing action with the French off Belleisle. The 
 weather was tremendous, so much so that one French vessel went down 
 through the water she took in at her lower deck ports, and the wind was dead 
 on shore ; but tousfh old Admiral Hawke was still more tremendous, and on 
 this shore he succeeded in driving several of the enemy, but unfortunately 
 the " Essex," together with the " Resolution," shared the same fate. 
 
 At Blackwall Yard, the "Duke of Richmond," East Indiaman, 656 
 tons, Captain Godfrey, was launched on September 8th, 1759; the " Norfolk," 
 662 tons, Captain Bonham, on October 2nd ; and the " Neptune," 656 tons 
 Captain Purling, on December 6th. The "Firm," of 60 guns and 1,297 
 tons, w^as also launched this )'ear for the government. 
 1701. The " Earl of Elgin," East Indiaman, 687 tons. Captain Evans, was 
 
 launched January 22nd, 1761, and the "Royal Charlotte," 669 tons. Captain 
 Clements, on October 29th. The "Africa," of 64 guns and 1,354 tons, 
 was also launched for the government.
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 29 
 
 1762. The " Clive," East Indiaman, 687 tons, Captain Allen, was launched 
 
 January 26th, 1762. 
 
 This year, when Spain joined in the war, became one of unusual 
 pressure upon the resources of the country, many towns and even 
 individuals, joined in contributing vessels ; and if, as has been stated, the 
 firm at Blackwall ever took this course, it is not impossible that it may have 
 been at this date. 
 
 1763- The " Earl of Middlesex," East Indiaman, of 670 tons. Captain 
 
 Fletcher was launched February 2nd, 1763; the "Bute," of 670 tons. 
 Captain Maitland, on February 3rd; the "Talbot," 670 tons. Captain 
 Dethick, on February 14th; the "Anson," 670 tons, Captain Chick, on 
 October 24th ; and the " Devonshire," of 670 tons. Captain Quick, on 
 November 7th. 
 
 I 764. The " Asia," of 670 tons, Captain English, was launched on Januarj' 4th, 
 
 1764; the "Salisbury," of 670 tons, Captain Bromfield, on October nth; 
 and the " Thames," of 692 tons, Captain Harris, on October 24th. The 
 " St. Albans," of 64 guns and 1,380 tons, was also launched for the 
 government. 
 
 1765. The " Harcourt," East Indiaman, of 688 tons. Captain Rodham, 
 was launched January 22nd, 1765 ; the "Duke of Cumberland," of 729 tons, 
 Captain Glover, on August 2nd ; the " Prince of Wales," 729 tons, Captain 
 Court, on September i6th; the " Duke of Kingston," 687 tons. Captain 
 Morrison, on October i6th; and the "Hampshire," 709 tons, Captain 
 Smith, on October 31st. 
 
 1 766. The "Hector," of 702 tons. Captain Williams, was launched September 
 5th, 1766; the " Europa," of 692 tons. Captain Pelly, on October 6th; and 
 the " Earl of Chatham," 692 tons. Captain Morris, on December 1 7th. 
 
 1767. The "Valentine," of 692 tons. Captain Ogilvie, was launched 
 September 25th, 1767; the " Verelst," 692 tons. Captain Baddison, on 
 October 9th ; and the " Shrewsbury," 692 tons, Captain Jones, on 
 November 23rd. 
 
 1768. Mr. Robert Wigram, who was afterwards well known in connection 
 
 with Blackwall, sailed as surgeon on board the " Duke of Richmond," bound 
 for St. Helena. 
 
 1770. The same Robert Wigram was in this year surgeon on board the 
 " British King," bound for St. Helena, Bancoolen and China. 
 
 1771. Chamberlain's History and Survey of London gives the following 
 description of the neighbourhood at this time : —
 
 30 C/i roil ides of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 " The hamlet of Poplar and Blackwall, which forms a street upwards 
 of a mile in length, is inhabited by seafaring people, and such as are 
 concerned in ship-building. About the middle of Poplar, on the north side, 
 is a set of almshouses founded for the widows of seamen in the India 
 service, adjoining to which is a large chapel of ease to this part of the 
 parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney." 
 
 " Blackwall is remarkable for the mooring of Indiamen at the stairs, 
 and for a considerable ship yard where many East Indiamen are both laid 
 up and built." 
 1772. ^^''- Perry died at Blackwall, and was buried with his wife and 
 
 father in the grounds of Poplar chapel. His grandson, Mr. Richard Perry, 
 writes of this : — " My grandfather was of a very religious turn, and was 
 supposed by the family to have passed away while engaged in his devotions 
 ('Beatus ille!'). He had retired to his chamber one evening for that 
 purpose, and was found dead upon the floor ; the candle had fallen from his 
 hand, and had providentially become extinguished." Mr. Perry kft two 
 sons and several daughters. His eldest son Philip died shortly afterwards, 
 and his second son John succeeded him in business. By his will, dated 
 1772, " Mr. John Perry, of Blackwall, shipbuilder, left the interest of ;|/"20o 
 to be given half-yearly in bread to the poor of the hamlet." 
 
 The " Jamaica," West Indiaman, Captain Grossman, was launched 
 August 25th, 1774. 
 
 In this year the contract for building the "Hornet" sloop, of 14 
 guns and 300 tons, was signed. 
 ^ The "\'csuvius" bomb vessel of 298 tons, the "Ariel" of 20 guns 
 
 and 429 tons, and the " Aurora" 28 guns and 583 tons, were contracted for. 
 In this year Philip Perry, eldest son of the late Mr. Perry, died at the age of 
 thirty-seven, and his brother John became the head of the firm. This John 
 Perry was a very remarkable man ; he had been educated at Harrow, where 
 he had formed a friendship with the afterwards celebrated linguist Sir 
 William Jones ; he was a strong politician, and a strenuous supporter of Mr. 
 Pitt, he possessed great natural ability and remarkable perseverance. We 
 shall refer however more particularly to his works later on. 
 
 The "Aurora," 28 guns, was launched June 7th, 1777, and the 
 
 "Ariel," 20 guns, on July 7lh ; also "in the seventeenth year of King George 
 
 III," as the contract expresses it, the "Southampton," East Indiaman, of 
 
 758 tons, was contracted for with Mr. Gharles Foulis, of Woodford. 
 
 1778 War having now been declared, it will easily be understood that for 
 
 1775 
 
 1777-
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. '31 
 
 this and the next few years the yard was full of building and repairing work 
 for the Government. The " Belliqueux," 64 guns and 1376 tons, and the 
 " Bonetta," 14 guns and 300 tons, were contracted for; and the " Hornet," 
 14 guns, was launched. A memorandum of Mr. Perr)"'s at this date has 
 reference to the launching of the " Atlas," which vessel appears to have 
 stuck on the ways, and been with difficulty got off. Mr. Perry attributes 
 this mishap to the grease not having been boiled. Another accident also 
 occurred this year from the bursting in of the double dock gates, the rush of 
 water being so great as to carry the wing transom of an East Indiaman from 
 the stern of the dock to a considerable distance. 
 
 Three merchant ships were also contracted for with Sir Charles 
 Raymond, of \'alentines, Essex, in place of the " Duke of Richmond," 
 " Clive," and " Havannah." It may here be mentioned that the East India 
 Company were in the habit of chartering vessels practically for a lifetime, 
 and when such vessels w^ere either worn out, lost, or otherwise rendered 
 unserviceable, their privileges with the Company were transferred to other 
 vessels built to take their places. 
 1779 This year another ship of war was launched, and the "Devonshire" 
 
 and " Thames " were contracted for with Mr. Foulis " on the same terms as 
 the three vessels built last year for Sir Charles Raymond." The " London," 
 East Indiaman, of 753 tons, was contracted for with Mr. Webb on the same 
 terms as the previous vessel, and the " Harcourt " was contracted for with 
 Thomas Newt, Esq. ; the tonnage is not always mentioned in these 
 cases, but the dimensions do not vary much, being generally about 116 feet 
 in length and 36 feet in breadth, that is about 3|- breadths to length. 
 
 The "Crown," of 64 gims and 1387 tons, was also contracted for on 
 the same terms as the " Belliqueux." 
 
 On September 7th, Mr. Perry purchased the whole of the Blackwall 
 Yard estate from Henr}- Boulton, together with other property in Poplar, 
 for the sum of ^8,000, " subject as to the three acres of copyhold enfranchised 
 to the Charity under Sir Henry Johnson's will." 
 
 1780. The " Colebrook " was contracted to be built for J. Boulton, Esq., 
 and verbally Charles Foulis contracted for another vessel to replace the 
 " Thames." We have also records in this year of some heavy repairs being 
 effected to the " Maidstone," 28 guns, and to the " Boston," 32 guns. 
 
 1781. " The " Busbridge," East Indiaman, of 771 tons, was contracted for 
 with Robert Preston, Esq., and in this year was signed the contract for 
 building the "Venerable," "Victorious," "Hannibal," and "Theseus," of
 
 32 CJifonicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 74 guns and 1652 tons, vessels which became well known in the naval history 
 of this stirring period, but before their fighting days began they had in common 
 with the other vessels building at the time obtained a very noteworthy 
 position in the financial records of the Yard. The declaration of peace in 
 the early part of 1783, before these contracts were completed, caused no 
 doubt a great and immediate fall in the cost of all materials and labour ; 
 the Government was in no hurry to take possession of their new vessels, 
 and consequently the profits on this and similar transactions at the time 
 were very large. 
 
 1782. In the year i 7S2, George Green, of whom we shall say more presently, 
 
 came to Blackwall yard at the age of 15, and was apprenticed to his future 
 father-in-law, Mr. John Perry. The "Gorgon" and "Adventure," of 
 44 guns, were contracted for, and in this year Mr. Perry constructed a 
 small dock, just large enough to receive one whaling vessel ; this little dock 
 was many years afterwards altered into a building slip. 
 
 iy8,_ In an old memorandum book of this date we find the following entry: — 
 
 "J. Perry & Co. send to six different officers of Woolwich Dockyard two 
 dozen of port and one dozen of Madeira," with the following delicate note : 
 
 "J. Perry & Co.'s comps. to and having taken the liberty to send 
 
 some wine as an acknowledgment for the trouble which they in the course 
 of their engagements subject him to, hope he will excuse the indelicacy of 
 their desiring to know whether it came safe." The " Victorious," 74 guns, was 
 launched this year, Mr. Edward Hunt being surveyor to the navy. The close 
 of the war had naturally put an end for the time to all further contracts 
 with the Government for new ships, and a memorandum book of this date 
 from which many of these particulars have been taken, has for the next few 
 years no further entries of such contracts. 
 J^ The year 1784, which has been frequently referred to in connection 
 
 with the number of large ships building at this time, is described as having 
 been a very important one in the history of the firm, the tide of business 
 was at the full, and Mr. Perry is said to have been almost alarmed at his 
 own success. There was a full revival of trade and prosperity after the 
 accomplishment of American independence, which had been expected to 
 ruin English trade entirely. 
 
 Mr. Perry Wadington, of Moor Hall, Harlow, the present seat of the 
 Perry family, has in his possession a picture of Blackwall Yard taken about 
 this time. Seven ships are shown upon the stocks, the "Venerable," 
 " \'ictorious," " Hannibal," and "Theseus," seventy-fours, the "Gorgon" and
 
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 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 33 
 
 "Adventure," forty-fours, and the West Indiaman, "Three Sisters;" the 
 " Busbridge " has just been launched, and four other vessels are in dry 
 dock under repair ; a similar picture is also in the possession of Messrs. 
 Money Wigram and Sons. 
 
 1785. In the year 1785 was launched the "Venerable," 74 guns, Lord 
 
 1 786. Duncan's future flag ship at the battle of Camperdown, and in the following 
 year, her not less famous sister vessels "Hannibal" and '-Theseus" were 
 launched, Sir Thomas Slade being surveyor to the navy. 
 
 1788. The West Indiaman, " Three Sisters," was launched. 
 
 1789. The "Bombay Castle," of 74 guns, and 1,612 tons, was launched. 
 This splendid ship had been built at the sole expense of the Honourable 
 East India Company, and by them presented to His Majesty King George 
 III. A copy of the interesting print representing the launch of this vessel 
 is here given. So magnificent and patriotic a gift significantly shows the 
 noble liberality which has rendered the Honourable India East Company 
 for all time a type of the true merchant princes. The " Bombay Castle " 
 was subsequently engaged in the attack on the Cape of Good Hope. 
 
