Taken from the book

"The Life and Reminiscences of E.L Blanchard

*With notes from the Diary of W.M Blanchard"

compiled by Clement Scott and Cecil Howard

1844

July 23^rd  1844 Fatal accident at Blackfriars Pier

The accident occurred through the breaking down of the floating pier belonging to the Watermen’s Steamboats.  Too great a crowd congregated on the pier to witness the Bankside boat race.  The temporary bridge gave way; some 20 people were precipitated into the water, of whom seven lost their lives.

July 24^th  1844

Met Britton Jones, who showed me over his Blacking Warehouse. 

*This was an eccentric mercantile character who, it is said, parted with a horse and chaise for a marvellous blacking recipe, which, practically worked, was to suppress Day and Martin and so create for its own a colossal fortune.  It was to be specially used in polishing military harness at  “ a minimum of elbow grease with a maximum of lustre”.  Edward Leman Blanchard wrote advertisements for it both in verse and prose.

Nov 13^th 1844

Terrific explosion at Blackwall.  Samuda,  the engineer, and six others killed.

*This accident occurred at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday the 12th through the bursting of the main steam pipe of the ‘Gypsy Queen’ 500 tons burden and 150 horsepower.  Jacob Samuda, age 31 years, senior partner in the firm of Jacob and Joseph Samuda, and six other men were killed.

Dec17th  1844

Melancholy death, by burning, of Clara Webster.

*Mrs Webster was filling the role of Zulica, the Royal slave in the ballet of the Revolt of the Harem, on Saturday December 14^th at  Drury Lane, when her dress caught fire.  She rushed around the stage, and the flames were ultimately extinguished by Daniel Coyle, a carpenter, who was severely burned.  Mrs Webster lingered til the following Tuesday morning.  She was 21 and a neice of Benjamin Webster.

1845 Diary Lost, no entries.

1846

23^rd June 1846

B. Haydon, the celebrated artist, died yesterday suddenly.

24th June 1846

Haydon now known to have committed suicide, Poor fellow.  His diary intensely interesting.

*Benjamin Robert Haydon, a well-known and clever artist, committed suicide in the most determined manner, on Monday June the 22nd in his studio, situate 14, Burwood Place, Edgware Road.  He cut his throat and shot himself through the head.  He was 60 years of age, and was born in Plymouth.  His body was found stretched before a colossal picture of “Alfred the Great and the first British Jury” one of the series of six which he hoped to get accepted for the walls of the new Houses of Parliament.  He had for 26 years kept very complete diaries of his daily life and actions, successes and trials, the last entry was for June the 22nd "God forgive me,  Amen!" B. R. Haydon. Pecuniary troubles and artistic disappointments appear to have unhinged an otherwise sound intellect, for he was pious and temperate man.  The jury returned a verdict that he was in an unsound state of mind when he committed the sad act.   Sir Robert Peel had granted him some weeks before, a sum of 50 pounds.

Dec 2^nd  1846

Give Jefferini a song. Much pleased.

*A very clever pantomime clown - whose real name being Jeffreys - who in addition to clowning at festive seasons, for many years kept a tobacconist shop known as ‘The Little Snuffbox’ in Garnault Place, Clerkenwell.  It was also a gambling house and on its floor above the shop E.L Blanchard had often watched punters and players over French hazard and ecarte.

Jeffreys was a very tall man and his long legs made leaps through mimic shop windows exceedingly perilous.  On one occasion, when going through this mirth making performance, the clown missed his mark and fell, whereby an internal injury was sustained, the effects of which he ever felt when exploiting in feats of nimbleness and agility, even to suffering the most intense agony.  In later years his facial contortions, which excited roars of laughter from the audience, were only a vent for the tortures the poor fellow in motley suffered from internal pain consequent on his leaping and dancing.

Jeffreys set to a publican’s artist, and the sign portraiture which for a long period  (1842 to 1849) adorned externally The Clown Tavern,  St Johns Street Road, was the face and form of the popular Jefferini.

It was during this year that the three little publications, entitled respectively "Bradshaw's descriptive guide to the South Eastern Railway" etc, and complete "Guides to Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury, Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate, Margate, etc;  Together with their Historical and Local Associations, by E. L. Blanchard" and "Bradshaw's Descriptive Guide to the Great Western Railway, part II, from Bristol to Plymouth, containing Everything of Importance to the Railway Tourist, and forming a Complete Travellers Companion to  each Town and Station along the Way, and the Attractive Scenery Adjacent, by E. L Blanchard" were published by W.J Adams, of Fleet Street.

