A historical site about early London coffee houses and taverns and will also link to my current pub history site and also the London street directory
THE BRITISH COFFEE-HOUSE, Cockspur street
In Cockspur-street, "long a house of call for Scotchmen," has been fortunate in
its landladies. In 1759, it was kept by the sister of Bishop Douglas, so well
known for his works against Lauder and Bower, which may explain, its Scottish
fame. At another period it was kept by Mrs. Anderson, described in Mackenzie's
Life of Home as " a woman of uncommon talents, and the most agreeable
conversation."
The British figures in a political faction of 1750, at which date Walpole writes
to Sir Horace Mann : " The Argyll carried all the Scotch against the turnpike ;
they were willing to be carried, for the Duke of Bedford, in case it should have
come into the Lords, had writ to the sixteen Peers, to solicit their votes; but
with so little difference, that he enclosed all the letters under one cover
directed to the British Coffee-house."
* Cumberland's Memoirs, vol. i.
* Cunningham s Walpole, vol. ii. p. 196, note.
In the 1829 Robsons directory is listed
J Clement, at the British Coffee House, 27 Cockspur street
References :
Lots of references are made to two sources on the
internet archive
:
Edward Callows, Old London Taverns &
John Timbs, Club life of London Volume 2