 In 1789 we first hear of a commercial dock in connection with 
 Blackwall yard, and the cause of its being undertaken was as follows : — 
 
 Ever since the time of the great fire in 1666 the port of London had 
 remained entirely unchanged in respect of dock accommodation. The 
 merchants complained loudly of the great inconvenience which they were 
 forced to endure, and under these circumstances Mr. Perry determined to 
 construct a dock himself. With the help of Mr. Pouncey, the engineer 
 whom he employed, he commenced on the 2nd of March, 1789, at his own 
 expense, the construction of a basin, on the north-east boundary of his yard, 
 intended chiefly for the accommodation and protection of the ships of the 
 Honourable East India Company. This basin, which in honour of King 
 George he named the Brunswick basin, though by nearly everybody else it 
 was called "Perry's Dock," has an area of about eight acres, and was divided 
 into two parts, each part having its own entrance ; the one part was intended 
 to receive about thirty of the largest East India ships, and the other an 
 equal number of smaller vessels. At the west end stood the well-known 
 Mast House, a building 120 feet high, which, in addition to its original 
 purpose for lifting the masts in and out of vessels and stowing the sails and 
 rigging of East Indiamen, served for many years as a conspicuous landmark, 
 regarded with varying interest by the numerous outward and homeward- 
 bound vessels which passed continually up and down the river. 
 
 E
 
 34 Chronicles of Blackiuall Yard. 
 
 The first ship masted here on the 25th October, 1791, was the 
 " Lord Macartney," East Indiaman. The whole suit of masts and bowsprit 
 were raised and fixed in 3 hours 40 minutes. 
 
 This mast house was taken down by the East and West India Dock 
 Company in 1862. 
 
 The Southern quay, which was eleven hundred feet in length, was 
 supplied with cranes for landing guns and heavy stores, and the East quay 
 had conveniences for receiving blubber from the whale ships, and warehouses 
 for storing whalebone. 
 
 At the time of its construction, this dock, which belonged entirely to 
 Mr. Perr}', was the only dock of its kind in London, though there were 
 several at the out ports. Its construction occupied two years, which were to 
 Mr. Perry two years of the deepest anxiety and toil ; the work was successful, 
 but the trouble attending it laid the foundation of a heart complaint which 
 some years later terminated fatally. 
 
 1790. In this year the frigates " Orpheus," of 32 guns, and " Flora," of 36 
 guns, were extensively repaired in the Yard. On the 8th of November, the 
 " Friendship " was launched, and on the 30th of November the Brunswick 
 Dock was opened for the reception of shipping. 
 
 1 79 1. The "True Briton," of 800 tons. Captain Farrar, sailed on her first 
 voyage to the Coast and China, Mr. Robert Wigram being the owner. She 
 is reported to have sailed from the Downs, February 3rd, come to her 
 moorings. May 20th, and to have made satisfactory earnings. 
 
 1793. The East India Company's ship, "Warren Hastings," was launched. 
 This ship became famous in the year 1806 on account of a most gallant 
 action which she fought against the French frigate, " Piedmontese," and 
 though at last the "Warren Hastings " was captured, the enemy was forced 
 to haul off several times during the engagement, which lasted four hours. 
 This ship was afterwards recaptured by the English. 
 
 1794. The " Belliqueux," 64, built in the yard in 1778, is mentioned this 
 year as taking part in the capture of San Domingo by Admiral Jervois, and 
 in the same expedition the " V^esuvius " bomb vessel assisted at the taking 
 of Martinique ; the affair was well planned and succeeded with but little loss 
 of life. 
 
 This year, too, 
 
 When Howe, upon the ist of June, put the Jacobin to flight. 
 
 And with old England's loud huzzas brought down their godless might, 
 
 he counted among his line of battle the " Theseus," 74, and if our vessel is
 
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 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 35 
 
 for once not mentioned amongst those who took the lion's share of fighting, 
 we do not find her named among a number who were held to have been 
 conspicuously backward on that day. It was the greatest naval victory for 
 many years, and a prelude to many still more glorious. Six French men 
 of war were brought into Spithead, and the inhabitants who had never 
 before seen such a sight, welcomed Lord Howe and his men as they 
 deserved. 
 
 1795. The "Victorious," 74, built in the yard in 1783, was one of the 
 
 squadron which this year took Simon's Bay from the Dutch ; this was rather 
 a land than a sea action, and beyond disembarking men and guns the ships 
 were not much engaged. 
 
 1796 At Blackwall, Mr. Perry's first wife, Elizabeth, died on the 25th 
 
 of January at the age of forty-nine. A tablet to her memory in Poplar 
 Chapel records " the goodness and sincerity of her heart and her parental 
 and conjugal virtues." 
 
 On February iSth, 1796, George Green, who has already been 
 referred to, and who at this time, by his perseverance and ability, had won 
 for himself a position of considerable responsibility, was married to Mr. 
 Perry's second daughter, Sarah. 
 
 The " Victorious," whom we last heard of at the Cape, reappears 
 this year in Indian waters engaged in company with the " Arrogant," 74, with 
 Admiral Sercey's fleet of six frigates. The action was severe, and both 
 creditable and useful, and is interesting to read at length. The French out- 
 numbered us in guns in the proportion of nineteen to eleven, and neither side 
 had at the end much to boast of the " Victorious" taking the " Arrogant " in 
 tow, bore up for Madras, while Sercey's squadron found themselves equally 
 in want of a refit, and were no more dangerous to our Indian commerce, an 
 advantage we need hardly say of the utmost importance. 
 
 1 797. We now arrive at a year unprecedented in the annals of our Blackwall 
 
 fleet. The "Venerable," 74, flag ship to Admiral Duncan, was, we are pleased 
 to note, one of the few vessels which took no share in the mutiny, either 
 at Spithead or at the Nore ; on her deck Admiral Duncan made "the manly 
 address to his crew which drew tears from the eyes of many;" indeed, we find 
 her with only the " Adamant," 50, watching the Dutch fleet of fifteen sail of 
 the line at the Texel, and keeping them at bay by repeated signals, as if to 
 a fleet in the offing. Eventually, in June, being joined by thirteen sail of 
 the line, including the " Belliqueux," they encountered the Dutch fleet off 
 Camperdown. The details of this action are scarcely given with James's accus- 
 
 E I
 
 2,6 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 tomed fulness, but we learn that the " Venerable," leading the starboard 
 division, engaged first the "Stadts General," whom she compelled to bear up, 
 and then the Admiral's ship, the " Vryheid," to whose help came the " Brutus," 
 "Leyden," and "Mars," and handled our ship severely, until she was relieved 
 by the "Triumph," "Ardent," and "Director;" finally all three of the 
 "Vryheid's" masts went by the board, and she, in company with ten more 
 Dutch vessels surrendered. The feature of the action was that the enemy's 
 fire was directed at the hulls of the English vessels rather than, as usual with 
 the French and Spanish, at the rigging ; our two vessels sustained their full 
 share of casualties, which were on both sides severe. Turning now to the 
 Mediterranean fleet, we have too much reason to fear that it was the 
 discreditable conduct of her crew which detained the "Theseus " at Spithead, 
 and deprived her of the honour of Cape St. Vincent. It is pleasant, however, 
 to think that it was the same crew who now welcomed Sir Horatio Nelson 
 with the following paper, placed anon)mously on the quarter deck : — 
 " Success attend Admiral Nelson ! we will shed every drop of blood in 
 our veins to support him, and the name of the ' Theseus ' shall be immor- 
 talized as high as her captain's." Under this commander the " Theseus," 
 in July of this year, aided at the bombardment of Cadiz, or rather of the 
 Spanish fleet lying under the batteries of the town ; and in the barge of this 
 vessel, with but fifteen men, Nelson encountered the Spanish commandant's 
 armed launch with twenty-six ; it was a desperate hand-to-hand fight in the 
 dark. " On this occasion," says Nelson, " my personal courage was more 
 conspicuous than on any other in my life." Eighteen of the Spaniards were 
 killed, the rest, including their commander, Don Miguel, wounded, and the 
 launch taken. Direct from this affair the "Theseus" bore Nelson to the 
 unfortunate attack upon " Teneriffe ; " baffled in the first attempt by contrary 
 winds, he appears himself to have regarded the night attack as a forlorn hope, 
 the enemy were perfectly prepared, and swept our boats with volleys of 
 grape. Nelson himself never landed, but fell back into the launch with his 
 arm shattered by a grape shot ; he was reconveyed to the " Theseus," and 
 refused all help in climbing the side. In the cockpit of this vessel his arm 
 was amputated. 
 
 From this long digression we must now return again to Blackwall 
 Yard, where a change had been made in the constitution of the firm by the 
 admission into partnership of I\Ir. Perry's two sons, John and Philip, and 
 of his son-in-law, George Green ; the style of the firm, which had hitherto 
 been John Perry and Co., had now become Perry, Sons, and Green. 
 
 &
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 2)1 
 
 1798. The sister ships, " Kent " and " Ajax," both of 74 guns and 1931 
 
 tons, were built under Sir John Henslow, surveyor to the navy ; and the 
 " Dragon," 74 guns and 1 798 tons, was contracted for at ^20 a ton. The 
 "Dover Castle," East Indiaman, of 818 tons, was contracted for with 
 J. Atkins, Esq., January 4th, at ^i 7 a ton. The " Calcutta," East Indiaman, 
 of 818 tons, for R. Charnock, Esq., on March 31st, at /17 a ton, and the 
 " Bengal," East Indiaman, of 818 tons, on November 13th, at £,\b a ton, for 
 Gabriel Gillett, Esq. 
 
 Finding his health beginning to decline, and wishing to free himself 
 from business, Mr. Perry in this year disposed of a moiety of the whole 
 estate and business to Messrs. John Wells and William Wells the younger, 
 of Bickley, Kent, as part of a partnership arrangement between himself and 
 his sons, John and Philip, and his son-in-law, George Green, on the one 
 part, and John and William Wells, junior, on the other part ; the style of the 
 firm becoming, "Perry, Wells, and Green." Messrs. John and William Wells 
 had from the year 1715 been very successful and well known shipbuilders 
 at Deptford, occupying the premises now known as the Nelson Yard. 
 
 Afloat, the " Theseus " still remains the heroine of our story, though 
 no longer bearing Admiral Nelson's flag, she was the fifth vessel to round the 
 French fleet at the Battle of the Nile, and it was to her broadside that the 
 " Guerrier's " already crippled mainmast fell ; then laying herself alongside 
 the " Spartiate," she engaged that vessel (already occupied with the 
 "Vanguard" and the " Aquilon ") ; these two vessels were among the first 
 to strike their colours. Her loss of men in this action was slight, five killed 
 and thirty wounded, but she had received more than seventy shots in her 
 hull. 
 
 In the month of November we find the " Aurora " taking part with 
 Admiral Duckworth's squadron in the capture of Minorca, accomplished 
 with but little difficulty. 
 
 1799- The "Theseus" in this year accompanied Sir Sidney Smith in the 
 
 " Tigre " to the defence of Acre ; after landing a certain number of men to 
 aid in the trenches, the duty of the ships was confined to annoying the 
 enemy at each attack, and supporting any sortie; unfortunately, quite towards 
 the close of the siege, the bursting of some shells on the deck of the 
 "Theseus" killed Captain Willett Miller, who had so long and so gallantly 
 commanded this vessel, with forty of his crew. A monument to Captain 
 Miller in St. Paul's Cathedral, displays the after-section of his ship, bearing 
 the name of " Theseus " conspicuously on the stern.
 
 38 Clu'onicles of Blackivall Yard. 
 
 At home, the " Lortl Mornington," of 239 tons, was launched on 
 January 24th, the contract price for building her being £\ i per ton. 
 
 About this date Mr. Perry, having purchased the estate of Moor 
 Hall, Harlow, married for his second wife Mary, the sister of his son-in- 
 law, George Green, forming thus the double connection of father and 
 brother-in-law. He was also this year appointed High Sheriff of the 
 county, Mr. Pitt being especially desirous that able and independent men 
 should hold these offices in the eastern counties. 
 
 1800. April loth, the "Travers," East Indiaman, of 571 tons, was contracted 
 for witli John Mangles, Esq., 2X £1-^, 12s. 6d. a ton. April 31st, the 
 " Skelton Castle." of 584 tons, with Hans Busk, Esq., at the same price ; 
 October 20th, the " Henry Addington," East Indiaman, of 1257 tons, was 
 contracted for with Sir Alexander Hamilton, at £\(:> a ton; and the East 
 Indiaman, "Alnwick Castle," of 1,200 tons, was launched. 
 
 1801. April 1st, the " Agressor," "Archer," and "Bold," of 12 guns and 
 177 tons, were contracted for with the Government at ^18 a ton. It was 
 agreed that five shillings a ton extra should be paid on these vessels for 
 every week that they should be completed within the contract time of four 
 months. 
 
 The "Agressor" was completed in eleven w^eeks and three days, the 
 "Archer" in eleven weeks and four days, and the " Bold" in thirteen weeks 
 and four days. 
 