*
This work of which has now grown to such colossal proportions, and which is our Railway guide, not only for Great Britain but in its continental form all over Europe, and, one might almost say every part of the world-first appeared on October 19, 1839.  Its originator was a Quaker, George Bradshaw, who was an engraver of maps and plans of cities.  This brought him into connection with the railways and he conceived the idea of printing a little manual which would set forth the times of the arrival and departure of trains.  A year previous to this, John Gadsby of Manchester had published “Gadsby’s Monthly Railway Guide, but he does not appear to have had sufficient energy to have carried on his enterprise.  The first number of Bradshaw was a little book just 4 1/2 inches by two one half, bound in violet cloth and entitled "Bradshaw's Railway Timetables and Assistant to Railway Travelling"

Edward Blanchard was early concerned in the venture, and tells us that the companies were, at first, vehemently opposed to the scheme and, in their niggardly way, refused to supply their tables on the odd grounds that this would make punctuality a sort of obligation, and that failure would bring penalties.  G. Bradshaw however was not to be repulsed and by various devices, notably by and taking many shares brought over the hostile companies.  Bradshaw had as his London agent Mr Adams, of Fleet Street, with whom E. L. Blanchard was so frequently connected in various literary groups.

1847

*In 1847 England was visited with a severe epidemic, answering to the influenza of spring 1890, which was called ‘La Grippe’

Edward Leman Blanchard wrote a little book on this, prescribing remedies for it, and signed ‘Medicus’.  This had a wide circulation and sold for 1s.  No one suspected it was by the same pen that edited the ‘London Journal’ and other papers of the day. 

May 1847– Write piece for George KENT about his patent for a rotary knife machine.

 
*‘The People’s Press’ was a monthly publication in the Isle of Man, priced at one and hapence, edited by William SHRIMP, which could be posted and reposted in the United Kingdom free of charge – an old priveledge repealed at the close of 1848. 

June 4^th

Maudsleys factory burnt down.

*MAUDSLEYS, the engineers, Westminster Rd, Lambeth, nearly totally destroyed, but insured.  No lives lost

Trivia

Old Mr Saker, the comedian and father of Mrs R.H Wyndham, at the time he was engaged in the opening of the New Brunswick Theatre at Poplar, made a virtuous resolution that he would give up drinking of the morning before going to rehearsal; however he thought he would have one final glass of ale at a house opposite the theatre before he went in, and then be adamant in his resolve ever afterwards.  Whilst this last glass was in the course of consumption, there was a crash and a cloud of dust; the roof of the theatre opposite had fallen in, and several persons were killed and many wounded.  This occurred on April 29, 1828.  Mr Saker, ever after this unfortunate accident, used to expatiate on the great advantage of taking a glass of ale before rehearsal.

The Author's note that  for a great percentage of 1848 E.L Blanchard neglected his diaries and there was nothing specially worthy of notice until early 1849.

1849

29th March 1849

Olympic Theatre burned.  Began at 5.30, in ruins by 6

*This was, perhaps one of the most rapid conflagrations known, and originated in the old old green velvet curtain ( which drew aside from the centre), catching fire at the gas jet in the prompter's box.

21sts May 1849

Cobbler's holiday as usual.  Ball and myself saunter amid green lanes, and dine at Tottenham.  Very showery, drenched dismally, but pleasant day nevertheless.

1850

27^th June 1850

Attack on the Queen.

*This refers to the blow with a light cane received by her Majesty on the forehead as she was leaving Cambridge House Piccadilly when seated in a carriage with three of the royal children.  Her Majesty's assailant was Robert Pate a retired Lt from the 10th Hussars are very gentlemanly looking and quietly dressed man.

2^nd July 1850

Sir Robert Peel, having met with a lamentable accident on Saturday last, dies at 11 this night.

*Sir Robert Peel's death arose from his being thrown from his horse on Saturday afternoon, as he was returning up Constitution Hill, from calling at Buckingham Palace.  He was born February 5th 1788.

 6^th Aug 1850

Leave London by 12:15 train at noon, via London and Birmingham Railway and Trent Valley.  Stopped at Stafford  the night, The Vine Inn; but not at all comfortable-wretched place and stupid people.

Walk to Stafford Castle, then by to Manchester, and of course found it raining.  Met Mr Bradshaw;  home with him to his house. Quiet Quaker like evening.  Introduced to wife and family.

8^th Aug 1850

About Manchester all day, going over factories.  Great objections raised by many.  Meet Darkin, Jr, from London, at Railway Station.

*This was for Bradshaw's Handbook to the manufacturing districts of Great Britain, furnishing a very instructive detail of the various branches of art carried on in the counties of Lancaster, Chester, Stafford and Warwick, by Edward Blanchard.  Illustrated with  well executed County maps and published by W. J. Adams, 59 Fleet Street, London.  

