Grecian Coffee House

The Grecian Coffee-House,

Devereux-court, Strand, (closed in 1843,) was named from Constantine, of Threadneedle-street, the Grecian who kept it. In the Tatler announcement, all accounts of learning are to be "under the title of the Grecian;" and, in the Tatler, No. 6: "While other parts of the town are amused with the present actions, [Marlborough's,] we generally spend the evening at this table [at the Grecian], in inquiries into antiquity, and think anything new, which gives us new knowledge. Thus, we are making a very pleasant entertainment to ourselves in putting the actions of Homer's Iliad into an exact journal."

The Spectator's face was very well-known at the Grecian, a Coffee-house "adjacent to the law." Occasionally, it was the scene of learned discussion. Thus Dr. King relates that one evening, two gentlemen, who were constant companions, were disputing here, concerning the accent of a Greek word. This dispute was carried to such a length, that the two friends thought proper to determine it with their swords: for this purpose they stepped into Devereux-court, where one of them (Dr. King thinks his name was Fitzgerald) was run through the body, and died on the spot.

The Grecian was Foote's morning lounge. It was handy, too, for the young Templar, Goldsmith, and often did it echo with Oliver's boisterous mirth; for "it had become the favourite resort of the Irish and Lancashire Templars, whom he delighted in collecting around him, in entertaining with a cordial and unostentatious hospitality, and in occasionally amusing with his flute, or with whist, neither of which he played very well!" Here Goldsmith occasionally wound up his "Shoemaker's Holiday" with supper.

It was at the Grecian that Fleetwood Shephard told this memorable story to Dr. Tancred Robinson, who gave Richardson permission to repeat it. "The Earl of Dorset was in Little Britain, beating about for books to his taste: there was Paradise Lost. He was surprised with some passages he struck upon, dipping here and there and bought it; the bookseller begged him to speak in its favour, if he liked it, for they lay on his hands as waste paper. Jesus!—Shephard was present. My Lord took it home, read it, and sent it to Dryden, who in a short time returned it. 'This man,' says Dryden, 'cuts us all out, and the ancients too!'"

The Grecian was also frequented by Fellows of the Royal Society. Thoresby, in his Diary, tells us, 22 May, 1712, that "having bought each a pair of black silk stockings in Westminster Hall, they returned by water, and then walked, to meet his friend, Dr. Sloane, the Secretary of the Royal Society, at the Grecian Coffee-house, by the Temple." And, on June 12th, same year, "Thoresby attended the Royal Society, where were present, the President, Sir Isaac Newton, both the Secretaries, the two Professors from Oxford, Dr. Halley and Kell, with others, whose company we after enjoyed at the Grecian Coffee-house."

In Devereux-court, also, was Tom's Coffee-house, much resorted to by men of letters; among whom were Dr. Birch, who wrote the History of the Royal Society; also Akenside, the poet; and there is in print a letter of Pope's, addressed to Fortescue, his "counsel learned in the law," at this coffee-house.

343. Devereux Coffee House, Devereux Court, Temple Bar. A house with this title is obscurely mentioned in sundry writings,' probably intended for the Grecian Coffee House. No contemporary or documented mention is noted.

494. Grecian Coffee House, Devereux Court Strand. 'Devereux Court leading to the Temple',' Essex Court, Essex Street, Strand, (1834); No. 19, Devereux Court, (1839).

It appears to be generally accepted by early writers that this house derived its name from one 'Constantine' variously mentioned as 'Constantine the Greek', 'Constantine Jennings' or 'George Constantine', but there is a great divergence of opinion regarding the early movements of Constantine, and the date he established the coffee-house later known as the Grecian.

It is true that one Constantine advertised coffee and other items in the 'Intelligencer' 23 January, 1664–65, and that 'Constantine's in Essex Buildings by the Temple' is known in 1681, but I find no contemporary mention to connect either of these with the Grecian Coffee House.

1702–14

The Grecian, Devereux Court, Temple, appears in Ashton's list of coffee-houses in the reign of Queen Anne, when contemporary support is to be found in the 'Tatler' between 7 April 1709, and 31 December 1710, and at least fourteen items therein published are dated from the Grecian Coffee-house. Thereafter, an abundance of dated and documented records are to be found until 1843, when the house ended its existence. Anecdotes concerning the Grecian and its frequenters during the period of 134 years are too numerous to mention here in full.