 In June of this year our fleet meets its first misfortune. Sir 
 J. Saumerez, with seven sail of the line, made an attack on four French 
 vessels protected by the batteries of Algeciras; the "Venerable" led the way 
 followed by the rest of the fleet, including her sister the " Hannibal," but 
 the wind was light, and the navigation difficult, and the whole affair, to say 
 the least of it, a daring one. But little damage was done to the enemy, and 
 the " Hannibal," we are sorry to say, went ashore under full fire of the 
 batteries ; her captain was a true bit of stuff, and fought her to the last, but 
 she eventually had to surrender with a loss of seventy-five killed and eighty 
 wounded. 
 
 An earnest and by no means unsuccessful endeavour was made to 
 retrieve this loss so soon as the French fleet quitted their anchorage ; the 
 only part of it that concerns us is the hard set-to between the " Venerable " 
 and " Formidable," 80 guns. The wind fell light, and the two engaged 
 broadside to broadside, and within pistol shot, and after the cannonade had 
 asted an hour and a-half, the "Venerable's " mainmast came down (she had
 
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 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 39 
 
 begun the action under jury topmasts), and her enemy made her escape. 
 Her loss in killed and wounded was 106. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, both fore and mizenmast went by the board, and 
 the " Venerable " went ashore on the Spanish coast, but by great exertions 
 was again got afloat, and being taken in tow by the " Thames," reached 
 Gibraltar in safety. 
 
 We have no means of estimating to what extent our vessel had been 
 crippled in her previous engagement ; we have also James's statement that 
 the relative force of the combatants was more than a third in favour of the 
 Frenchman ; still, to have effectually silenced the " Venerable " in so short 
 a time is unquestionably, on paper, a good performance. 
 
 In October of this year the " Bonetta " was lost on the coast of Cuba, 
 but we have no particulars except that the crew were saved. 
 
 1802. At Blackwall, the " Edward Foote," of 156 tons, was contracted for 
 at the price of fourteen guineas a ton; and October 29th the " Experiment," 
 East Indiaman, of 544 tons, at /"ig a ton, with R. Taylor, Esq. The 
 " Marchioness of Ely," East Indiaman, 1,016 tons, was also contracted for 
 with John Locke, Esq. 
 
 1803. January 8th, the " Huddart," East Indiaman, of 544 tons, was con- 
 tracted for at ^19 a ton, with Captain John Woolmore ; October 15th, the 
 " Winchelsea," of 1,257 tons, at ^19 a ton, with W. Moffat, Esq. ; and the 
 " Essex," East Indiaman, of 1,257 tons, at _;^ 19 a ton, with Henry Bonham, 
 Esq. In this year Mr. Perry retired entirely from business, selling his 
 remaining half of the yard and his interest in the business to Messrs. 
 John and William Wells. The style of the firm remained as heretofore, 
 Perry, Wells and Green, the partners being John Perry, Junr., Philip Perry, 
 John Wells, William Wells, and George Green. 
 
 1804. On February 15th, 1804, was fought the celebrated action in the 
 China Seas, when the East India Company's homeward bound China fleet, 
 under Commodore Dance, beat off the French squadron, under Admiral 
 Linois, which had come out with the intention of capturing or destroying at 
 a single blow the whole of these valuable vessels. This action was ever 
 after a just subject of pride to all connected with the East India Company's 
 service, and to the whole mercantile marine of Great Britain. The ships 
 under Commodore Dance's orders were the " Warley," " Royal George," 
 " Coutts," " Wexford," " Alfred," "Ganges." " Exeter," "Henry Addington," 
 " Hope," " Warren Hastings," " Dorsetshire," " Cumberland," " Earl of 
 Abergavenny," and "Bombay Castle," with the country's ships, "Lord Castle-
 
 40 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 reagh," " Carron," •' Minerva," " David Scott," " Friendship," " Neptune," 
 " Charlotte," and others. Most of these vessels had been either built or 
 refitted in Blackwall Yard, where, no doubt, on such a notable occasion, 
 the lively sympathy which was always shown for everything connected with 
 the East India Company's service, must have blazed into a sort of reflected 
 glor)'at the news of this brilliant success of these fighting Indiamen. 
 
 On July 25th, Messrs. Perrj^ Wells and Green contracted with the 
 Government for three fir brigantines, the "Raven," "Saracen," and "Beagle," 
 of 16 guns and 382 tons ; and about the same time a contract was entered 
 into for the " Destruction " mortar vessel ; there were also in this year some 
 heavy repairs effected to the "Belliqueux" and "Renommc." On November 
 24th the old "Venerable" was wrecked upon some sunken rocks in Torbay, 
 the crew being, however, saved. The "Archer," 12 guns, is spoken of at 
 this time as annoying the French shipping in Boulogne Harbour. 
 1805. The " Anibal," thus renamed by her captors, which had been so 
 
 much battered in various engagements, was this year condemned by the 
 F'rench as unfit for further service. The " Victorious " and the " Crown " 
 are only heard of at this period in Indian waters ; and the " Belliqueux" 
 was probably still in Blackwall Yard undergoing repairs. The "Dragon" 
 was engaged Avith Admiral Calder's squadron off Cape Finisterre, but 
 singularly enough was the only ship unable to take any part in the action. 
 She was subsequently despatched home with the prize " Dinow " in tow. 
 While thus engaged, she was fallen in with by the van of the French 
 fleet, and showed some promptitude in the way of deceiving the enemy by 
 signals as to a fleet in tlie offing; one result of this service was, we 
 presume, her absence from the battle of Trafalgar six weeks afterwards ; 
 nor, we regret to say, can we report that any of the Blackwall ships, 
 with the exception only of the " Africa," 64, were present on that glorious 
 occasion. The " Africa's " doings on that day are sufficiendy interesting. 
 Having become separated from her consorts in the night, and mistaking in 
 the morning Nelson's signal to make sail, she had to run the gauntlet of 
 the fire from several of the enemy's vessels before laying herself, about 3 p.m., 
 alongside the " Intrepide," a French 74 ; previously, however, she had sent 
 a boat's crew to take possession of the dismasted " Santisima Trinidad," 
 conceiving this vessel to have struck, and it was only when on her deck, 
 that the lieutenant discovered his mistake, and was glad enough to be 
 allowed to beat a retreat. The cannonade between our vessel and the 
 "Intrepide" had lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour, when the timely
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 41 
 
 arrival of the "Orion" compelled the latter to surrender. All the "Africa's" 
 three lower masts were crippled, and she had several shots between wind 
 and water, with a list of between sixty and seventy killed or wounded, 
 proving, says James, that " considering Capt. Digby had voluntarily engaged 
 so superior a force, although but a sixty-four, the "Africa" had performed 
 as gallant a part as any vessel in the English line." The gun boat "Archer " 
 took a prominent part this April in the capture of a number of French 
 transports loaded with stores from the camp at Ostende 
 
 In this year JNIr. Perry added the sum of ^250 to the charitable 
 bequest of his father already mentioned, making up the sum to ^450 
 consols, the interest of which is still given to the poor of Poplar. He also, at 
 this time, presented a new organ to Poplar Chapel. We have here to record, 
 on May i8th, 18(^5, the premature death, at Blackwall, of Mrs. George Green, 
 at the early age of 28 years ; her son John, aged 9 years, dying on the 
 following day, they were buried together, with the other members of her 
 family, in the grounds of Poplar Chapel. She left two sons, George and 
 Richard, but of these only Richard Green arrived at maturity. 
 
 In Mr. Perry's tim.e Blackwall Yard attained to its greatest area ; it 
 extended along the north bank of the river Thames from Blackwall Stairs 
 to the entrance to the river Lea, at Bow Creek, and backw'ards for nearly a 
 quarter of a mile, to where the boundary wall now stands which divides the 
 export from the import basin of the East India Docks ; along this side, the 
 boundary road was adorned with lines of trees, which formed in summer a 
 most delightful public promenade. 
 
 It may here be stated that Mr. Perrj' played a noiseless but effective 
 part during the great war. The regiments ordered on foreign service 
 used to go down to Blackwall, where they embarked on board their trans- 
 ports, and at such times Mr. Perry was frequently enabled to give the 
 Government much assistance and many facilities. He was often brought 
 into contact with Mr. Pitt, to whom he was a devoted adherent as well as 
 an attached friend ; he had also business relations with his brother, the Earl 
 of Chatham, who was for some time First Lord of the Admiralty, and with 
 many other exalted personages, including King George himself. 
 
 Mr. Perry was a man of considerable eloquence, and ^Ir. Green used 
 
 to relate how, on one occasion, he went to a public meeting, and there found 
 
 the audience strongly opposed to his views. He spoke only a few words, 
 
 but they were quite sufficient to turn the tables and to bring his hearers 
 
 round to the same opinions as himself. 
 
 F
 
 42 Chronicles oj Blackioall Yard. 
 
 The following has also been recorded of him by liis son, the late Mr. 
 Richard Perry, in a short biography contained in his ''Contributions to an 
 Amateur Magazine " : — " At a Middlesex election, Mr. Perry proposed Mr. 
 Mainwaring in opi)osition to Sir Francis Burdett ; when he came forward on 
 the hustings the mob hooted and called him a Government contractor, '^'es,' 
 replied he, ' 1 conlract with the Government to buikl shi])s. I built, for 
 instance, the " Venerable," wliich was Lord Duncan's flag shij) :it the battle 
 of Camperdown. I built such and such a ship,' mentioning various other 
 famous vessels and the victorious battles in which they had been engaged. 
 He had touched a true chord of national feeling ; the people began to cheer 
 and he sat down in a tempest of applause." 
 
 King George, it is related, was very fond of inspecting the embark- 
 ation of his troops, and would at such times ask Mr. Perry many very 
 pertinent questions. On one of these occasions, when at Blackwall in 
 the middle of summer inspecting some cavalry before a large numbf^r of 
 spectators, it is said that a "jolly tar," rather more than " three sheets in the 
 wind, though brim full of loyalty," and con'^equently regardless of all rules 
 of etiquette or decorum, ventured to approach " His Majesty's royal person " 
 with a full cjuart of humble porter, which he had just brought from a neigh- 
 bouring ale-house. Jack, to use nautical phraseology, " tongued his quid," 
 "unshipped his sky-scraper," "hitch'd up his canvas," and hoped his Majesty 
 would not refu.se to drink with a "true blue." The King, as may be sup- 
 posed, was for a moment astounded at the impudence of the .sailor, but jack 
 was not to be beat off and a second time importuned His Majesty to " take 
 a su[)." The King, finding that the remonstrances of his courtiers were 
 useless, good humouredly took the jug from the hands of the tar, and gave, 
 for a toast, " The Army and the Navy," partaking at the same time of the 
 invigorating beverage ; then, returning the remains to Jack with " a coin of 
 the realm," desired him to join with his shipmates in drinking success to the 
 campaign and long life to the King and Queen. 
 
 So courteous was the old King to Mr. Perry on all occasions, that at 
 last he was jokingly stjled among Mr. Perry's intimates " The friend of the 
 family." Mr. Green used also to relate with much satisfaction how, on one 
 of the King's visits to Blackwall, he had the honour of buckling on His 
 Majesty's spurs. 
 
 On one occasion, when the Prince of Wales had come down to the 
 yard on some official business, Mr. Perry was severely mortified that he did 
 not show him the same kindly consideration as his Royal father. A
 
 JOHN PERRY, Esq.
 
 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 43 
 
 splendid collation had been prepared for the Prince, but he merely entered 
 the room, walked once round the table, coldly refusing to take any refresh- 
 ments, and then left the house, leaving Mr. Perry in a most indignant frame 
 of mind. Mr. Perry's career was throughout marked by extreme liberality 
 and by a magnanimous and public spirit. It is said, but we do not know 
 on what authority, that on one occasion he presented the country with a ship 
 of war completely equipped. His family believed that he might have 
 obtained a peerage, and he is stated to have refused a baronetcy. 
 
 Like Mr. Gladstone, at the present time, Mr. Perry had a great idea 
 of hewing down trees, and his son Richard writes : — " I think I see my 
 father now, with his face slightly elevated and bsaming with intelligence (he 
 was one the handsomest men of the day), issuing from his hall door armed 
 with a saw or bill-hook attached to a long pole by way of handle, with which 
 he operated on the top branches of the lofty trees, and making his way into 
 one of the plantations, from whence, soon after, was heard the grinding of 
 the saw or the blows on some huge bough." 
 
 "Travelling from Blackwall to Harlow, Mr. Perry's road lay through 
 Epping Forest, which was considered both a long and dangerous journey. 
 Mr. Perry drove this with his own horses, and frequently stopped to dine at 
 Woodford ; he always took his own wine with him, but at the same time he 
 made a point of paying at the inn for the amount which he might be sup- 
 posed to have consumed. In the neighbourhood of Woodford he had a 
 great friend. Sir Robert Preston, a large shipowner and Deputy Master of 
 the Trinity House, who used to send him the dessert for his dinner." This 
 Sir Robert Preston was said to have been one of the founders of the Minis- 
 terial whitebait dinner. 
 
 By his first marriage, Mr. Perry had four sons and four daughters, the 
 two eldest sons, John and Philip, who were partners at Blackwall, retired 
 from business at their father's death, and died some years afterwards un- 
 married. The third son, Thomas, went to India in the Civil Service, and 
 was in due course succeeded by his son, the present Mr. John Perrj-- 
 Watlington, who, after the death of his wife's father added to his own name 
 his wife's family name of W'atlington. Mr. John Perry- Watlington, as already 
 mentioned, is the present head of the Perry family. He sat for some years 
 in the House of Commons as the Conservative member for South Essex. 
 Mr. Perry's second daughter, Sarah, as already stated, was married to 
 Mr. George Green. 
 
 By his second marriage, with Miss Green, Mr. Perry had six 
 
 F I
 
 44 Chronicles of Blaclr.iHill Yard. 
 
 children. Of these, the eldest, Richard, was a scholar of Trinity College, 
 Cambridge, and has already been referred to as the author of a pleasant 
 little book, entided " Contributions to an Amateur Magazine." George 
 was a clergyman, and died leaving a widow and family ; Mary Anne, now 
 Mrs. Savage, a widow ; and Charles, now Bishop Perry, are still living. 
 The latter, who took the high degree of Senior Wrangler, and seventh in 
 the first class in the classical tripos, was, in 1847, selected to fill the difficult 
 and responsible position of Bishop of the newly-formed see of Melbourne, 
 which he held for more than twenty-seven years, beloved by all classes of 
 society, and honoured and respected for his moderation, his sincerity, and 
 his conciliatory disposition, even by those whose feelings on religious 
 subjects were different from his own. One daughter died an infant, and 
 the youngest, Amelia, was for many years known at Blackwall as a most 
 active, regular, and intelligent member of the managing committee of her 
 uncle George Green's Schools, for which she maintained the deepest 
 interest until her death in 1874. 
 
 Mr. Pen-)- died at Battersea, on the 7th of November, iSio, at the 
 age of sixty-seven, and was buried with his wife in the family vault at 
 Poplar Chapel. The following lines inscribed on his monument are worth 
 
 recording : — 
 
 If private worth, combined with public zeal, 
 
 Demand a tribute of the love we feel ; 
 
 If honor, truth, nobility conspire 
 
 To form examples which the just admire, 
 
 This frail memorial may awhile suspend 
 
 The swift oblivion that succeeds our end ; 
 
 Preserve some record for the stranger's eye 
 
 Of generous virtues that should never die, 
 
 Of active merits mixed with ardent mind, 
 
 Which made his own the good of human kind, 
 
 Diffus'd around the bounty Heaven bestows, 
 
 And sooth'd the sharpness of malignant woes ; 
 
 The poor attest it, whom he clothed and fed. 
 
 The sick he nourished on th(.-ir dying bed ; 
 
 The friends he succcur'd, and the youth he reared. 
 
 To Christian hope by Christian promise cheered; 
 
 In deeds like these, revere his honor'd name, 
 
 In Brunswick Dock his arduous skill proclaim 
 
 That bold achievement of his useful toil 
 
 Which bless'd with consequence his native soil. 
 
 First taught this humble spot with wealth to smile. 
 
 And rise Emporium of the British Isle ; 
 
 May such benevolence, from Earth removed, 
 
 Await its destiny from God he loved. 
 
 Celestial grace and mercy guard his tomb. 
 
 And endless slorv seal his final doom.''
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 45 
 
 €^apfer "35. 
 
 1805. About this time, Messrs. John and William Wells sold some pieces 
 of land at Blackwall to the new East India Dock Company, and in 
 February, 1S05, they arranged with Mr. Robert Wigram, whose name has 
 been already mentioned, and who by this time had become largely interested 
 in shipping, for the sale to him of " All those several pieces or parcels 
 of ground, including the Great Dockyard and other yards, docks, 
 gardens and grounds, and the capital messuage or mansion house, and 
 other houses, launches, storehouses, warehouses, workshops, coach-houses, 
 stables, sheds, and other erections and buildings, &c., &c., &c., situate 
 at Blackwall, &c." 
 
 In June of this year, only a few months previous to the battle of 
 Trafalgar, the Government had contracted with the firm of Messrs. Perry, 
 Wells and Green, for the construction of three new line of battle ships, 
 the "Magnificent," 74 guns and 1,731 tons; the " Elizabeth," 74 guns and 
 1,723 tons, and the "Valiant," 74 guns and 1,718 tons, at the price of 
 ^36 a ton. 
 
 1806. The " Magnificent," 74, was launched in September, 1806, that is 
 within fifteen months after the contract had been signed, and the East India 
 Company's ship "Britannia" of 1,273 tons, was also launched about the 
 same time. In this year also, Mr. Perry disposed of his Brunswick Dock to 
 the East India Dock Company, which had been formed for the purpose of 
 purchasing this and constructing what is now known as the East India 
 Import Dock. In Januar)' and Mtiy of this year. Sir Robert Wigram's two 
 sons, Money and Henry Loftus, came to reside in the yard, at the respective 
 ages of sixteen and fifteen. 
 
 1807. The "Valiant," 74, was launched eighteen months, and the 
 " Elizabeth," 74, twenty-one months after the contract for them had been 
 signed. The " \'aliant " was at once commissioned with all possible speed 
 in time to join Admiral Gambler's fleet in August. The object of the 
 e.xpedition was to demand the surrender of the Danish fieet, it was important 
 therefore, to move before the winter closed the Baltic ; their end was 
 obtained, but the aflair, says James, " was not one from which much glory 
 could be reaped." The " Elizabeth" made her first cruise to Lisbon where 
 she assisted in the blockade of the Tagus, a precautionary measure which
 
 46 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 influenced the Iicsitating Portuguese Government to make common cause 
 with the English. 
 1808. On January 21st, 1808, Henry Green, the eldest child of Mr. Green's 
 
 second marriage, was born at Blackwall. The " Theseus," 74, is again 
 employed with the Mediterranean Squadron chasing the French fleet into 
 Toulon. The annals of the East India Company record this year the loss 
 of no fewer than four of their outward and ten of their homeward hound 
 vessels ; two new ships were, however, launched at Blackwall for their 
 chartered fleet, viz., the "Warren Hastings" of 1,200 tons, J. Larkins, Esq., 
 Managing Owner, and the "Carnatic" of 822 tons, W. Agnew, Esq., 
 Managing Owner. The "Cherokee" and the "Leveret" of 10 guns and 
 237 tons were also launched for the Government. 
 
 1809. The "Aja.x" and "Berwick" of 74 guns and 1,760 tons were 
 launched this year. The " Theseus " and " \"aliant " being mentioned as 
 taking part in Lord Gambler's action in the Basque Roads, and the 
 "Victorious" as accompanying Sir R. J. Strachan to the Scheldt and 
 taking part in the bombardment of Flushing. 
 
 1810. The "Ajax" was commissioned and joined the blockading squadron 
 off Toulon, where she exchanged shots with her French namesake. Subse- 
 quently she was a good deal knocked about in a cutting out expedition at 
 Palamos. The "Valiant," however, was more fortunate, and made prize of 
 the French armed merchant vessel " Confiance," with a cargo from the 
 Isle of France, valued at ^150,000. The "Magnificent," with one or two 
 smaller vessels, captured the island of Santa Anna. At Blackwall the 
 "America," 74 guns, and 1,758 tons, was launched, as well as the " Rose," 
 East Indiaman, of 955 tons, the "Guildford," of 506 tons, and the "Caesar," 
 of 604 tons. 
 
 181 1. The "Ajax" captured a French twenty gun vessel of 800 tons, 
 loaded with shot and shell for Corfu. The "Berwick" chased the new 
 French 44 gun frigate " Amazone " into shoal water in the Channel, 
 where she was fired by her own crew. The "Magnificent" still continued 
 with Admiral Pellew off Toulon. At Blackwall the following ships were 
 launched: — The " Cabalva," East Indiaman, of 1,267 tons, for W. Davies, 
 Esq.; the "Prince Regent." East Indiaman, of 952 tons, for Henry 
 Bonham, Esq.; the "Bengal," East Indiaman, of 955 tons, for G. Gillett, 
 Esq.; and the " Barham," 74 guns, and 1760 tons, for the Government. Of 
 this ship a peculiar memorial has been preserved. On the day, probably, of 
 her launch some idle draughtsman wrote on one of the windows of the
 
 Chyonicles of Blackwall Yard. 47 
 
 1812. 
 
 Mould Loft with a diamond — " Barham, 74, 181 1." — Singularly enough the 
 frail glass has outlasted the oak and iron of the ship and the bricks and 
 mortar of the Mould Loft, for the pane was rescued by the present 
 Mr. Robert Wigram, nearly seventy years afterwards, when the Mould 
 Loft was being taken down by the Midland Railway Company, and still 
 remain^ as an interesting relic in Messrs. Wigram's possession. 
 
 On the 3rd of March, 18 12, Sir Robert Wigram's son, John, was 
 killed at Walthamstow by a fall from his gig. On the 12th of August the 
 whole of the Blackwall Yard estate became vested in Sir Robert Wio-ram. 
 At this time, Mr. William Wells having retired, the partners in the firm 
 were Sir Robert Wigram, holding si.x-sixteenth shares, Mr. John Wells, 
 holding four-sixteenth shares, Mr. George Green, holding four-sixteenth 
 shares, and Mr. John Wigram, holding two-sixteenth shares. The style 
 of the firm was Wigram, Wells and Green. The " Pembroke," 74 guns, 
 and 1,758 tons was launched. The amount of business done this year 
 both in building and repairing had been very large, everything appears to 
 have gone well, and the profits are said to have been very considerable.* 
 Money and Loftus Henry Wigram were now brought into the business 
 in place of their late brother. The new seventy-four gunship "America" 
 had been sent to the Mediterranean, where she drove a French ship of 
 equal size under shelter of the Island of St. Margueritte. The " Magnificent," 
 with a new "Venerable," swept along the coast of Spain, making daring 
 attacks on the enemy's posts wherever opportunity allowed. In this way 
 they carried Le Ouentin, in a very dashing manner, and also Santander. 
 The "Victorious" was watching, off Venice, the French 74 gun ship, 
 " Tivoli," building at that port. The " Tivoli," when completed, put to sea 
 and, finding escape doubtful, did not decline the battle. The combatants 
 were well matched in size, number of guns, and men, and it was not until 
 after five hours of " tremendous cannonade " that the main mast of the 
 " Tivoli " went by the board. 
 
 Meantime the little " Leverett," 10 guns, with the " Brittomart," 
 sister ship, had carried in their boats, a French privateer of 14 guns ; the 
 action occurred off Heligoland, and is described as a " very spirited 
 enterprize ;" but the feat of the year we presume must be taken to be the 
 way in which Captain J. Hayes saved his vessel, the " Magnificent," then 
 on her return to England, when caught in a sudden storm off the I'rench 
 coast. 
 
 * See Appendix.
 
 48 Chronicles of Blackwall ) arit 
 
 The precise manoeuvre we shall not attempt to describe, suffice to 
 say, that it was performed "in a manner so extraordinary and so creditable 
 to the skill and presence of mind of the Captain that we feel it a duty thus 
 to mention it." 
 18 1 3. This year the new ship "Pembroke," 74 guns, joined the blockade 
 
 off Toulon, while the " Berwick " and " Elizabeth " continued their re- 
 conaissance of the coast, and did a good deal of damage. The " Valiant" 
 was employed watching the Americans in Chesapeake Bay, and the little 
 "Bold," 12 guns, was wrecked on Prince Edward's Island. About this 
 time the Government, freed by Nelson's victories from danger in European 
 waters, found itself hard press<;d by the large American 40 gun frigates, 
 such as the " Chesapeake," so well remembered from her contest with the 
 English frigate " Shannon." To meet this difficulty, orders were given for 
 the rapid construction of forty fir frigates, popularly known as the " F"orty 
 Thieves," ten of these — 
 
 The " Cydnus" of 38 guns and 1,078 tons. 
 
 " Eurotas " 
 
 38 
 
 
 1,080 
 
 " Niger" 
 
 38 
 
 
 1,066 
 
 " .Severn " 
 
 40 
 
 
 1,258 
 
 " Forth " 
 
 40 
 
 
 1,251 
 
 "Liffey" 
 
 40 
 
 
 1,261 
 
 " Glasgow " 
 
 40 
 
 
 1,259 
 
 " Liverpool " 
 
 40 
 
 
 1,246 
 
 " Newcastle " 
 
 50 
 
 
 1.556 
 
 "Leander" 
 
 50 
 
 
 ',571 
 
 were built in Blackwall Yard ; a painting of the yard, with several of these 
 vessels on the stocks, is now at Blackwall, in the possession of Messrs. 
 Green, and is here given. These were the last ships built for the Govern- 
 ment in connection with the great naval wars of the early part oi tliis 
 century. The profits of the years 18 13 — 14 are again reported as having 
 been very satisfactory. Mr. John Wells had retired and disposed of his 
 quarter of the business to Sir Robert Wigram, and the partners in the 
 firm of Wigrams and Green, as it was now styled, were Sir Robert W" igram, 
 holding one-half, George Green, one-quarter, and Money and Henry Loftus 
 Wigram, one-eighth each. 
 