9^th Aug 1850

Still in the cotton Opelousas; visit engine makers, Umbro makers, etc pouring in torrents all day.

10th Aug 1850

Start for Liverpool.  Meet Watkins; pleasant chat with him, having surprised him by a visit.  The round of the concert rooms.

 12th Aug 1850

Yesterday (Sunday) went with Watkins, A. Key, Esq.  and Ford to village of Hale, 10 miles from Liverpool.  Child of Hale (with the golden air).  Delightful drive.  To day visiting the town.  Pleasant evening with Witty (editor of Liverpool Journal ), Rickards, and others.  Songs and Supper.

13 August 1850

Sat for photographic portrait.  Start at noon to Kendal; fine scenery.  Sleep at a Barrow’s Commercial Inn.  Beginning to feel very cheerless through want of congenial companions.  Wrote letters and then to bed.

14th of August 1850

Walk at nine to Windermere Lake (14 miles).  Beautiful prospects all the way.  Leave Bowness;  miss road, over Troutbeck Hills, and reach Ambleside, knocked up, in evening.  Visit Rydal.  

15th of August 1850

Place full of company;  charges exorbitant.  Walk to Keswick, 16 miles.  Stopped at Kings Arms.  Visit Flintoff's model.  Stroll to Grasmere and Wandsworth grave on my way to Keswick. Beautiful walk

 16th of August 1850

After visiting church – Southey’s exquisite memorial - Derwentwater, and off by coach  round Ulleswater and Saddleback Mount to Penrith, and thence to Carlisle, where I sleep at the Commercial Inn.  Wretched town and dirty people.  

 17th of August 1850

Visit Dixon's cotton manufactory, and back to Kendal for the carpetbag.  Meet Distin family.  

18 August 1850

Wet Day.  Leave at night for Lancaster and sleep at the Golden Ball.  No gas, no companionship ‘no nuffin’.

1851

23^rd June 1851

Fire blazing over London.  Out toWiseman’s at night to know all about it.  At Humphreys Wharf.

*This very destructive fire consumed three huge blocks of buildings and threatened the beautiful and ancient Ladye Chapel of St Saviour’s Church and the curious old habitations known as Overman's Almshouses.  The origin of the fire was not traced but was suspected to be owing to an incendiary.  

Ninth of July 1851

The Queen visits the city at half-past nine pm.  Very gay scenes, illuminations, and so forth.

Her Majesty excepted to the invitation of the Corporation to be present at a grand ball given at the Guildhall in honour of the Exhibition, to which 3000 guests were asked.  The Queen went in state, her retinue occupying eight carriages.  Supper was served in the Crypt.  Some curious old Amontillado, Steinberg Vintage 1822, Sherry, 105 years old, some of which cost the Emperor Napoleon 600 pounds per butt, and Muscatel and Paxarete were among the wines served at the royal table, which was circular in form.  Wine glasses, dinner napkins, desert plates (Rose du Barri) were specially manufactured for the occasion.

2nd September 1851

In The Times account of discovery of gold in Australia.  

3 October 1851

Write about "Taking the Census".

1852

Monday 6^th Aug  1852

 Madam Poitevin  ascends from Cremorne with a parachute , and descends safely on Clapham Common.

*The balloon was the ‘Zodiac’, the parachute the ‘Meteor’.  The descent was from between three and four thousand feet altitude.  

27th of December 1852

1853

R. Honner’s death.

*Robert William Honner was born 1809 and died December 31^st 1852.  Much respected, he was the son of a solicitor and schoolfellow of Joe Grimaldi…..In 1832, he met and married Miss McCarthy, a talented actress…..

11th Jan 1853

Go to Drury Lane to see Charles Reade’s piece of “Gold”

*This was the story of the Australian gold diggings: its main incidents were interwoven in “Never to Late to Mend” produced later. 

21^st April 1853

See Haydon’s picture of Napoleon to be sent by Mrs Barrett to the Empress this week.

 11^th June 1853

Off to Stratford-upon-Avon by coach, ….delightful walk over the meadows.  Stop at the Golden Lion. Harry Hartley landlord; a glorious fellow and very comfortable.
 

To St James Church by ten to see my dear friend W.S Woodin married to Miss Frances Susannah Sprague, then to a grand wedding breakfast at New Moon St. 

30^th November 1853

Meet Harrison – Times Newspaper uses nine tons of paper per day. 

19^th January 1854

See account of Smith taking Shadwell Workhouse for a theatre.

