St. Paul's Coffee-house

Paul's (St.) Coffee-house stood at the corner of the entrance from St. Paul's Churchyard to Doctors' Commons, on the site of Paul's Brewhouse and the Paul's Head Tavern. Here, in 1721, Dr. Rawlinson's books were sold. "They sold," says Thoresby, "at a prodigious rate."¹ The sale took place in the evening, after dinner.

On Tuesday I will wait on you, by one o'clock, at St. Paul's Coffee House, by Doctors' Commons gate, from whence we may go down together at the tavern next door [which was Truby's].—Aaron Hill to David Mallet, June 2, 1743.

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¹ Thoresby's Diary, vol. ii. p. 365.

974. Paul's Coffee House, 'at the West End of St. Paul's', St. Paul's Churchyard; and 'adjoining Dean's Court at the West End of St. Paul's'. This may be the same house as the one listed by Ashton, 1702–14, as 'Paul's Street Coffee-house' St. Paul's Churchyard, but so far I find no connecting link.

1709–10

The Proprietor of Paul's Coffee House in 1709–10 was George Causey, and both he and the coffee-house come to light in connexion with certain negotiations between Charles Pavey and the Company of London Insurers.
     ReItan in his 'Fire Insurance Companies' (1893) says a Deed was executed between the two parties, whereby Pavey surrendered to the Company 'all his Rights and Interest in the Sun Fire Office' for various cash considerations. On the same day 'the Company did agree with George Causey for One room in his house called the Paul's Coffee house for one year at fifteen pounds p an with the use of the forward room for the general meetings upon due notice with the Closet for Coals; his Servant to Clean ye room & light the fire.' ReIton adds, that Paul's Coffee House was adjoining to Dean's Court at the West End of St. Paul's.
     The above agreement is embodied in the facsimile reproduction of the 'Minutes of the first meeting of the Sun Fire Office in Causey's Coffee House, St. Paul's Church Yard, 1710' in Dickson's book 'The Sun Insurance Office 1710–1960'. Apart from Mr. Dickson's, I find no other reference to 'Causey's Coffee House'.

1711

The Sun Fire Office (by which name The Company of London Insurers became known) remained at Paul's Coffee House for about one year, and on March 21, 1711, a new office was taken near the Royal Exchange. There, according to ReItan, and Dickson, they were to have two rooms on the first floor in a house belonging to Mrs. Alice Garway next door to the Amsterdam Tavern in Sweeting's Rents at a rental of £18 per annum. This reference to Garway, or Garraway, has led several writers to place the Sun Fire Office at Garraways Coffee House in Exchange Alley. Although Thomas Garraway was in Sweeting's Rents in 1657–58, the late Dr. Kenneth Rogers suggests he removed to Exchange Alley in 1670. There may be a connexion between Mrs. Alice Garway and Thomas Garraway.

1729

To return to Paul's Coffee House, the next mention I find is in the 'London Evening Post', Numb. 192, for March 1–4, 1729: '... A Catalogue of the Stock of John Groenewehen' is advertised for sale 'containing several scarce Books collected in France, Italy, Germany and Holland. Books of Mathematicks, Architecture.... To be sold by Auction, on Monday 10th instant, at PAUL'S Coffee-house, at the West End of St. Paul's at Six o'Clock precisely, and to continue every evening till all are sold. By Tho. Ballard. The Books may be viewed three Days before the Sale begins. Catalogues are to be had ... Price 6d.'
     No later reference comes to light, but the several coffee-houses known as 'Paul's', 'Paul's Head', 'Paul's Street', 'St. Paul's', 'St. Paul's & Doctors' Commons' and 'The Coffee House at the West End of St. Paul's' are to be found well confused by various writers. They existed with dates varying from 1662 till 1840 and will be found listed in this work according to contemporary accounts, rather than by supposition.

     See Paul's Street Coffee House. No. 976.
            St. Paul's Coffee House. No. 1141.
            St. Paul's & Doctors' Commons Coffee House. No. 1143.
            'The Coffee House at the West End of St. Paul's.' No. 1335.

1141. St. Paul's Coffee House, St. Paul's Churchyard. Both Cunningham, and Wheatley, place this house at 'the corner of the entrance from St. Paul's Churchyard to Doctors' Commons, on the site of Paul's Brewhouse and the Paul's Head Tavern'. Thornbury says it stood at the corner of the archway of Doctors' Commons on the site of Paul's Brew House. From these descriptions the site can be identified on Rocque's map, 1746.

1702

Mentioned in Portland MSS, Harley Papers, II, 34.

1713

Thomas Ballard, Bookseller, at 'The Rising Sun' in Little Britain, published 16 November 1713, a catalogue of part of the library formed by William Salmon, for sale by auction at St. Paul's Coffee House on that date. William Salmon (1644–1713) was an interesting character; regarded as a quack, he travelled to New England, and upon returning to England, set up near the Smithfield gate of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. He published a number of books mainly on medicine, and in 1684 produced a prophetic almanac, the 'London Almanack' known later as 'Salmon's Almanack' which 'combined prophecies with dates and was a precursor of Old Moore'. Mrs. Salmon 'carried on what was probably the first wax-work show in London at the Turkish Seraglio in St. Martin's near Aldersgate Street, and afterwards removed to the "Golden Salmon" at Temple Bar'. (D.N.B., and Thompson's—Quacks of Old London.)

