Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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“Gracious Street” or Gracechurch Street.
William Penn
In 1670 William Penn and William Mead were arrested when the way in to the meeting house was barred but they continued to worship in the street. The jury found them guilty only of “speaking in Gracious Street” and refused to change their verdict even after two days spent in prison. This established the primacy of the jury’s decision in English law.
Gracechurch Street became one of the most important Quaker Meetings, and the neighbourhood around it became the centre of the Quaker business community in the city.
http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/quasho.htm
And, would latter figure in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” as the street in which her uncle (a tradesman) and aunt lived. A street the proud Mr. Darcy would not have known, but who eventually does, in the end, out of love for Elizabeth.
Grace Church Street
On the right side of the map (middle, vertically) Grace Church Street runs north from Eastcheap to Cornhill http://www.motco.com/map/81002/SeriesSearchPlatesFulla.asp?mode=query&title=Grace+Church+Street&artist=384&other=320&x=11&y=11
Gracious Street in 17c travel
John Taylor, The Carriers Cosmography, 1637.
Being a description of where to find coaches and carriers in London to travel to various parts of the Kingdom.
“The Carriers of Braintree and Bocking in Essex do lodge at the sign of the Tabard in Gracious street, near the Conduit. They do come on Thursdays, and go away on Fridays.”
http://www.shakespeares-sonnets.com/Carriers.htm
Gracious Street
“Gracious Street” or Gracechurch Street meeting house began as an inn like Bull and Mouth, acquired after the 1666 Great Fire, but was rebuilt as something more like our idea of a meeting house.
George Fox died at a house next door, after a meeting here on 13th January 1691 (or 1692, adjusted for the 1752 calendar change). After his funeral at the meeting house, some 4,000 people accompanied his body to Bunhill Fields for burial.
Gracechurch Street became one of the most important Quaker Meetings, and the neighbourhood around it became the centre of the Quaker business community in the city. By the eighteenth century 20-25% of the immediate population were Quakers. City Friends mingled piety with prosperity and earned reputations as sober, honest tradesmen. Some, like the Barclays, Lloyds, and Gurneys, made fortunes in trade and banking. Quaker financial knowhow and investment was important to the success of Pennsylvania. http://www.mdx.ac.uk/www/study/quasho.htm#GraciousStreet
Gracechurch street was part of the main artery from THE bridge, up hill, to Hackney & the north . see map afore. The Name varied based on the number of syllables required. Grace Church street, Gracious Street and Grass Street. From 1580 & 1588, there be a hydraulic power for the massive water wheel to bring up water which the Gracechurch Conduit used. The Conduit, an elaborate [fountain ] affair, it be located [at Lombard?]in between the main cross streets[Eastcheap & Cornhill ]. The water be free for humans, it be not known whether the old nags, be able to slake their thirst.
Lifted from Eliza Picard Elizabeth’s London.
If ye wanted the fresh Hampstead spring waters, fresh from the pond then thee pay the Water carrier a small fee, more if it be from the spring. [true maybe no proof]