Identifier: eastlondon00besa (find matches)
Title: East London
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Besant, Walter, Sir, 1836-1901
Subjects: Poor
Publisher: New York, The Century Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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ion ofmany persons and many books, but I can find no answer.The oldest inhabitant knows nothing about it; none of thebooks can tell me if the accession of the Queens predecessorswas also proclaimed by ancient custom at Ratcliffe Cross.Unfortunately, it is now extremely difficult to find personswho remember the accession of the Queen, not to speak ofthat of William IV. Ratcliffe has other historical memories. Here stood thehall of the Shipwrights Company. This was a very ancientbody; it existed as the Fraternity of St. Simon and St. Judefrom time immemorial; the Shipwrights Company formerlyhad docks and building yards on the south of the Thames;then they moved their hall to this place on the north bank,and seem to have given up their building yards. Here was a school, founded and maintained by the Coop-ers Company, where Lancelot Andrewes, the learned bishop,was educated. There is another historical note concerning Ratcliffe. Itbelongs to the year 1553. It was in that year that Admiral
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Ratcliffe-Cross Stairs. THE POOL AND THE RIVERSIDE 85 Sir Hugh Willoughby embarked on that voyage of discoveryfrom which he was destined never to return. He was sentout on a roving commission to discover regions, dominions,islands, and places unknown, and he began by an attemptto discover the northeast passage. Remember that geog-raphers knew nothing in those days of the extent of Si-beria. Willoughby had three ships; their tonnage was, re-spectively, 160 tons, 120, and 90. His crews consisted of50, 35, and 2j men, respectively. With such tiny craftthey put forth boldly to brave unknown Arctic seas. Itwas from Ratcliffe Stairs that Willoughby went on boardon May 10, 1553. Half a mile down the river the flo-tilla passed Greenwich Palace, where the young King, Ed-ward VI, was residing. It was within a few weeks of hisdeath; consumption had laid him low. When the shipspassed the palace they dressed with flags and streamers,they fired cannons of salute, they blew their trumpets. Theyoung

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