1721–22

At St. Paul's Coffee-house, on 4th March, 1721–22, Thomas Ballard, sold the first part of the library of Thomas Rawlinson, the bibliophile. The sale took place after dinner in the evening 'at a prodigious rate'. In passing, it may be mentioned that Rawlinson, on 22 Sept 1724, married his servant Amy Frewin, formerly a maid at a coffee-house in Aldersgate Street. (D.N.B.)

1723

Mentioned—Ralph Thoresby's Diary, II, 364.

1735–38

Mentioned in the private and business letter-book of Edward Strong (1675–1741) son of the master mason of st. Paul's. (Notes & Queries, 22 April, 1922.)

1743

Wheatley quotes Aaron Hill to David Mallet, 2 June 1743: 'On Tuesday I will wait on you, by one o'clock, at St. Paul's Coffee House by Doctors' Commons gate, from whence we may go down together at the tavern next door.' Which Wheatley says was Truby's. See No. 1383.

1754

'The Connoisseur" No.1, 31 Jan. 1754: 'Mr. Town' the critic remarks, after being at Batson's Coffee-house 'reckoned the seat of solemn stupidity' was glad to emerge from 'these dismal regions ... to breathe the pure air in St. Paul's Coffee-house'.

1759

Kents directory, 1759, gives St. Paul's Coffee House, St. Paul's Churchyard, as the address of John Boubilla, Merchant;

1763

Mortimer's for 1763 announces that 'Rowley has opened a Public Book' at the St. Paul's Coffee-house 'for registering such Houses and Lodgings as are to be lett: by which·method all persons who are in want of either may be accommodated by inspecting his Book'.

1763–64

About this time, Bonnell Thornton (1724–68) miscellaneous writer and wit', refers to St. Paul's Coffee House where 'tattered crapes' or poor parsons were wont to ply 'for an occasional burial or sermon': the same writer relates how a party of bucks by hoaxing proffer of a curacy 'drew all the poor parsons to St. Paul's Coffee house where the bucks themselves sat in another box to smoke their rusty wigs and brown cassocks'.

1769

James Boswell relates on 21 Sept 1769: '... I went to a club to which I belong. It meets every other Thursday at St. Paul's Coffee House.
     It consists of clergymen, physicians, and several other professions. There are of it: Dr. Franklin, Rose of Chiswick, Burgh of Newington Green, Mr. Price who writes on morals, Dr. Jeffries, a keen Supporter of the Bill of Rights, and a good many more. We have wine and punch upon the table. Some of us smoke a pipe, conversation goes on pretty formally, sometimes sensibly and sometimes furiously. At nine there is a side-board with Welsh rabbits and apple puffs, porter and beer. Our reckoning is about 18d a head ... ' (Boswell In Search of a Wife. Brady and Pottle, Heinemann, 1957.)

1772

On 26 March 1772, Boswell relates: 'I went to the London Coffee-house on Ludgate Hill, to which the master of the late coffee-house in St. Paul's Churchyard, where a club of which I was admitted a member met every other Thursday, was removed....' (Boswell for the Defence, 1769–1774. Wimsatt and Pottle, Heinemann, 1960.)
     Boswell here indicates the St. Paul's Coffee-house is closed.

1796–98

In fact I find no contemporary mention of the house between 1772 and 1796 when it is listed in the directories as St. Paul's Coffee House. Two years later, the Universal British Directory, 1798, gives St. Paul's and Doctors' Commons Coffee House 'by Alcock and Berry', South side of St. Paul's Churchyard.

1799

In Lowndes' directory 1799, is listed 'Doctors' Commons Coffee House—see St. Paul's' which is given as 'St. Paul's Coffee House, 5, St. Paul's Churchyard'. The directories throw no light on the query which arises here: whether the original house closed by 1772; whether it removed elsewhere; and whether it re-opened in 1796? A period of 24 years is too long to suppose the latter. The fact remains, the directories 1796 give St. Paul's Coffee-House; from 1798 to 1819 St. Paul's & Doctors' Commons Coffee House and from 1822 to 1840 reverts to St. Paul's Coffee House, described in 1840 as St. Paul's Coffee House & Hotel.

     As it is possible a change of location is involved, the houses are listed separately here.

     See Paul's Coffee House. No. 974.
            Paul's Street Coffee House. No. 976.
            St. Paul's Coffee House. No. 1142.
            St. Paul's & Doctors' Commons Coffee House. No. 1143.
            The Coffee House at the West End of St. Paul's. No. 1335.

1143. St. Paul's & Doctors' Commons Coffee House, South Side of St. Paul's Churchyard. This house appears to be the same as the preceding one.

1798

First mentioned in the Universal British Directory, 1798, Proprietors—Alcock and Berry-'South side of St. Paul's Churchyard'.

1801–22

From 1801 till 1819 or 1822, as St. Paul's Churchyard without indication of number. In 1805–07 the Proprietor is given as J. Harde. In 1809–11 as Wm. Stuckey. In 1814, 1819 and 1822 editions of 'Picture of London' Proprietor is not given.

     See St. Paul's Coffee House. No. 1411.
            St. Pauls' Coffee House. No. 1142.