*E.T Smith purchased the freehold estate on which the Workhouse stood, sold by the Stepney Union, the entire area comprised 17,066ft., the workhouse stood on 3,800 ft of ground. 

15^th June 1854

Ascot Gold Cup run for, Western Australian winning and for the first time, putting 10s in my pocket.

29^th September 1854

Writing all day for ‘Era’ the memoir of poor Mrs Warner.

*Mary Amelia Warner , died September 24^th 1854. Born at Manchester in 1804.  She was the daughter of Huddart the actor: and, as Miss Huddart, began her acting career when only 15 years of age.  In 1837 she married Robert William Warner, landlord of the Wrekin Tavern in Broad Court.  Mrs Warner went twice to America, but returned home in 1853, a confirmed invalid.   She left a son and a daughter. 

30^th September 1854

Pantomime ordered in honour of the Allied Forces gaining victory over Russians. News of the fall of Sebastapol. 

Hear of Charles Kemble’s death yesterday.

*Youngest brother of John Philip Kemble and Mrs Siddons and born at Brecknock, South Wales in November 1775.  Educated at Douai;  was in the post office for 12 months but left it to appear as Orlando in ‘As You Like It’ in Sheffield in 1772. In 1806 he married Miss Theresa Decamp, by whom he left three children – Mrs Butler, Mrs Sartoris and Rev. John Kemble. Died Nov 12^th 1854 aged 79.
 

30^th December 1854

Yesterday my friend Woodin was made the papa of a nice little boy. On the same evening he opens ‘The Carpet Bag’ in Birmingham.

Monday 16^th April 1855

Great Excitement in the town; arrival of the Emperor and Empress of the French.

19^th March 1855

The Emperor’s visit to the city; all of London in a ferment.

26^th March 1855

The electric cable laid down to Balaclava direct, so as to get news from Sebastapol within 24hours!

1^st May 1855

May opens with a bright full moon and cloudless sky, blossoming buds of nature and of hope.

30^th June 1855

Intelligence of Lord Raglan’s death in paper tonight.

*He died at 8.35pm June 28^th 1855.

Sept 3^rd 1855

Smith send cheque for  £2 2s for posters, African twins and book.

*These were two negro children, Milly and Christina, five years old, “united at the lower part of their backs by a fleshy ligature, sixteen inches in circumference”. Were first seen at a private exhibition for the satisfaction of the Medical Profession and Press in the Saloon of Drury Lane Theatre.  They were very happy and cheerful, and fortunately agreed well together.  Were afterwards exhibited at the Egyptian Hall. 

5th March 1856

Fearfully and strangely interrupted at five in the morning  by a fire that levels Covent Garden to the ground.

*The cause of the fire was never ascertained.  It originated somewhere in the flies. The masquerade, given by Professor Anderson, the conjurer, was nearly at the close, in fact  God Save the Queen was being played when the cry of ‘Fire!’ was raised.  Fortunately, only some two hundred people were left in the house.  The building was uninsured and entailed great losses on the principle shareholders – the Kemble family (among others). 

7^th April 1856

Intensely horrified by reading account of the wreck of the ‘Rutledge’ a Liverpool packet ship, lost at sea on February 20^th.

*She struck an iceberg and began to fill rapidly.  Ther sole survivor of one of the boats, which, when it left the ship, contained 13 people, was Thomas W Nye, who had been exposed for nine days to the inclemency of the weather, and his hands and his feet were much frozen. 

20^th October 1856

At club: all talking of the sad catastrophe last night to Spurgeons congregation at Surrey Music Gardens.

*This arose from a false alarm of fire. The hall was densely crowded.  There were seven people killed and upwards of 50 injured.  It was a wonder, considering the thousands collected, that more serious results did not arise.  Mr Spurgeon was wonderfully calm and collected throughout the occurrence and no doubt prevented even worse arising by his presence of mind. 

Monday 26^th January 1857

Hear of Bread Riots – the 250,000 builder’s labourer’s out of employ. 

April 24^th 1857

 The day sunny, yet sombre and soft in it’s shadows and sunlight. 

April 27^th 1857

Bleak north-east winds, but pleasant nevertheless.

April 30^th 1857

Wet and windy.

May 27^th 1857

Derby Day, fine; Blink Bonny, a very dark horse, rather startling the knowing ones as a winner.

Tremendous fire at Pickfords at 10 at night, and square lit by the flames.

*One peculiarity of this fire was the turning loose of upwards of 100 horses, which galloped all over London in the wildest manner, the whole of which were not recovered for some days.  Only one, a very savage animal called “The Man Hater”, was burned; he would only allow his own particular carman, who drove him, to approach him, and as he was not on the spot no-one else could liberate the beast.  Forty thousand quarters of corn were destroyed besides other property of great value.