 About this time a hideous land-mark stood on the south bank of the 
 Thames, just below Blackwall Point, facing the entrance of the river Lea ; 
 this was a cross-headed gibbet, from which hung in chains the bodies of
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 49 
 
 four pirates, who having undergone the extreme penalty of the law at 
 Execution Dock, had been removed to Blackwall Point, to serve as a 
 solemn warning to all passers by. 
 1814. The Honourable East India Company's packet, "St. Helena," of 
 
 136 tons, and the " Lady Melville," of 1,263 tons, were launched this year, 
 and the private books show that the business must have been in a highly 
 prosperous condition. At this time the firm of Wigrams and Green had 
 already become largely interested in ship owning, and held shares in the 
 following vessels : — The " Warley," " Glatton," " Neptune," " Carnatic," 
 " Coutts," " Cabal va," " Huddart," "Earl Spencer," " Surat Castle," 
 " Rose," " Caisar," " Hope," " Lady Melville," "Marchioness of Ely," 
 " Bengal," " Prince Regent," " Ceres," " Charlton," and " Travers." To 
 return to the Blackwall ships of war, the " Berwick " is reported off 
 Toulon, as engaged in a running fight. The " Forty Thieves," though 
 barely in commission, soon began to give the enemy a taste o*^ their 
 quality. 
 
 " Among the means," says James, " taken to meet the American 
 frigates on equal terms, some of the British 38-gxin class were mount()d with 
 medium 24 pounders and allowed an increased complement of men. The 
 first two so fitted were the ' Cydnus ' and ' Eurotas,' both built of red pine 
 and recently launched." A long account is given of this plan of arma- 
 ment, which was highly approved of by the officers at the Nore, nor was it 
 long ere its efficiency was put to the test, for before the " Eurotas " had been 
 many weeks at sea she encountered the French 40-gun frigate " Clorinde," 
 her equal in size and number of crew. Here again the description of 
 this action should be read at length. It was a question of which could stay 
 longest and smite hardest. Night fell on an undecided action, and at dawn, 
 much to the regret of the biographer, the approach of a second English 
 vessel deprived the " Eurotas " of the glory of an unaided victory. At the 
 same time almost to a day the '' Niger," with the " Tagus," also 40 guns, 
 captured the " Ceres," a Frenchman of equal size, while the " Severn," then 
 convoying merchantmen to Bermuda, escaped from a two days' running fight 
 with two Frenchmen without injury. We hear of this vessel again in 
 
 1 8 16. Chesapeake Bay, and again, in 18 16, with the "Glasgow" at the battle of 
 Algiers, this latter vessel suffering severely from a raking fire from the 
 shore. 
 
 181 7. At home the East India Company's ship "Waterloo," of 1,325 tons, 
 was launched, and in the following year the East India Company's ship
 
 50 Chyoniclcs of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 iSi8. "Canning" of 1,326 tons, the "Duke of York," East Indiaman, of 1,327 
 
 tons, Stewart Majoribanks, Esq., managing owner, and the " Dunira," East 
 Indiaman, of 1,325 tons, George Palmer, Esq., managing owner, were 
 launched. It may also be interesting to record here that on June i6th, 18 17, 
 an Act for making the hamlet of Poplar and Blackwall a distinct parish, and 
 for erecting a parish church, received the royal assent. 
 
 1819. The "Catherine," of 535 tons, was launched and chartered by the 
 
 Company, and on August 23rd Sir Robert Wigram retired from active 
 business and sold the whole of the Blackwall Yard estate to George Green, 
 Money Wigram, and Henry Loftus Wigram for ^40,500, Mr. Green taking 
 half and the two IMessrs. Wigrams a quarter each. 
 
 Sir Robert Wigram having now retired, this may be considered a 
 fitting opportunity to introduce the following sketch of his life and 
 family, which has been contributed by his grandson, the present Mr. 
 Robert Wigram. 
 
 The WIGRAM FAMILY has been stated to be of some consider- 
 able antiquity in Ireland, and a certain amount of evidence has been 
 produced in support of this view. However this may be, it is clear that 
 when, January 30th, 1 744, Robert Wigram was born at Wexford, their 
 fortunes were at a low ebb. 
 
 His father, John Wigram, master of the privateer " Boyne," married, 
 in 1 742, his cousin, Mary Clifford, and was lost or died at sea 1 746, without, it 
 is believed, ever seeing his son. .The widow's means were small, and when 
 eighteen years of age young Robert arrived in London with but ^200 and 
 an introduction to Dr. Allen, an eminent physician, whose descendants at 
 this moment occupy a good position in Sydney. He found in him a kind 
 and true friend who took him as his apprentice, and in two years Robert 
 Wigram, having taken his diploma as surgeon, sailed for India in the East 
 India Company's ship " Admiral Watson," February 20th, i 764. When on 
 board this vessel a friendship, which lasted their mutual lives, was formed 
 with William Taylor Money, then second officer of the same ship. March 
 2nd, 1768, he sailed as surgeon of the "Duke of Richmond," and in the 
 same capacity on board the " British King" in 1770. 
 
 On returning from this voyage, he the same year, December 19th, 
 married Catherine Brodhurst of Mansfield, and becoming disqualified by an 
 attack of ophthalmia contracted in China, for his profession of surgeon, and
 
 Sir ROBERT WTGRAM, Hart., M.l".
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 51 
 
 having, to quote his own words, " gained a perfect knowledge of the trade 
 of India and China, I had great advantages as a drug merchant." 
 
 " The Dutch and Germans being furnished with most of their drugs 
 from London, my great knowledge turned my little capital to very great 
 advantage, and I afterwards became a general merchant over the whole 
 world, a brewer, shipbuilder, India husband, (charterer of ships to the East 
 India Company) and great promoter of Huddart's patent for hemp cables." 
 
 " On my first marriage and commencing the mercantile line, my 
 capital did not exceed ;^3,ooo. We lived at this time in Union Court 
 and, subsequently, in White Lion Court. Catherine Wigram died 
 January 22, 1786." 
 
 Mr. Wigram took Walthamstow House in 1782, and on June 3rd, 
 1787, married Eleanor, daughter of John Watts, Secretary to the Victualling 
 Office. 
 
 He would appear to have made his first^venture in shipowning by 
 buying in 1 788 the " Gen. Goddard," 799 tons, and he then built at Mr. 
 Well's yard at Deptford, the "True Briton," 1,198 tons, launched 
 November 13th, 1790, which like the former vessel he chartered to the East 
 India Company ; this Company, it is hardly necessary to remark, had, at 
 this date, a monopoly of the trade to the East, and supplemented their own 
 fleet with vessels chartered from private owners. From the pages of 
 " Hardy's Register," therefore, a book by-the-bye well worth the study of 
 anyone curious in old City names, we are able to collect a pretty exact 
 list of Robert Wigram's East India fleet, which appear at the following 
 dates :■ — ■ 
 
 "London" 836 Tons, 1792 — 3 
 
 "Rockingham" ... 798 „ 1793 — 4 
 
 " Lascelles " 824 „ 
 
 Early in the year 1 793 the long war between England and France, 
 which only finally terminated in 18 15, was declared. The revolutionary 
 armies invaded Belgium and Holland, which had sided with England, while 
 the allies, Austria, Prussia, and England, opposed them there and on the 
 German frontier. Fortune, however, for the present, was unfavourable. 
 The Austrians and Prussians retired ; the Dutch, with the Duke of York's 
 army, were behind the Waal. During the winter Pichegrou crossed that 
 river on the ice, surprised, and became master of the country and fleet. 
 The Prince of Orange escaped to England, and the Revolutionary Party in 
 Holland made a treaty with France, and thus became involved in the war 
 
 G I
 
 52 Chronicles of Blackioall Yard. 
 
 with England. The news of this change reached St. Helena while Robert 
 Wigram's vessel, the " Gen. Goddard," was waiting for convoy on her fifth 
 voyage, and her captain, William Taylor Money, determined to join in an 
 attempt to intercept the Dutch Fleet e.xpected from Batavia. Fitting (at 
 the expense, we conclude, of his owner and friend) the " Gen. Goddard " 
 with thirty guns, he started on a cruise with H.M.'s ship "Sceptre," 64 guns, 
 and the "Swallow Packet," "Asia," and " Busbridge," East Indiamen. He 
 was the first to sight the Dutch Fleet and to give chase. He came up to 
 them in the night, and at daybreak captured seven of them, the other vessels 
 of the squadron not being near enough to take any decided part in the 
 action. Extraordinary as this story is. it is, nevertheless, undoubtedly true, 
 and appears to have met with the full approval of his owner, who had a 
 picture painted of the action, which is now in the possession of Mrs. 
 Money Wigram, at Moor Place, Herts. The share of prize-money allotted 
 to the five vessels exceeded ;^6 1,000. Captain Money received a vote of 
 thanks and a sword from the merchants at St. Helena in testimony of their 
 appreciation of his conduct. 
 
 In 1794, Sir John Jervis and Sir Charles Grey, starting from 
 Barbadoes, took Martinique and some forts in St. Lucia and Guadaloupe. 
 The French made various attempts to reco\'er these islands, and a large 
 expedition was sent from Portsmouth, in January, 1796, which resulted in 
 subduing a revolt in Grenada, and the capture of St. Lucia and Demerara. 
 During some of these operations the Government, having determined to 
 send troops to the West Indies, had pressing need of transports, and 
 Robert Wigram, knowing of the want of ships, immediately bought four — 
 the "Pershore," "Valentine," "Gen. Elliot," and "Contractor" — hired them 
 to the Government as transports, fitted them out, and had them ready for 
 sea in a wonderfully short time. His activity in getting these vessels ready 
 was so great that fcr several weeks, says Mrs. Wigram, " we breakfasted at 
 four or five in the morning." A picture of these vessels leaving Spithead 
 in 1795 is now at Esher Place, Money Wigram's, Esq. 
 
 To return to " Hardy," we find at this time belonging to 
 R. Wigram : — 
 
 Tons. 
 
 "Woodcot" 802 1796—7 
 
 "Walpole" 774 1797—8 
 
 " Contractor " 777 '^'Td.l ur"""' '""■ ''" '"" 
 
 " Walthamstow " 820 1799
 
 Tons. 
 
 
 ... 820 
 
 
 ... 820 
 
 1800 — I 
 
 ... 1,200 
 
 180I 2 
 
 ••• 517 
 
 
 ... 1,200 
 
 1802—3 
 
 ... 505 
 
 1S05— 6 
 
 ... 1,180 
 
 1806-7 
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 53 
 
 " Lady Jane Dundas" 
 
 "Windham" 
 
 " Marquis of Ely " 
 
 " Tottenham " 
 
 "Wexford" 
 
 "Retreat" 
 
 "Woodford" 
 
 December 19th, 1802, Mr. Wigram began his parliamentary life, 
 being returned as member for Fowey, in Cornwall. 
 
 He was, from the first, a great admirer of Mr. Pitt, and one night 
 that minister having spoken strongly on some subject of importance, and 
 being deeply grieved at the adverse vote which followed, as he was leaving 
 the House a few members, Robert Wigram amongst the number, rose and 
 attended him to the door. Mr. Pitt looking round to note his friends 
 asked, "Who was the little man in shorts?" and subsequently, October 
 30th, 1805, created him a baronet. 
 
 There is more than one night in 1803 — 4 to which this story may 
 refer, or possibly to the impeachment of Lord Melville, April 1805, when 
 history relates that Pitt's tears were concealed by his friends. 
 
 November of this year he was elected member for his native town 
 of Wexford, which he had left forty-four years before, with .1^200 in 
 his pocket. 
 
 In this year also he arranged the purchase of the Blackwall Yard 
 Estate from Messrs. J. & W. Wells, together with a considerable quantity 
 of adjacent land. 
 
 The list of the yard fleet, that is the ships owned by the firm of 
 Wigrams and Green, in all of which Sir Robert had an interest, is given 
 in another place. With his partnerships in Blackwall Yard, in Reid's 
 Brewery, Huddart's Rope Works, together with his own business in 
 Crosby Square, where for many years he resided, and as Chairman of the 
 new East India Docks, opened in 18 10, he must have had enough upon 
 his hands. He was also getting on in years, and at sixty-six, the indomit- 
 able spirit which had so long and through so many difficulties commanded 
 success, would naturally be seeking repose. The precise date of his leaving 
 the House of Commons is uncertain, but it was previous to 181 7 when his 
 name appears at the head of a loyal memorial, signed by 3,000 of the 
 principal merchants of London (protesting against the recent outrage 
 against the sacred person of the Prince Regent). He placed sons both
 
 54 Chronicles of Blackivall Yard. 
 
 in the Brewery and at Blackwall, but appears to have made no effort to 
 keep up his business as merchant, which probably died a natural death. 
 His successor in the ropery was William Cotton, late Governor of the 
 Bank of England. He resided the latter part of his life at his place at 
 Walthamstow, \vhere he died, November 6th, 1830. 
 
