notable riot by students from
St Bart’s that had sections of Victorian society up in arms.
In 1865 James Inches Hillocks, author of My Life and Labours in London, A Step Nearer the Mark , described the scene at the Barn one Sunday evening, the most popular night for
visiting:
Not far distant is a band of young men, varying from fifteen to thirty years of age. They are arm in arm, occupying the entire breadth of the road. Each one is more or less intoxicated, so
much so, that it requires the combined efforts of the whole to keep some of them from measuring their length upon the ground. Their conversation is of the rudest kind, and spoken in the most
boisterous manner. Utterly regardless of the effects of a gross outrage on the most common sense of propriety, not to mention the higher claims of the Lord’s-day, they sing. ‘The
Strand, the Strand,’ is the song in which they all join as they marched along.
A scandalous exhibition of French dancing by the Colonna Troupe led to the Barn losing its licence in 1871. By 1883 it had been completely built over. Today, 26 Highbury Park (the Highbury
Tavern) covers a tiny part of the original site.
Hippodrome Racecourse
Ladbroke Grove
H OPING THAT ITS PROXIMITY TO L ONDON WOULD draw punters from the racecourse at Epsom Downs, in 1836 John Whyte leased 140 acres
of Ladbroke Grove for a period of twenty years.
Laying out a track for both flat-racing and steeplechasing, he blocked the way of an ancient footpath that offered the shortest route between Kensington Village and Kensal
Green. It was a decision that came at a heavy cost to him.
On the course’s opening day in June 1837, hundreds of visitors forced their way on to the course, successfully demanding free entry under the terms of right of way. The Sunday Times recorded that:
A more filthy or disgusting crew than that which entered, we have seldom had the misfortune to encounter ... relying upon their numbers, they spread themselves over the whole of the ground,
defiling the atmosphere as they go, and carrying into the neighbourhood of the stands and carriages, where the ladies are most assembled, a coarseness and obscenity of language as repulsive to
every feeling of manhood as to every sense of common decency.
Not even the racing proved successful:
Save Hokey Pokey, there was nothing that could climb, or hobble, much more leap over a hedge, and as to a hurdle, it was absurd to attempt one.
After a redesign to accommodate the public footpath, theHippodrome eventually reopened, with additional attractions including balloon ascents, archery and a cricket ground.
At this point Whyte discovered another, fatal flaw in his plans. The course’s heavy clay soil was unsuitable for horse racing. With London’s rapid westward expansion, the land was in
great demand for house-building. Whyte cut his losses and the last meet was held on 4 June 1841.
Hockley-in-the-Hole
Clerkenwell
I N THE REIGN OF E LIZABETH I , THE B EAR G ARDENS pub at
Hockley-in-the-Hole, which is located on what is today Ray Street, Clerkenwell, rivalled the Southwark Bear Gardens as a venue for dog fights, cock fights, bear- and bull-baiting.
Before fights, the animals were paraded through the streets to the beating of drums, as handbills were distributed describing the events of the day. One bill, for instance,
read:
This is to give notice to all gentlemen gamesters, and others, that on this present Monday is a match to be fought by two dogs, one from Newgate Market against one from Honey Lane Market, at
a Bull, for a guinea to be spent, five Let-goes out of hand; which goes fairest and farthest in wins all. Likewise a green bull to be baited, which was never baited before, and a bull to be turned
loose, with fireworks all over him; also amad ass to be baited. With a variety of bull-baiting and bear-baiting, and a dog to be drawn up with fireworks. To begin exactly at
three of the clock.
Perhaps inevitably, some of the animals’
St Bart’s that had sections of Victorian society up in arms.
In 1865 James Inches Hillocks, author of My Life and Labours in London, A Step Nearer the Mark , described the scene at the Barn one Sunday evening, the most popular night for
visiting:
Not far distant is a band of young men, varying from fifteen to thirty years of age. They are arm in arm, occupying the entire breadth of the road. Each one is more or less intoxicated, so
much so, that it requires the combined efforts of the whole to keep some of them from measuring their length upon the ground. Their conversation is of the rudest kind, and spoken in the most
boisterous manner. Utterly regardless of the effects of a gross outrage on the most common sense of propriety, not to mention the higher claims of the Lord’s-day, they sing. ‘The
Strand, the Strand,’ is the song in which they all join as they marched along.
A scandalous exhibition of French dancing by the Colonna Troupe led to the Barn losing its licence in 1871. By 1883 it had been completely built over. Today, 26 Highbury Park (the Highbury
Tavern) covers a tiny part of the original site.
Hippodrome Racecourse
Ladbroke Grove
H OPING THAT ITS PROXIMITY TO L ONDON WOULD draw punters from the racecourse at Epsom Downs, in 1836 John Whyte leased 140 acres
of Ladbroke Grove for a period of twenty years.
Laying out a track for both flat-racing and steeplechasing, he blocked the way of an ancient footpath that offered the shortest route between Kensington Village and Kensal
Green. It was a decision that came at a heavy cost to him.
On the course’s opening day in June 1837, hundreds of visitors forced their way on to the course, successfully demanding free entry under the terms of right of way. The Sunday Times recorded that:
A more filthy or disgusting crew than that which entered, we have seldom had the misfortune to encounter ... relying upon their numbers, they spread themselves over the whole of the ground,
defiling the atmosphere as they go, and carrying into the neighbourhood of the stands and carriages, where the ladies are most assembled, a coarseness and obscenity of language as repulsive to
every feeling of manhood as to every sense of common decency.
Not even the racing proved successful:
Save Hokey Pokey, there was nothing that could climb, or hobble, much more leap over a hedge, and as to a hurdle, it was absurd to attempt one.
After a redesign to accommodate the public footpath, theHippodrome eventually reopened, with additional attractions including balloon ascents, archery and a cricket ground.
At this point Whyte discovered another, fatal flaw in his plans. The course’s heavy clay soil was unsuitable for horse racing. With London’s rapid westward expansion, the land was in
great demand for house-building. Whyte cut his losses and the last meet was held on 4 June 1841.
Hockley-in-the-Hole
Clerkenwell
I N THE REIGN OF E LIZABETH I , THE B EAR G ARDENS pub at
Hockley-in-the-Hole, which is located on what is today Ray Street, Clerkenwell, rivalled the Southwark Bear Gardens as a venue for dog fights, cock fights, bear- and bull-baiting.
Before fights, the animals were paraded through the streets to the beating of drums, as handbills were distributed describing the events of the day. One bill, for instance,
read:
This is to give notice to all gentlemen gamesters, and others, that on this present Monday is a match to be fought by two dogs, one from Newgate Market against one from Honey Lane Market, at
a Bull, for a guinea to be spent, five Let-goes out of hand; which goes fairest and farthest in wins all. Likewise a green bull to be baited, which was never baited before, and a bull to be turned
loose, with fireworks all over him; also amad ass to be baited. With a variety of bull-baiting and bear-baiting, and a dog to be drawn up with fireworks. To begin exactly at
three of the clock.
Perhaps inevitably, some of the animals’
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