1^st August 1857

Crystal Palace Water Tower thrown open for the first time; fountains a great treat. 

Monday 26^th October 1857

Hear news of fall of Delhi in evening papers; excitement everywhere in consequence.

Off to Gravesend by rail to be ready for the embarkation of the Princess Royal tomorrow. Find town in a bustle.

Tuesday 2^nd February 1858

The Event.  Take my stand amidst a pitiless snowstorm.  Meet all the Press there; Murphy, Holt, Foster, Collins, Levy and so forth.

May 26^th 1858

Hear of Charles Dicken’s separation from his wife on Saturday!

15^th June 1858

Take the boys by boat to Sheerness and then encounter prize-fighting for championships on the river, and hear Tom Sayers is the victor.  Was man destined to be pummelled by another? And for cash too?

*This was the fight between Tom Sayers and Thomas Paddock for the championship of England and £200 a side. Twenty one rounds were fought, occupying and hour and forty minutes; Sayers won.

23^rd June 1858

Come to chambers by evening after experiencing the frightful effects of the black and beastly Thames, about which everyone is talking.

Weather warm, but breeze towards night.

29^th June 1858

Talk of fire at the London Docks this day; immense damage done.

*The fire burned for some seven hours and was fortunately stopped by an explosion which was caused by the contact of some sugar and saltpetre.  The damage reckoned at £100,000.

10^th August 1858

Queen’s embarkation at Gravesend, to see the Princess of Prussia. See the yacht go, also the fireworks at night.

Boxing Day 1858

*Incident at the Victoria Theatre. Happened at the afternoon performance of the pantomime through the rush of people who had seen the performance coming out, meeting a number who had collected already to see the performance.  The casualties occurred on the gallery stairs, a false alarm of fire having been raised.  There was a dreadful struggle in which there were 16 people killed and upwards of 50 injured, some most seriously.

1^st January 1859

The New year opens dim and misty.

25^th January 1859

Hear of Fowler’s death (reporter and manager of The Standard) reported in the papers.

27^th January 1859

Go to Gallery of Illustration and see good and interesting panorama of American scenery (Brewer’s)

 1^st Februry 1859

Hear of Charles Farley’s death on Friday aged 88.

*Charles Farley was born early in 1771 and made his first appearance at Covent Garden as far back as 1782 as a page.  Though he was a clever actor, he rose to greater fame as what we should now call a stage manager or producer of plays. He coached Grimaldi to play Orson and also wrote several melodramas. He retired from the stage in 1834.
 

15^th April 1859

Death of Bozia, the Zerlina of last season’s Italian opera etc, in the paper.

*She made her first appearance as Adina in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. Was celebrated as a singer throughout Europe and died, after a brief illness, at St Petersburg, April 12^th 1859.

1^st June 1859

Derby Day. Musjid winning unexpectedly.

20^th June 1859

First of the Handel festivals at Crystal Palace.

*Receipts were about £30,000 and this amount was derived from the 80,000 people who attended.

27^th June 1859

Hear of  Toole’s odd accident to the eye occurring this day.

*Toole was playing with his little boy (then three years old), and the child in some manner ran the corner of an envelope with such force into his father’s eye as to cut the eyeball.  Toole played the same night but was obliged to absent himself for two nights afterwards.

11^th July 1859

Too hot to write.

30^th July1859

Go to Albert Smith’s entertainment of China; last night of the season but see it for the first time.. much pleased.

*This was also the last time of his appearance as a bachelor, for on Monday August 1^st Albert Smith was married to Mary Keeley, by the Rev. J.C.M Bellew and started immediately after the ceremony for his beloved Chamouni.

19^th August 1859

Dr Smethurst’s trial over; found guilty and great excitement over it.

7th September 1859

Great Eastern leaves Deptford and stays off Purfleet, in Long Reach.

8^th September 1858

See the Great Eastern pass Rosherville this morning – a great event; she stays for an hour opposite the town.

*Great Eastern was commanded by Captain Harrison, piloted down the river by Atkinson, and the principle tugs in attendance were the Victoria, Napoleon, Alliance, and True Briton.  There was considerable difficulty in getting her down the Thames, on account of her draught of water – 21 feet 10 inches aft and 22 feet 3 inches forward.  Though she was badly trimmed, and yet though her draught of water was so light as not to allow her paddles or screws anything like full force, she was reckoned then the fastest vessel in the world.

28^th October 1859

Pouring rain.  Have had this week to chronicle the deaths of two old friends, Didear and Tom Manders.

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