Going South of the River - Clapham Old Town

Georgian Dining Academy is venturing South of the river at the kind invitation of Alix Bateman, a lady of many talents, who has put her delightful Georgian home to good use. Alix organises interesting ventures for creatives and networkers, as well as running exclusive guest house. We are joining with Alix to create a special Midsummer Eve’s Supper on 24th June 2017 (Book here).  There will a delicious menu, great entertainment and some waggery (from Dr Johnson's Dictionary)! More details about The Glebe House can be found here www.theglebehouselondon.com.
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Clapham became popular with the wealthier merchant classes of the City of London in the late 17th century, away from the general stink and fear of death and disease. They built large houses and villas around Clapham Common and the Old Town. Samuel Pepys also visited Clapham and spent the last two years of his life here until his death in 1703.

​The area attracted, particularly in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, social reformers who lived around the Common. They included the likes of William Wilberforce, Henry Thornton and Zachary Macaulay, father of the historian Thomas Macaulay, as well as William Smith, M.P., the Dissenter and Unitarian. They became known as the Clapham Sect or Saints.

They were most prominent in campaigns for the abolition of slavery as well as child labour and prison reform.

The Sect was also behind missionary activities in Britain's colonies. The Society for Missions to Africa and the East (as the Church Mission Society was first called) was founded on 12 April 1799 at a meeting of the Eclectic Society, supported by members of the Clapham Sect, who met under the guidance of John Venn (1759–1813), the Rector of Clapham.
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By contrast, an opponent of Wilberforce, merchant and slave-trader George Hibbert (1757-1837) also lived at Clapham Common, worshipping in the same church, Holy Trinity.  An eminent English merchant, politician, ship-owner, one of the principals of the West India Dock Company which instigated the construction of the West India Docks on London's Isle of Dogs in 1800. Hibbert also helped found the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in 1824. 

​The Glebe House, Rectory Grove, Clapham Old Town

​The house and stables appear on a map of 1827 and the guidebook accompanying the map states the occupier is "Russell's Livery Stables". It is likely such a substantial set of buildings had been built some time prior to this date as part of the original Manor House of Clapham Town. It was directly adjacent and possibly the stables were part of manor’s estate. Next door is the site of a church, St Paul’s, a place of worship since the 12th century. 

This small corner on which The Glebe House sits, was the heart of the original village of Clapham. It was only in later years as the area expanded and became popular as retreats from the City that the action moved up nearer the common when Holy Trinity Church (1774-6) was built.

In the Post Office Guide of 1860 the house (then 3 St. Paul's Close) is occupied by William Sheldrick and described as livery stables. The property is shown on the ordnance survey map of 1870. In 1880, the occupant is James Stanford, Job Master, one who lets out horses and carriages for hire.

The ordnance survey map of 1895 shows a part of the building has been demolished for the building of Iveley Rd.

​In 1903 the site was sold to St. Paul's Church by Thomas Blackmore, Builder, who had been responsible for the development of Iveley Rd between 1893 and 1890. The church did not have a vicarage, so they wanted to demolish the house and stables and build one. However, there was a sitting tenant in the house who held out till 1927 when he died in "Indigent circumstances".  So the church knocked down just the stables and outbuildings to build the current vicarage (in the vicar's garden part of the old stables can still be seen).
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The Glebe House was formed from what was left. The lounge (which was infilled) was originally a passageway through to a stable yard beyond. The attached plan shows a dung pit, harness and tack room, stables etc.

Another interesting property close by is the house on the opposite corner which was an African Academy in Georgian times.

Also closeby, not surprisingly perhaps is 'Matrimony Place' a lovers' lane of sorts since before the Georgian period. 
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​For further information about Clapham :
http://claphamsociety.com/index.html
http://www.localhistories.org/clapham.html
https://londonpostcodewalks.wordpress.com/tag/clapham/