 It was his practice on certain days every week to visit the yard 
 at Blackwall and the Ropeworks at Limehouse, and as he rode along, 
 accompanied by six or seven of his sons, all well mounted, and fine hand- 
 some men, he commanded the admiration of the neighbourhood. Of his 
 large family, twenty -three (or as he liked to phrase it twice two-and-twenty) 
 nearly all attained to man's estate, and most to a good old age, the best 
 known being William, immortalized by Macaulay as " the most obstinate 
 of the East India Directors," and many years Master of the Puckeridge 
 fo.xhounds ; Joseph Cotton, Bishop of Rochester ; James, Vice-Chancellor ; 
 Loftus, Q.C., and member for the University of Cambridge. 
 
 The present head of the family is General Sir Frederick Wellington 
 Fitzwigram, Bart., of Leigh Park, Hants. 
 
 But few anecdotes remain either of Sir Robert's later years or of his 
 earlier struggles. The prettiest, to our mind, is that which tells how his 
 mother, who used to spend her time, during her husband's long absence in 
 his vessel, in working for the poor of her native town, would reply to their 
 expressions of thankfulness : " Pray not only for me, but for my little boy 
 and his father at sea." She lived to see and share the boy's prosperity. 
 
 Dr. Allan's rough though kind advice on his first arrival in London 
 may also be mentioned. " You are come, young man, to a place where, if 
 you tumble down, no one will pick you up." 
 
 " I always," says Sir Robert, speaking of that time of his life, "lived 
 respectably ; and as I had no opportunity of making acquaintance whom I 
 could value, I made none." 
 
 " I never did undertake any business of moment without consultation 
 with my wife, and can truly say it has much promoted my fortune." 
 
 Whatever may be thought of the foregoing, his advice to his large 
 family will be at least approved of — " Remember the strength of the bundle 
 of sticks."' 
 
 Though a bold adventurer in all legitimate branches of commerce, he 
 had a wholesome old-fashioned dread of speculation, and of one commercial 
 danger we find him speaking with a kind of horror. " How near I was, by 
 Addington's loan, of completely ruining the old house."
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 55 
 
 His objection to banking — " I never will have to do with a business 
 where I must mistrust those with whom I have to deal" — seems to us founded 
 on a misapprehension. 
 
 His portraits represent a man of strong common sense, with a good- 
 humoured, kindly expression, and with plenty of firmness and individuality. 
 
 His life would be, perhaps, hardly complete without some mention 
 of his confidential clerk, Mr. Hewison, to whose unremitting attention he 
 attributed much of his success, and whose son is still serving his grandsons 
 with equal integrity and ability. On one year, when there was every reason 
 to believe that the profits would be exceptionally large, there was an 
 unaccountable unwillingness and delay in producing the accounts, and when 
 the reason for this was inquired into, " Sir," replied Mr. Hewison, " I never 
 knew a man make so much one year but he was sure to knock it all down 
 the next." 
 
 1820. The ships in which the firm was interested at this time were the 
 " Ferrers," " Timmins," " Hope," " Minerva," " Vansittart," " Princess 
 Charlotte of Wales," " Duke of York," " Surat Castle," " Rose," " C^sar," 
 " Lady Melville," " Prince Regent," and " Marchioness of Ely." The sister 
 ships, " Repulse " and " Royal George," East Indiamen, of 1,333 tons, were 
 launched for J. F. Timmins, Esq., and the " Hope," of 434 tons. On 
 November 6th the " Kent," East Indiaman, of 1,332 tons, was launched 
 for Stewart Majoribanks, Esq. The destruction of this last-named ship 
 by fire in the Bay of Biscay, on March ist, 1825, when on her third voyage 
 to India with troops under the command of Captain Cobb, is no doubt 
 already a familiar story to most of our readers. 
 
 1 82 1. The shadow of a coming change appears at Blackwall during this 
 year, in the form of the first steam vessel yet constructed in the yard. 
 This was the paddle-wheel steamer, " City of Edinboro', " of 401 tons, 
 launched for the Edinboro' Steam Navigation Company, March 31st, 1821, 
 about ten years before this time the paddle-wheel steamer "Comet" had 
 already been constructed on the Clyde. The " Duchess of Athol," East 
 Indiaman, of 1,333 tons, was also launched for W. E. Ferrers, Esq. 
 
 On the 29th of March, 182 1, the first stone of the new Parish 
 Church of Poplar was laid by the Bishop of London. An imposing 
 procession was formed, consisting of the Bishop, the Directors of the
 
 56 Chronicles of Blacki.vall Yard. 
 
 East and West India Dock Companies, and a great number of the leading 
 inhabitants. On this occasion the learned rector, the Rev. Samuel Hoole, 
 is reported to have given a most impressive address. The architect of this 
 church was Mr. C. Mollis, and the builder Mr. Thomas Morris of Poplar. 
 The church was consecrated July 3rd, 1823. 
 
 1822. In this year, Henry Green, the second son of George Green, Esq., 
 was in accordance with old custom, apprenticed to his father as a shipwright, 
 at the age of fourteen, his elder brother Richard being at this time in 
 Edinburgh, where he studied for several years at the University. The 
 paddle-wheel steamer, " King of the Netherlands," 180 tons, was launched 
 for the General Steam Navigation Company, and on April 24th, the " Sir 
 Edward Paget," of 458 tons, was launched for Messrs. Meaburn and 
 Johnson. 
 
 1823. The paddle wheel steamers "Harlequin" and "Cinderella," of 244 
 tons were, launched for the General Steam Navigation Company, and 
 the paddle wheel steamer " Soho," of 510 tons, for the Edinboro' Steam 
 Navigation Company. 
 
 1824. The following ships were launched, the "Surat Castle," of 1,223 '^'^'''s ; 
 the " Lord Amherst," of 506 tons, for Messrs. Johnson and Meaburn ; 
 the paddle wheel steamer "Queen of the Netherlands," of 159 tons, for 
 the General Steam Navigation Company; the "Columbia" and "Pearl," 
 of 251 tons; the "Simon Taylor," of 408 tons, on which vessel Henry 
 Green was appointed to act as assistant foreman, and the " Carn Brae 
 Castle," of 570 tons. This last named ship, in which the firm held an 
 interest, was designed by Captain Huddart, and managed by Messrs. 
 Huddart Brothers for Captain Davey, an old East India Company's 
 officer. She was altogether a new type of ship, being the first expressly 
 built for the passenger trade to Calcutta, and was considered the finest vessel 
 of the day. She was subsequently lost in Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight, 
 on the afternoon of the day she left Portsmouth, by standing too close in 
 to the land, while the captain and passengers were at dinner. In this year 
 also, the "Sir Edward Paget," was purchased by Mr. Green, and 
 became noteworthy, as the first ship of Messrs. Green's well-known 
 passenger line to India and Australia. The " Sir Edward Paget," or 
 the " Paget," as she was generally called, was a very smart ship and most 
 elaborately fitted, as became the first vessel of the new line. She was com- 
 manded by Captain Geary of the Rojal Navy, and carried a square white 
 flag with St. George's red cross through the centre. On her arrival at
 
 
 '•'>■ . 
 
 ■55
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 57 
 
 Spithead, the Admiral of the port sent his h'eutenant off to ask what ship 
 was carrying an Admiral's flag, and on learning that it was a merchant 
 vessel, he ordered it to be at once hauled down. The story goes, that a 
 blue handkerchief was then sewn on the centre of the flag, and the lieutenant 
 having satisfied himself that naval regulations were no longer being infringed, 
 it w^as allowed to be rehoisted, and continued the distinguishing flag of all the 
 Blackwall ships until the firm was some years afterwards divided. On her 
 return home after the first voyage, the " Sir Edward Paget " was brought up 
 off the Yard, and on Mr. Green's proceeding on board to make the usual 
 inspection, he was much to his dismay received with manned yards and a 
 salute, the ship's band playing " The Conquering Hero " ; this reception, 
 together with the man-of-war like appearance of e\erything he saw on board 
 so astonished Mr. Green that he was by no means surprised to learn, when 
 the voyage accounts were balanced, that this man-of-war like style, however 
 imposing it might be, was not financially successful, and, we need scarcely 
 add that the captain and the regulations of the ship throughout were 
 changed before the second voyage. 
 
 1825. The " Roxburgh Castle," of 565 tons, was next launched for the 
 firm, and chartered on her first voyage by the East India Company for 
 China and Quebec ; Captain George Denny was appointed commander, and 
 the present Captain Edward Hight served as a midshipman on board. The 
 " Abercrombie Robinson," of 1,325 tons, and the "Edinburgh," of 1,325 
 tons, were launched for Henry Bonham, Esq., and in this year Henrj' Green 
 left Blackwall for a time, and joined the East India Company's ship, 
 " Vansittart," Captain Dalrymple, as fifth officer, sailing for the Cape of 
 Good Hope, Bombay, and China. 
 
 1826. A steam vessel of 279 tons was launched for the Honourable 
 Corporation of the Trinity House, and the "Prince Rupert," of 229 tons, 
 for the Hudson's Bay Company. 
 
 1827. The " Sir J. Cockburn," of 340 tons, and the " Thames," of 370 tons, 
 were launched, and in this year Henry Green went for a second voyage to 
 the Cape, Bombay, and China on board the East India Company's ship, 
 " Charles Grant," commanded by Captain William Hay. Over four acres of 
 land belonging to the Yard w-ere at this time sold to the East and West 
 India Dock Company. The " Boyne," of 619 tons, was purchased by 
 Mr. George Green. 
 
 1828. The " Sir John Rae Reid," of 300 tons, was launched for Messrs. 
 Reid, Irving and Company, and the " Lady Raffles," of 549 tons, was 
 
 H
 
 58 Clironicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 purchased by Mr. George Green, Captain \V. Tucker being appointed to 
 the command. 
 
 '^29. In this year Richard Green, the eldest son of Mr. George Green, 
 
 who had been in the Yard for some time since his return from Edinburgh, 
 was admitted into partnership at the age of twenty-six, and undertook the 
 management of the ships belonging to his father and the firm. In this year 
 also Messrs. Green, Wigrams and Green, as the firm was now styled, began 
 to take an interest in the whaling trade, and for this purpose purchased 
 the " Matilda," and in the following year they launched for themselves 
 the " Harpooner," of 374 tons. 
 
 1830. In 1830 occurred the great shipwright's strike, which will long be 
 
 remembered by those connected with shipping on the River Thames. This 
 strike lasted so long, that the grass is said to have grown up in the 
 building slips, and the foremen and apprentices, who were almost the 
 only people in the yard, were required by Mr. Green to work together 
 on any jobs that might happen to come in. It was during this strike 
 that Nathaniel Clarke, a very leading man among the shipwrights, first 
 came prominently into notice. Mr. Green was so much struck with his 
 ability, that taking him aside, he offered him at once the post of foreman, 
 and another well-known foreman shipwright, Thomas Gaster, received his 
 promotion about the same time under somewhat similar circumstances. The 
 shipwrights were ultimately successful in their strike, and their Union dates 
 from this period. The East India ships, in which the firm now held an 
 interest, were the " Duke of York," " Repulse," " Sir David Scott," " Fairlee," 
 " Atlas," "Lady Melville," "Minerva," "Marchioness of Ely," Prince Regent," 
 " Rose," &c. It will have been observed that the building of large ships 
 for the East India Company's service had by this time ceased, in view of the 
 looked for expiration of their trading chatter. Individual firms, however, had 
 been gradually preparing themselves to compete with private enterprise for 
 those valuable eastern trades, which for so many years had been conducted 
 almost exclusively under the East India Company's direction. The 
 Blackwall firm undoubtedly was in a very good position to avail itself fully 
 of this opportunity, and for the next few years we find it chiefly occupied in 
 purchasing or building vessels, either for the interests of the firm collectively, 
 or for the different partners. The first ship owned by Mr. Wigram, as a 
 separate venture, was the " Mary," of 300 tons, purchased by him this year, 
 and commanded by Captain Henry Shuttleworth, now an elder brother of 
 the Trinity House ; this ship was subsequently wrecked in Mossel Bay; the
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 59 
 
 " Lady Nugent " and the " Jane " were also purchased at this time by Mr. 
 Wigram. 
 
