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The address is also commonly listed as City Road (or City Terrace, City Road in 1856). There was a pub called the Shepherd and Shepherdess on this site prior to the cosntruction of the Eagle, as can be clearly seen on Horwood's 1799 map of London. Shepherdess Walk was known as Shepherd and Shepherdess Walk at this time, presumably after the pub. *
Originally known as the Shepherd and Shepherdess Tavern, the building had become a landmark as early as 1806. By June 1818, the Shepherd and Shepherdess Tavern had become the Eagle Tavern. ***
In 1822, Thomas Rouse acquired the lease and would go on to renovate the site, making it one of the largest places of public entertainment in London.
During this period, the tavern also became the base for Henry Hunt, an activist and political agitator. He used the tavern for political meetings, dinners and protests, and in this way bought patronage and popularity.
The 1830s saw the Eagle Tavern prosper, with musicals, sporting activities such as boxing, a pleasure garden, the Grecian Theatre, a dance floor, billiard rooms, theme park rides and tourist attractions such as the coronation gate.
The entertainment also attracted literary attention; Charles Dickens visited the site and wrote about it in Miss Evans and the Eagle, and the nursery rhyme, Pop Goes the Weasel, is about the negative impact the Eagle Tavern was having on the population of London.
Upon Rouse’s retirement, Mr T. Clark took on the lease and the place quickly deteriorated. Two years later, he placed the lease on the market.
William Booth, convinced that the Eagle’s locality would be a good place to “train future evangelists” and the Grecian Theatre an ideal building for a corps, sent an officer, dressed in disguise, to the auction, and on 10 August 1882, The Salvation Army purchased the 17-year lease on the property.
Following some renovations, the Grecian Corps and Eagle Temperance Hotel was opened on 21 September 1882. Around 10,000 people attended the first meeting, with another 30,000 gathered outside to demonstrate against the Army.
Despite this opposition, within months of opening the Grecian Corps had recorded 1800 seekers for salvation. Many Londoners, disgruntled by the loss of their hotel and theatre, tried, through legal action, to end the Army’s lease on the property.
The first court case saw a win for the Army, but a second case, arguing against the Army holding a liquor license without serving alcohol, was successful.
Subsequently, a sign on the door of the Eagle Tavern read: “William Booth, licensed to sell beer, &c., to be drunk on and off the premises.” Opponents took further, successful legal action to remove the tavern lease from the Army, but the loss of the Eagle, according to the Army, only increased the success of the Grecian Corps.
Thousands would attend meetings, a Grecian “Slum” Corps was planted nearby by young people, and crime rates in the area decreased. However, in late 1898, the Grecian Corps, following further court cases, was eventually forced out of the building and conducted its meetings as open-air events.
In August 1900, the current Eagle Tavern was built and opened (pictured right). A year later, a police station was opened on the site of the old Grecian Theatre. The Grecian Corps became Hoxton Corps and is still an active place of Christian outreach.
*** This article is an edited extract of a paper that appeared in the September edition of The Australasian Journal of Salvation Army History, by Garth R. Hentzschel.
A listing of historical public houses, Taverns, Inns, Beer Houses and Hotels in Shoreditch, East London.
Eagle, Shepherdess Walk - in March 2007
Kindly provided by Stephen Harris
Residents at this address.
1790/John Bartlett/vintner/../../Sun Fire Office records held at the London Metropolitan Archives *
1825/Mr Rouse/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association
1833-34/Thomas Rouse/../../../Pigots Directory
1834/Mr Thomas Rouse/../../../Licensed Victuallers Association
Morning Advertiser. 19 October 1837
Theatrical Licences to places of Public Entertainment within the County of Middlesex, to be applied for this day.
Pursuant to the Act of the 26th George II to grant licences for "public music, dancing, or other public entertainments of the like kind.
The Eagle Tavern, City road -Thomas Rouse
1839/Thomas Rouse/../../../Pigots Directory
1841/Thomas Rouse/../../../Post Office Directory *
1851/Benjamin O Conquest/Victualler/46/London/Census
1851/Anne Conquest/Wife/45/Wandsworth, Surrey/Census
1851/Amelia Conquest/Daughter/12/London/Census
1851/Lousia Conquest/Daughter/8/London/Census
1851/Isabella Conquest/Daughter/4/London/Census
1851/George Augustus Conquest/Son/13 months/London/Census
1851/Ann Bennett/Sister in Law, Barmaid/43/Wandsworth, Surrey/Census
1851/Eliza Twin/Barmaid/24/London/Census
1851/Martha Beats/Barmaid/27/Yarbrook/Census
1851/Eliza Allen/Barmaid/23/Wiltshire/Census
1851/Anna Skates/Barmaid/22/Hertfordshire/Census
1851/Emma Hacket/Housemaid & Barmaid/23/Bigsden/Census
1851/Ann Massey/Cook/39/Southill, Bedfordshire/Census
1851/Joseph Weatch/Pot Boy/19/London/Census