1710

Thomas Smith, the self-styled 'first Master Corn-cutter of England' advertised a daily call at 'The Grecian' and attention is drawn to him in the 'The Tatler' 7 July 1710, dated from the Grecian Coffee House: 'I have given positive orders to Don Saltero of Chelsea the tooth-drawer and Doctor Thomas Smith the corn-cutter of King Street, Westminster, who have the modesty to confine their pretensions to manual operation, to bring me in, with all convenient speed, complete lists of all who are but equal learning with yourselves, and yet administer physic beyond the feet and gums.'

1710–29

The 'Evening Post' No. 69, Jan. 19–21, 1710, advertises, the paper can be bought at the Grecian in Devereux Court. The ledgers of Thomas Twining, the famous Tea Merchants, dating between 1710 and 1729, detail goods supplied to his neighbour 'George Constantine of the Grecian'.

1710–14

The Grecian is mentioned in the 'Spectator' from 1710–11 to 1714. Also in Thoresby's Diary, 12 June, 1712, when the President of the Royal Society, Sir Isaac Newton, Dr. Halley, and other members 'whose company we after enjoyed at the Grecian Coffee-house'. Again, 19 August 1714: 'At the meeting of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge and after a little to the Grecian Coffee House with Sir Isaac Newton and Dr. Sloane.' (Thoresby's Diary, II, 253.)

1720–26

'Virtuosoes at the Grecian' are mentioned in Southmele MS, about 1720. Letters of 1726 addressed to Sir Hans Sloane at the Grecian Coffee-house are extant; one from Lord Onslow, now in the British Museum, concerns the fraud of Mary Tofts 'the rabbit-breeding woman of Godalming, Surrey'. (Brayley's—History of Surrey.)

1730–36

The house is mentioned in the Stukeley Memoirs under date 1730; The 'Gentleman's Magazine', October 1736, records the female notoriety, Mrs. Sarah Mapp, the bonesetter, exhibiting her skill before Sloane at the Grecian. See also Caulfield's Remarkable Persons, IV, p. 75.

1750–74

Oliver Goldsmith often supped at the Grecian. Sundry writers refer to the Grecian as 'the Athenaeum' of its day.

1760s–70s

A literary club of Booksellers is mentioned in Curwen's History of Booksellers (1875): 'that Mr. Longman, with the late Alderman Cadell, James Dodsley, Lockyer, Davies, Peter Elmsley, Honest Tom Payne of the Mew's Gate, and Thomas Evans of the Strand, were all members of this society. They met first at the "Devil's Tavern" Temple Bar, then moved to the "Grecian" and finally from a weekly gathering, became a monthly meeting at the' 'Shakspeare". Here was originated the germ of many a valuable production.'

1776–1802

Sundry documents and original letters in my collection dated from 1776 to 1802, are mainly addressed 'Grecian Coffee House, Temple'. Edmund Chalmer, Solicitor to the Governors of Queen Anne's Bounty, regularly had his letters addressed here in the 1780s.

1796–99

The directories of 1796 to 1799 list the Grecian Coffee-house, either as Devereux Court, Strand, or as Devereux Court leading to the Temple.

1803

In 1803, the house is described as 'frequented by gentlemen of the law' advertising 'Tea, coffee, and other refreshments'.

1805–27

In 1805, the Proprietor is given as W. How, and he still appears in the directories from 1808 to 1827.

1807

'The Times' 3 August, 1807 reports: 'A considerable degree of alarm has been lately excited in the Temple and its vicinity .... Balls, supposed to have been discharged either from an airgun, or a cross-bow, have been shot into the apartments of Mr. Twining, Mr. Hammond, and on Thursday a bullet was shot into the Grecian coffee-house, which passed close to Mr. Gordon, a barrister.' (Twinings, 1706–1956.)

1809

Item No. 187 Portfolio XVII, Crace Collection, now in the British Museum, is a Drawing, 1809, of the Grecian Coffee House, Devereux Court.

1833–34

In 1833–34 the house is listed as Grecian Coffee-house & Hotel, with Chas. Barham as Proprietor. A letter in my collection dated 27 Jan. 1834 indicates a removal: 'It was a fixed thing on Saturday night between our friend Chas. & myself that we should Dine together today at the Grecian Coffee House Essex Court, Essex St. Strand at ½ past 5 o'clk—then & there to settle all matters as to the night's entertaining & also that I should inform your Worship of the North Pole of this our intention and invite you to partake of the Dinner ....'

1838–40

In 1838 directories, the Proprietor is C. Jones, who in the 1839 and 1840 editions is listed at the Grecian, No. 19, Devereux Court.

1843

The house is said to have closed in 1843. Some writers mention that the house became known as The Devereux, and others that 'modern buildings known as the Grecian Chambers, erected on the site'.

See Constantine's Coffee House. No. 294.        Grecian Coffee House. No. 493.