 1831. On January the ist, 1831, the " Euretta," of 335 tons, was 
 launched, and on March 30th Henry Green became a partner in the business 
 at the age of twenty-three, when the shares were held as follows : George 
 Green, two-twelfths; Money Wigram, three-twelfths; Henry Loftus W'igram, 
 three-twelfths; Richard Green, two-twelfths; and Henry Green, two- 
 twelfths. On the 14th of April, the " Duke of Buccleugh," of 576 tons, 
 was launched for George Green, Esq., and on August 29th, another 
 whaling ship, the " Vigilant," of 383 tons, was launched for the firm. 
 
 1832. On May 14th the " London," of 577 tons, was launched for Money 
 Wigram, Esq., and this ship may be considered as the real pioneer of 
 Messrs. Money Wigram and Son's fine fleet of passenger vessels. The 
 " Prince Regent," of 992 tons, was also purchased by the firm, and in this 
 year Mr. Green's second daughter, Mrs. Britten, was married from the Yard. 
 
 1833. The year 1833 will be ever memorable in the annals of our merchant 
 shipping as being that in which the East India Company's Charter ceased, 
 and the trade to the East was thrown open to private enterprise ; an im- 
 mediate impetus was naturally given to the so called free traders, and before 
 very long the passenger vessels belonging to Messrs. Green and Wigram, 
 Messrs. T. & W. Smith, Messrs. Duncan Dunbar and Co., Messrs. Somes 
 and others, began to be recognised as filling to a large extent the place 
 which had heretofore been occupied by the vessels of the East India 
 Company. 
 
 The " Carnatic," of 598 tons, was launched for George Green, Esq., 
 and the whaler " Eleanor," for Messrs. Green, Wigrams & Green. The 
 paddle-wheel steamer " Monarch," of 856 tons, was also launched for the 
 London and Edinboro' Steam Packet Company, and was commanded by 
 Captain Bain, whose son, the present Dr. Bain, has for many years been 
 known as one of the leading practitioners in the East of London. This 
 steamer was at once taken up, with several other vessels, to carry volunteers 
 to Portugal in support of Don Pedro in his contest with Don INIiguel. The 
 volunteers on board the " Monarch " having been recruited largely from 
 the Isle of Dogs and its neighbourhood, became known familiarly in the 
 expedition as the " Isle of Dogians." 
 1834. The " Malabar," of 603 tons, was launched for George Green, Esq., 
 
 the " Eagle," of 362 tons, for Money Wigram, Esq., and the " Narwhal," 
 whaler of 370 tons, for the firm. The '' Alexander Baring," of 478 tons, 
 
 H I
 
 6o Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 was also launched for the well known firm of Baring Brothers. On October 
 the 1st, 1834, Mr. Henry Green was married, and on this interesting 
 occasion, a grand ball was given in the mould loft, which was handsomely 
 decorated for the occasion, to the principal fricnils and inhabitants of the 
 neighbourhood. The few survivors of that day still speak in terms of 
 admiration of the gaiety and pleasure of the entertainment. Mr. Henry 
 Green, after his marriage lived in the house in the middle of the Yard, 
 which had for some years previously been occupied l)y Mr. H. L. Wigram, 
 and he continued to reside there, where his si.x elder children were born, 
 until the Yard was divided in 1843, Mr. H. L. Wigram moving to the 
 smaller house adjoining the entrance gates. The large house was at this 
 time still occupied by Mr. George Green's family. 
 
 1835. ^" '^his year a still further curtailment was made in the size of 
 Messrs. Green's and Wigram's ship-yard, which at this time was still spoken 
 of as "the most considerable private concern in Europe," by the sale of land 
 to the Blackwall Railway Company, which had just been formed. Until 
 this time the boundaries of the jartl had for many years extended from the 
 river Thames northwards to Naval Row, and from Brunswick Street 
 eastwards to the East India Dock. Among the large piles of oak timber 
 and planking, wild rabbits still made themselves at home, and not many years 
 before, fine salmon had been taken off the Yard; now, however, the River at 
 this part had come to be generally recognized as the head quarters of the 
 whitebait, which were caught at Blackwall in large quantities, and could, as 
 it was said, be enjoyed only to perfection if eaten at the Artichoke or 
 Brunswick Taverns. The northern part of the Yard was then an open 
 field where Mr. George Green's cows and horses used to graze, and where 
 his favourite old horse, " Playfellow," is buried just behind the Masthouse. 
 In the middle of the }'ard was the large timber-pond and wet-dock, spoken 
 of by Pepys' in 1665 : this was partially filled in when the Blackwall 
 Railway was constructed, and was reduced again when after 1S43 extensive 
 saw-mills were erected on the site by Messrs. Wigrams, it was finally filled 
 in by these gentlemen, and turned into a building-slip for the construction 
 of Her Majesty's fine Indian troop-ship, " Crocodile." The " True Briton," 
 of 646 tons, was launched for Money Wigram, Esq., and kept up the 
 recollection of Sir Robert Wigram's early venture. The " Windsor," of 656 
 tons, was launched for George Green, Esq., and the paddle-wheel steamers, 
 " Beaver" and " Columbia," of 188 tons, for the Hudson's Bay Company. 
 
 1836. The "Slain's Castle," of 375 tons, was launched for Money Wigram,
 
 Chyoniclcs of Blackwall Yard. 6i 
 
 Esq., and the " Walmer Castle," of 620 tons, for George Green, Esq. ; the 
 paddle-wheel steamers, "Caledonia," of 571 tons, and " Atalanta," of 606 
 tons, for the Edinboro' Steam Packet Company. The paddle-wheel steamers, 
 "Countess of Lonsdale," of 621 tons, and the " Clarence," of j},'] tons, for 
 the General Steam Navigation Company, and the "Antonio Pereira," opium 
 clipper, for Captain W. O. Young. This vessel unfortunately capsized into 
 the river while launching. 
 
 1837. This year the " Seringapatam," of 818 tons, was launched for 
 Richard Green, Esq. This ship was again the first of a new class, and was a 
 great advance in size and form on previous vessels ; in her the double stern 
 and galleries were abandoned, which at the time was looked upon as an 
 important stride. She had a figure head of " Tippoo Sahib " painted in 
 proper colours, with a drawn scimitar in hand. This was a never failing 
 source of delight to the natives in Calcutta, who used to raise their oars in 
 passing, and look with admiration at old Tippoo, exclaiming — "Wha wha, 
 bhote atcha," (very good, very good). The old " Sering," as she was generally 
 called, was always noted for her quick and regular passages, and became 
 the model for many succeeding vessels. She was commanded on her first 
 voyage by Captain George Denny, and afterwards by Captain James Furnell, 
 who subsequently became the Superintendent of the Sailor's Home, where he 
 remained for many years until his death in 1878. The " Madagascar," of 
 835 tons, was also launched for Richard Green, Esq., and was commanded by 
 Captain W. H. Walker, afterwards Sir W. H. Walker, of the Board of 
 Trade. The "Emu," 293 tons, was launched for Money Wigram, Esq.; 
 this vessel had been designed for the newly opening trade to Australia, 
 for which purpose she was then considered very well adapted. The 
 whaler, "Active," of 461 tons, was launched for the firm, the steamer 
 " Neptune," of 621 tons, for the General Steam Navigation Company, and 
 the steamer " Madagascar," of 351 tons, for the Portuguese Government. 
 
 1838. In this year Mr. George Green retired from active business. The 
 " Earl of Hardwicke," of 852 tons, was launched for Richard Green, Esq., 
 and commanded by Captain Alexander Henning, R.N., and in the following 
 
 1839. year her sister ships, the "Vernon " and " Owen Glendower," were launched 
 for the same owners. The " Earl of Hardwicke " and "\"ernon " were fitted 
 with auxilliary steam-side paddles, of 100 horse-power, to be used during 
 calms. This arrangement, however, did not prove successful, and w-as soon 
 removed. The " Owen Glendower," which w-as considered a remarkably 
 handsome vessel, had painted on the front of her poop — " I can call spirits
 
 62 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 
 
 from the vasty deep ; " she was for man)- \cars commanded by Captain 
 William Toller. To this ship, and for several years before and afterwards, 
 to all these splendid frigate-built vessels, foreign merchantmen were in the 
 habit of lowering their top-sails as if to ships of war. 
 
 The " Essex," of 851 tons, and the " Maidstone," of 819 tons, were 
 launched by Money Wigram, Esq., and the opium clippfir "Moa,'' for Messrs. 
 Jardine, Matheson & Co. 
 184c. The " Tartar" and " Samarang," of 454 tons, were launched for the 
 
 firm, the "Vancouver" and "Cowlitz," of 286 tons, for the Hudson's Bay 
 Company, and three new light vessels for the Trinity Corporation. 
 
 1841. The " Prince Albert" and " Prince Rupert," each of 286 tons, were 
 launched for the Hudson's Bay Company. The " Caroline," of 323 tons, for 
 Messrs. Thomson, Hankey & Co., and the paddle-wheel steamer " Princess 
 Royal," of 666 tons, and the " Trident," of 875 tons, for the General Steam 
 Navigation Company. The "Trident" was at this time considered one of 
 the fastest vessels afloat, and on Queen Victoria's first visit to Scotland, she 
 so far passed in speed the Royal Yacht, that the " Trident" was chartered 
 for Her Majesty's party on the return voyage. 
 
 In this year also, the sister ships " Agincourt " and ''Southampton," 
 of 852 tons, were launched respectively for Richard Green and Money 
 Wigram, Esqrs. It will have been observed by this time, that for the last 
 few years the interests of the partners in the new ships they were building 
 for themselves, had more and more become divided, and in this year, 1841, 
 the only vessels owned by them in common were the " Pyramus " and 
 " Roxburgh Castle." 
 
 1842. The " Malacca," of 491 tons, was launched for Richard Green, Esq., 
 and the paddle steamer " Montezuma," of 1,080 tons, for the Mexican 
 Government, under the supervision of Messrs. Lizardi & Co. This year 
 also the magnificent flush-deck, frigate-built sister ships " Queen " and 
 " Prince of Wales," of 1,223 tons, were built — one for the Messrs. Wigrams, 
 and the other for the Messrs. Greens. The " Sylph," of 449 tons, was 
 launched for Messrs. T. Daniels & Company, and this was the last ship ever 
 launched by the firm of Green, Wigrams & Green. 
 
 1843. ^" 1843, a year ever memorable in the history of Blackwall the term 
 of partnership expired, and it was deemed advisable to terminate the old 
 connection, and to divide the Yard and ships ; the cause of this division may 
 be roughly traced to the distinct and even differing interests which had been 
 created by the families each owning separate vessels. The division of the
 
 GKORGK GREKN, Esq.
 
 Chro7iicles of Blackwall Yard. 63 
 
 Yard being settled on, the western portion with the house and entrance was 
 made over to the newly created firm of Messrs. Money, Wigram and 
 Sons, and the eastern portion with a sum of money and another entrance 
 was apportioned to that of Messrs. Richard and Henry Green. A captain 
 who had served under the old firm for many years describes his feelings of 
 distress, when on returnins;- home, he found " a brick wall runningr through 
 the Yard and the red cross through the flag." 
 
 In concluding this portion of our Chronicles, it will hardly be 
 deemed out of place, if some further particulars are given of the life of 
 Mr. George Green, who for more than sixty years had been so closely 
 identified with Blackwall Yard and the surroundinsf neisfhbourhood.* 
 
 George Green was born at Cheshunt, in Hertfordshire, on Novem- 
 ber 2nd, 1767. He was the second son of Mr. John Green, a well-known 
 brewer at Chelsea, and of Mary Pritzler, his wife ; his only brother John 
 was lost at sea in early life, and his only sister Mary, who was born in 1769, 
 became in 1 799 the second wife of Mr. John Perry of Blackwall. For 
 many years the Green family had been prominently connected with Chelsea, 
 and for several generations they had owned considerable property in that 
 parish. For more than a centurj' Green's brewery appears to have been 
 one of the leading institutions of the neighbourhood, and various references 
 are made to it and to the family in Faulkner's History of Chelsea. 
 
 Before the year 1682 the Government had purchased land near the 
 river from Mr. John Green, the great grandfather of George Green, which 
 land afterwards formed part of the site on which Chelsea Hospital was built. 
 About the year 1716 Mrs. Elizabeth Green, then a widow, died, leaving her 
 estate in Chelsea to her son Thomas, who in 1708 had married Mary Rose, 
 and afterwards Frances Atherton. By the first marriage he left an only 
 daughter, Elizabeth, to whom he bequeathed his fortune on condition that 
 her husband, Edward Burnaby, a brother of Admiral Sir William Burnaby, 
 should assume the name of Green. In 1740 Thomas Green died. Edward 
 Burnaby and Elizabeth Green had a son Charles, who, at his death, left his 
 property to his son, Pitt Burnaby Green, a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. 
 Pitt Burnaby appears to have then retired from his profession and joined 
 
 * A very good account of Blackwall Yard at this time is given in a book entitled " Days at the 
 Factories," published by Charles Knight and Co., 1843.
 
