Picturesque Sketches of London. &mdash Whitechapel.. Illustrated London News 27 January 1849, p. 61. Scanned image, caption information, and text by Philip V. Allingham. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link to this URL or cite it in a print document.]
This illustration accompanies “The Neighbourhood of Whitechapel and Rag-Fair.” — excerpted from Thomas Miller's Picturesque Sketches of London, Past and Present (chapter 10). Miller's chapter on historic areas of the City of London notes that this currently seedy area was once the suburb of choice for courtiers since until the time of James I the royal family usually resided at the nearby Tower of London. "The Prince of Wales's Feathers, the Arms of Westminster, the Fleur-de-lis of France, and Thistle of Scotland are still standing on the front of this ancient mansion [the second house, with the projecting bay-windows]; and it is just possible that the house was once the residence of Prince Henry, son of James the First, as the monogram, yet visible, bears the initials, H. S." (61). The Earls of Northumberland, Lord Cecil, and Richard the Third while yet he was the Protector all had rersidences in the area of these "mean-looking houses: the poetry of ancient London is dead."
Last modified 23 July 2010