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GEORGE'S COFFEE-HOUSE, 213 Strand.
No. 213, Strand, near Temple Bar, was a noted resort in the last and present
century. When it was a coffee house, one day, there came in Sir James Lowther,
who after changing a piece of silver with the coffee- woman, and paying twopence
for his dish of coffee, was helped into his chariot, for he was very lame and
infirm, and went home : some little time afterwards, he returned to the same
coffee- house, on purpose to acquaint the woman who kept it, that she had given
him a bad half-penny, and demanded another in exchange for it. Sir James had
about 40,000/. per annum, and was at a loss whom to appoint his heir.
Shenstone, who found
"The warmest welcome at an inn," found George's to be economical. " What do you
think," he writes, " must be my expense, who love to pry into everything of the
kind ? Why, truly one shilling. My company goes to George's Coffee-house, where,
for that small subscription I read all pamphlets under a three shillings'
dimension ; and indeed, any larger would not be fit for coffee-house perusal."
Shenstone relates that Lord Orford was at George's, when the mob that were
carrying his Lordship in effigy, came into the box where he was, to beg money of
him, amongst others : this story Horace Walpole contradicts, adding that he
supposes Shenstone thought that after Lord Orford quitted his place, he went to
the coffee-house to learn news.
Arthur Murphy frequented George's, " where the town wits met every evening."
Lloyd, the law-student, sings : —
" By law let others toil to gain renown !
Florio's a gentleman, a man o' the town.
He nor courts clients, or the law regarding,
Hurries from Nando's down to Covent Garden,
Yet, he's a scholar ; mark him in the pit,
With critic catcall sound the stops of wit !
Supreme at George's, he harangues the throng,
Censor of style, from tragedy to song."
The 1829 Robsons directory places J Norman at Georges Coffee House, 213 Strand
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
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