 64 Chronicles of Black^vall Yard. 
 
 the Brewer)', in partnership with his relations, John and Richard Green. In 
 the year 1760 the "Annual Register" in its "History of the London Brewery," 
 gives an account of the cjuantity of beer which had been brewed at the 
 principal brew-houses from Midsummer, 1759, to Midsummer, 1760, by 
 which it appears that Green's Brewery had supplied 9,770 barrels. About 
 twelve years after this time, however, a change appears to ha\-e come over 
 the good fortunes of the business. 
 
 John Green, who is said to have been an extravagant man, and 
 fonder of driving his four-in-hand than of manaijinfr his business, could 
 hardly have found a much more practical partner in his nephew the 
 Lieutenant, who was chietly known as the possessor of a valuable library, 
 and as the author of several poetical works ; it is by no means surprising, 
 therefore, to find that in 1772 the firm had become involved in serious 
 difficulties. On May 29th of the same year, John Green died rather sud- 
 denly, and before the year had closed, the estate was wound up in bankruptcy. 
 On the death of her husband Mrs. Green went with her two young children, 
 George and Mar)', to reside at Battersta, and in the year 1 78 2, George Green, 
 then fifteen years of age, was, througli the instrumentality of his aunt, 
 Mrs. Pritzler, introduced to Blackwall Yard, where he was apprenticed to 
 Mr. Perry. He is spoken of at this time as having been particularly active, 
 intelligent, and trustworthy, and he soon began to make himself useful in the 
 drawing-office and mould loft, where he was employed in designing and laying 
 of ships, A proof of his activity is given in the fact that for some time he 
 was in the habit of frequently walking from his mother's house, near 
 Battersea, to Blackwall Yard, arriving there at six o'clock in the morning 
 and walking back again after si.x o'clock in the evening. In the busy times 
 that were now coming on, George Green was frequently detained at the 
 Yard until late in the evening, working in the mould loft, and at such times 
 Mr. Terry and his family would often walk through from the adjoining 
 house to see how things were going on. Report sa)s, further, that Miss 
 Sarah Perry took a somewhat lively interest in these proceedings, and 
 would show her interest by rubbing out and otherwise disturbing the lines 
 w^hich young George Green had just completed. However this may be 
 an attachment soon sprang up between them, they became engaged, and 
 were married at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, on February i8th, 1796. In the 
 following year George Green was taken into partnership at the age of 
 thirty. Five children were born of this marriage, John, George, Joseph, 
 Mary, and Richard. Of these, Joseph and Mary died in infancy.
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 65 
 
 o 
 
 On May iSth, 1805, Mrs. George Green died at the age of twenty- 
 eight, and the day following her eldest son John died at the age of nine 
 years. Frequently, in after years, Mr. Green would describe his feelings of 
 grief and loneliness at this time when his wife and eldest son were both 
 lying dead together in the house. 
 
 On May 6th, 1S06, Mr. Green married for his second wife Elizabeth, 
 daughter of William Unwin, Esq., of Bromley and Sawbridgeworth ; by this 
 marriage he had six children, Henry, Elizabeth, Emma, Clara, Frederick, 
 and William. Of these Clara died in 18 14 from the results of an accident, 
 and in the same year her half-brother George, described as a boy of good 
 promise, died at Brighton, at the age of fifteen, from the effects of bathing 
 while heated after riding. Richard was now the only surviving child of 
 Mr. Green's first marriage, and it was possibly on this account that he was 
 always regarded by his father with peculiar affection and solicitude. It 
 is interesting now to remember that Richard and his brother Henry were in 
 1816 at Doctor Cogan's school, at Higham Hill, Wakhamstow; among their 
 schoolfellows were Benjamin Disraeli (Earl Beaconsheld), Russell Gurney, 
 the late Recorder of London, Samuel Solly, F.R.S., Gilbert Macmurdo and 
 Benjamin Travers, who became distinguished as surgeons, with many others 
 whose names have since become known to the world. At this time 
 Mr. Green was residing in the large house in Blackwall Yard, which 
 had previously been occupied by Mr. Perry. There is nothing especially 
 to record of him at this period, except that he was unremitting in his 
 attention to business, and expected all around him to be the same. He 
 was always an early riser, and took steps to instil the same good habit into 
 his children. He was generally to be seen riding on his cob before six 
 o'clock in the morning, and if he did not always succeed in getting his 
 children to ride with him at this early hour, he successfully encouraged them 
 to take a delight in this healthful exercise, and there are still some Hvino- 
 at Blackwall who can remember his daughters who were admirable horse- 
 women, exercising iheir horses round the large field behind the mast-house. 
 Mr. Green's naturally kind and benevolent disposition was continually 
 shown in many ways towards those among whom he lived ; one of his 
 most intimate friends, and a constant visitor at Blackwall, was his cousin 
 Colonel Pritzler, afterwards General Sir Theophilus Pritzler, and it was 
 always a subject of much satisfaction to Mr. Green to find himself in 
 a position to repay in sonie measure the kindness and assistance which he 
 had received in early days from his aunt, Mrs. Pritzler, and other members 
 
 I
 
 66 C/i/'oiiicks of Bhukwall Yard. 
 
 of this family. No influence had probably more shaped his character and 
 course of life than the example and advice of Mr. Perry, for whose memory 
 he entertained to the last moment feelings of the deepest affection and 
 esteem. 
 
 In the year 1815 Mr. Green, who had for some time been much 
 impressed with the scarce and quite inadequate means of education which 
 were afforded for the children of the neighbourhood, took a leading part in 
 promoting the erection of the " Poplar and Blackwall Free School,'' which 
 was designed for the education of " at least 300 boys and 200 girls," these 
 children were all to be clothed, and the rules most carefully prescribed that 
 religious as well as secular teaching should at all times be strictly attended 
 to. The Honourable East India Company, the West India Dock Company, 
 the East India Dock Company, Messrs. Wigrams and Green, together with 
 most of the leading inhabitants of the neighbourhood, responded liberally 
 to the appeal which Mr. Green, as treasurer, had made on behalf of the 
 schools. They were opened in the following year by His Royal Highness 
 the Duke of Kent, accompanied by the Bishop of Norwich and other 
 distinguished persons. Towards the maintenance of these Schools Mr. 
 Green at once contributed a handsome endowment, and to the last retained 
 an especial interest in this, the first of those larger philanthropic schemes 
 by which he was continually seeking to benefit those around him. Among 
 those associated with Mr. Green in this good work as trustees, subscribers, 
 or members of the managing committee, were his friends Messrs. Leonard 
 Currie, George Erederick Young, William Melluish, John Garford, John 
 Stock, Robert Batson, William Sims, John Montague, and others. The 
 Poplar and Blackwall Free School was maintained in a most efficient state 
 down to the year 1874, when, for various reasons, it was deemed advisable 
 that a general meeting of the supporters of these schools should be called, 
 in order to consider their position with regard to the newly-formed School 
 Board for London. It was then agreed — "That taking into consideration 
 the altered circumstances of elementary education since these Schools were 
 founded, it is expedient that the management of the ' The Poplar and 
 Blackwall Free Schools ' be now transferred to the School Board for 
 London." This resolution was put into effect, and the Endowment Fund was 
 handed over to the Charity Commissioners with a request that, to carry out 
 the spirit of the founders, these funds might be devoted to the furtherance 
 of religious instruction among certain of the most important schools in the 
 neighbourhood.
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 67 
 
 The schools have since been enth^ely rebuilt, and are now known 
 as the "Woolmore Street Board Schools." 
 
 In 18 18 Mr. Green purchased the Grosvenor House estate at 
 Walthamstow, where he resided however only for a short time. In 182 1 
 he followed the example of Sir Henry Johnson, and built twelve almshouses, 
 adjoining the Yard, for the benefit of old and infirm workmen who had 
 faithfully served the firm. These houses received the appropriate name of 
 " Shipwrights Terrace." 
 
 In 1828 Mr. George Green's mother, Mrs. John Green, died, at the 
 age of eighty-eight years, and was buried in Poplar Chapel. This year 
 Mr. Green commenced to build another large school in the East India Road, 
 known as the " Chrisp Street School." This was subsequently enlarged for 
 the accommodation of 120 boys and 250 girls. 
 
 The Chrisp Street School, which was very largely endowed, was, 
 during Mr. Green's lifetime, managed almost entirely under his own di- 
 rections, by a committee, consisting of his daughters Mrs. Hankey and 
 Mrs. Britten, his daughters-in-law Mrs. Henry Green and Mrs. Frederick 
 Green, his niece Miss Perry, and several others. At the present time the 
 school is working well under a committee similarly constituted, and affords a 
 good education to the numerous children of the locality. In 1833 Mr. Green 
 built and endowed the large infant school at the corner of Preston's Road, 
 Avhere children are taught in connection with the Chrisp Street School. 
 
 At this time Mr. Green was residing chiefly at Clapham, where he 
 had purchased a house, and from here his eldest daughter, Elizabeth, was 
 married to Mr. Thomas Hankey, on June 22nd, 1831. 
 
 In 1836 Mr. Green's third son Frederick, who after an e.xtended 
 tour in the East, had been for some little time in the office of Sir John 
 Pirie and Co., was placed in business with Captain W. Tucker, who had 
 previously commanded the " Lady Raffles," as ship and insurance brokers, 
 at 64, Cornhill. The style of the new firm was F". Green and Co., and they 
 then undertook the loading and brokerage business of Messrs. Green's ships, 
 which they have continued ever since. About the year 1840 Mr. Green's 
 fourth son William took his degree at Oxford, and was ordained to a curacy 
 in Derbyshire, under the Rev. Walter Shirley, afterwards Bishop of Sodor 
 and Man. The Rev. William Green became subsequently Rector of Pens- 
 hurst, Kent. 
 
 In 1841 Mr. Green built the well-known Sailor's Home in the East 
 
 India Road for the benefit of the officers and seamen of his own vessels. 
 
 I I
 
 68 Chronicles of B/ackicall Yard. 
 
 This Home, which was one of the tirst and best-known institutions of the 
 sort, was for many years ably conducted by Captains Furnell and Dunlop, 
 who had commanded ships in Messrs. Green's service, and were thorous^hly 
 competent to carry out the benevolent designs of the founder. It may be 
 stated, however, that although this Home was maintained by Mr. Green, 
 and after his death by his son IMr. Richard Green, it never paid its own 
 expenses, owing probably to the too expensive scale on which it had been 
 originated. After the death of Mr. Richard Green the Home passed under 
 the management of the Board of Trade, when it ceasetl to be used for its 
 original purpose, and was re-arranged as a shipping-office for engaging and 
 paying off crews. 
 
 In this year also Mr. Green built the large schools in North Street 
 for the benefit of the children connected with Trinity Chapel. These 
 Schools have within the last few years been handed over, like the Poplar 
 and Blackwall Free Schools, to the management of the School Board for 
 London. 
 
 In 1842 Mr. Green, who about this time appears to have left the 
 Church of England, built Trinity Chapel, in the East India Road, together 
 WMth a convenient parsonage, and an endowment. He also built a row of 
 almshouses in North Street, looking on to the burial ground of Trinity 
 Chapel, for the benefit of the old members of the congregations attending 
 Trinity Chapel, Poplar Chapel, and Cotton Street Chapel, and to provide 
 for the maintenance of these Almshouses he built Trinity Terrace, adjoining 
 to Trinity Chapel, the rents from which are appropriated for the due main- 
 tenance of the Almshouses, and for the benefit of the inhabitants. In 1844 
 Mr. Green purchased three houses adjoining to the Chrisp Street School, 
 in order to convert them into residences for the master and mistress. 
 
 On November 2nd, 1846, Mrs. Green died at the age of sixty-nine 
 years. 
 
 In 1847 Mr. Green purchased a large building in Bow Lane, and 
 adapted this for a school. The extraordinary zeal and munificence which 
 Mr. Green had shown for so many years in building and endowing schools, 
 and in other acts of charity, on which he expended over one hundred 
 thousand pounds, was at this time publicly recognised by a request that he 
 would allow his portrait to be painted for the Town Hall, and from this 
 portrait the accompanying engraving has been sketched. On February 
 2ist, 1849, Mr. Green died at Blackwall in the eighty-second year of his 
 age, and was buried in a vault attached to Trinity Chapel.
 
 Chronicles of Blackwall Yard. 69 
 
 In respect for his memory the shops throughout the neighbourhood 
 were closed, and the entire population seemed to Hne the road ; the flags on 
 all the ships in the adjoining docks were half-mast high, and the procession 
 seemed in every way to partake of the nature of a public funeral. A hand- 
 some monument was soon afterwards erected to his memory by the workmen 
 of Blackwall Yard. The site was appropriately chosen, and the intimate 
 connection which had existed for so many years between the East India 
 Company and the Dockyard was recognised once more when George Green's 
 monument was placed with those of Henry Johnson and John Perry in the 
 East India Company's Chapel, which Sir Henry had assisted to erect, and 
 with which the Perrys and George Green had been so long associated. 
 
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