1856/Benjamin Oliver Conquest/../../../Post Office Directory
1861/Benjamin Oliver Conquest/Victualler/57/City of London/Census
1861/Clarissa Ann Conquest/Wife/57/Wandsworth, Surrey/Census
1861/George Augs Conquest/Son, Comedian/23/Whitechapel, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Conquest/Daughter in Law/22/Hoxton, Middlesex/Census
1861/Clarissa A Conquest/Daughter, Actress/35/Whitechapel, Middlesex/Census
1861/Amelie Conquest/Daughter/22/Whitechapel, Middlesex/Census
1861/Laura Conquest/Daughter/19/Whitechapel, Middlesex/Census
1861/Isabella Conquest/Daughter/15/Mary le Bow, Middlesex/Census
1861/George A Conquest/Grandson/3/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Conquest/Grand Daughter/1/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1861/Ann G/Sister in Law, Housekeeper/53/Wandsworth, Surrey/Census
1861/Mary A Staples/Cook/29/Whitechapel, Middlesex/Census
1861/Elizabeth Goldsmith/Ladies Maid/28/Hendrincham, Norfolk/Census
1861/Sarah Abraham/Barmaid/26/Lechenlell, Norfolk/Census
1861/Jane Lawson/Barmaid/35/Whitehaven, Cumberland/Census
1861/Annie Stubbington/Barmaid/34/Southampton, Hampshire/Census
1861/Jane Tooth/Housemaid/25/Hoxton, Middlesex/Census
1861/Thos Cook/Barman/30/Hayton, Yorkshire/Census
1869/Benjamin Oliver Conquest/../../../Post Office Directory *
November 1870/Benjamin Oliver, Widower marries Jane Elizabeth
Allen/../../../Marriage
1871/Benjamin O Conquest/Licensed Victualler & Proprietor of Grecian Theatre
employing 130 persons/64/Middlesex/Census
1871/Jane E Conquest/Wife/22/Cambridgeshire/Census
1871/George Conquest/Grandson/13/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Conquest/Grand Daughter/11/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Laura Conquest/Grand Daughter/8/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Amy Conquest/Grand Daughter/4/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Louisa Conquest/Grand Daughter/2/Shoreditch, Middlesex/Census
1871/Harriett Parsons/Barmaid/31/Kent/Census
1871/Mary Moore/Barmaid/28/Middlesex/Census
1871/Sarah E Sladden/Barmaid/28/Fulham, Middlesex/Census
1871/Elizabeth Baskett/Cook/23/Hastings, Sussex/Census
1871/Anne Bryant/Housemaid/28/Middlesex/Census
1871/Mary McNamara/House & Nurserymaid/25/Dublin, Ireland/Census
July 1872/Benjamin Oliver Conquest/Aged 68, of 46 New North Road,
Hoxton/../../Death register
16 August 1872/The Will of Benjamin Oliver otherwise known as Benjamin
Oliver Conquest late of the "Eagle tavern" 2 Shepherdess walk City road in
the County of Middlesex Victualler who died 5 July 1872 at 46 New North road
in the said County was proved at the Principal Registry by George Augustus
Oliver otherwise known as George Augustus Oliver Conquest of the "Eagle
Tavern" Victuallr the Son one of the Executors. Effects under £20,000/Will
August 1872/Benjamin Oliver, deceased, the late occupier/Outgoing
Licensee/../../Era
August 1872/George Augustus Oliver/Incoming Licensee/../../Era
May 1879/G A Oliver/Outgoing Licensee/../../East London Observer
May 1879/T S Clark/Incoming Licensee/../../East London Observer
1881/Thomas G Clark/Proprietor Grecian Theatre/40/Middlesex/Census
1881/Catherine Clark/Wife/32/Clerkenwell, Middlesex/Census
1881/William Green/Barman/25/Colchester/Census
1881/Caroline Ball/Visitor, Companion/20/Holborn, Middlesex/Census
1881/W H Davis/Barman/22/Mile End, Middlesex/Census
1881/Georgina Bell/General Servant/18/Clerkenwell, Middlesex/Census
1881/William Ball/Barman/16/Holborn, Middlesex/Census
1881/H Clark/Barman/20/Holborn, Middlesex/Census
1882/Thomas George Clark/../../../Post Office Directory *
1895/George Tomalin/../../../Post Office Directory *
1899/William Mills/../../../Post Office Directory *
1910/Edmund Hearn/../../../Post Office Directory
1915/Henry Richard Baynes/../../../Post Office Directory *
1921/Hy Richard Baynes/../../../Post Officee Directory
In 1921 census at 2, Shepherdess Walk, Shoreditch,
Henry Richard Baynes, Licensed Victualler, aged 50 years 10 months, and born in London, the Employer
Ethel Baynes, Wife, aged 30 years 1 month, and born in Bury St Edmund's, Suffolk
Thomas Knowles, Barmaid, Employer, H R Baynes, aged 26 years 6 months, and born in Leeds, Yorkshire
James William Durant, Barman, Employer, H R Baynes, aged 22 years 8 months, and born in Westminster, London
Alf James Read, Learning Bar, H R Baynes, aged 18 years 4 months, and born in Islington, London
Esther McGuane, Barmaid, Employer, H R Baynes, aged 21 years 11 months, and born in Bethnal Green, London
Maud Davis, Cook, Widow, H R Baynes, aged 61 years 3 months, and born in Kensington, London
Queenie Ethel Emily Baynes, Daughter, aged 15 years 6 months, and born in London
Elsie May Baynes, Daughter, aged 13 years 11 months, and born in Hoxton, London
Major Haydon Armistice Baynes, Son, aged 2 years 7 months, and born in Hoxton, London
1934/Horace Edward Emly/../../../Kellys Directory
1938/Joseph C Dear/../../../Post Office Directory
1944/John Sydney Hawkins/../../../Post Office Directory *
* Provided By Ewan
** Provided By Stephen Harris
*** Provided By Murray Wright
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