Beggars Bush: A Perambulation through the Disciplines of History, Geography, Archaeology, Literature, Philology, Natural History, Botany, Biography & Beggary

W. T. Moncrieff Gipsy Jack, or, The Napoleon of humble life c.1834

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Posted: April 20th, 2012 | Filed under: Writers | Tags: , , , | No Comments »


Kensington & Acton, Middlesex, London Beggars Bush 1736

Proceedings of the Old Bailey record the case against Thomas Dwyer and James O Neal for highway robbery. On 8th September 1736 the evidence of the victim, “James Maintrew . July the 31st, I was coming from Horton in Buckinghamshire; at Beggars-bush, between Acton and Kensington, there is a Bridge, and by that Bridge there is a Dunghill and a Gate”. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: October 9th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: , | No Comments »


Blackheath, London Beggers Bush 1695

A Survey of the king’s lordship or manor of East Greenwich by Samuel Travers (1695) shows “Beggers Bush” as a feature south of Greenwich Park. The words appear east of what is now Tranquil Vale, just south of the crossroads with Hare & Billet Lane, next to which is it says “A Cross”. It appears to at the point where the boundary between Greenwich and Lewisham meets the road.
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Posted: March 26th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »


Anon Londons Ordinarie 1629 ?

This broadside ballad “To a pleasant new tune” survives in a variety of editions.  The English Broadside Ballad Archive has two dated from 1619-1629 and 1630, while the Bodleian Library Broadside Ballads lists three further versions dated between 1674 and 1679. All of these include similar text which lists places, mainly hostelries (ordinaries) linked with the characters of the people who used them. Notably it is the spendthrifts who go to Beggars Bush – which is consistent with the literary usage of the phrase. It is sometimes connected to a song by Thomas Heywood, first published in 1608. For the full text see Londons Ordinarie.
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Posted: March 20th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »


Sticky: Southwark, Surrey Beggars Bush c.17-c.18

There seem to have been at least two Beggars Bush pubs in London; one in St Giles north of the Thames and one in Southwark south of the river. Beyond that little can be reliably said about the Southwark example. It was probably in Gravel Lane  near Paris Garden. It was there in the reign of William III (1688-1702). It may have been in existence earlier during the period that Southwark was the centre of theatrical activity in London, and the home of writers such as John Fletcher. It is likely to be the inn referred to in the ballad London’s Ordinarie c.1685.

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Posted: March 19th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: , , , , , , | No Comments »


Thomas Heywood The Rape of Lucrece 1608

Thomas Heywood is significant because he does not use Beggars Bush when he might have done, but he does associate beggars with bushes. This song appears to be the source or have a common source with, a later ballad Londons Ordinary which does refer to Beggars Bush.
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Posted: March 19th, 2011 | Filed under: Writers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | No Comments »


St Giles, London Beggars Bush c.1660

A disreputable inn known as The Beggars Bush or The Beggar in the Bush is reputed to have operated until the reign of Charles II during which the name was changed to Hare and Hounds.  Although the old name was replaced it was remembered. The history of this pub seems to have been confused with another in Southwark, south of the Thames. It may be the inn was referred to in the ballad London’s Ordinarie. It was indirectly, through a book, the source of the name of the pub in Ubud, Bali, and (possibly) through that a restaurant in Manchester. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: March 19th, 2011 | Filed under: Places | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments »