Bury Street

Berry street, a considerable Street betn Germain str. NW, and King street St. James's SE crossing Rider street near the middle at right angles; L. 170 Yds. from Cha+ near W. 770 Yds.

Berry-street, a handsome open Street, which runs up into Germain-street; on the West Side is Painter's Court; and on the other Side, almost opposite to it, is Guy of Warwick's Court; both very small and inconsiderable.

Berry street. Piccadilly. †

Bury-Street, St. James's,—is the first E. parallel to St. James's-street, extending from 81, Jermyn-street to King-street.

Bury-St., St. James's, is the first turning eastward, and parallel to St. James's-street, and extends from No. 81, Jermyn-street to King-street.

Bury (Berry) Street, St. James's, between Jermyn Street and King Street, was built circ. I672,¹ and so called after a half-pay officer of that name who died in 1735.

November 1735.—Died, Berry, Esq., a half-pay officer, and landlord of most of Berry Street, St. James's. He was above 100 years old, and had been an officer in the service of King Charles the First.—Historical Register for 1735, p. 52.

Eminent Inhabitants (or rather lodgers, for none of them rented houses in the street).—Dean Swift.

I lodge in Bury Street, where I removed a week ago. I have the first floor, a dining-room, and bed-chamber, at eight shillings a week; plaguy deep, but I spend nothing for eating, never go to a tavern, and very seldom in a coach; yet, after all, it will be expensive.—Swift, September 21, 1710, Journal to Stella (ed. Scott, vol. ii. p. 27).

When in England, in 1726 (for the last time), he was in lodgings "in Bury Street, next door to the Royal Chair." Five doors from him lodged Mrs. Vanhomrigh and her daughter, the Vanessa whose sad story is so inextricably bound up with that of the Dean; and here she experienced, as she tells him, that "something in your looks so awful that it strikes me dumb." Sir Richard Steele, on the west side, over against No. 20. One of his many short notes to his wife not to expect him home to dinner is addressed "To Mrs. Steele, at the third house, right hand, Berry Street, turning out of German [Jermyn] Street." The general description was "the last house but two on the left hand." We thus know its exact position. The landlady, a Mrs. Vanderput, had him arrested in November 1708, and it was on this occasion that Addison was "devotedly his friend." Of the landlady he writes to his wife, "My dear Life, nothing troubles me sorely but the affront that insufferable brute has put upon you, which I shall find ways to make her repent." He was again in Bury Street two years later. The house was pulled down in 1830.

I should only, perhaps, have advised you, in order to the preventing some troublesome visits, and some impertinent letters, to cause an advertisement to be inserted in Squire Bickerstaff's next Lucubrations, by which the world might be informed that the Captain Steele who lives now in Bury Street is not the Captain of the same name who lived there two years ago, and that the acquaintance of the military person who inhabited there formerly, may go look for their old friend, e'en where they can find him.—Dennis (the Critic} to Captain Steele, July 28, 1710 (Letters, p. 29).

George Frederick Cooke, the actor, 1802. Hon. W. Spencer at No. 37 in 1813. Thomas Moore in 1806 dedicated his Odes and Epistles to Lord Moira from No. 27, and lodged here at intervals till 1830, but not always in the same house. In November 1811 the advertisement of the fourth number of his Irish Melodies is dated from this street; in 1814 he was at No. 33, in 1824 he was at No. 24, and in 1830 at No. 19.

I wish you to send the proof of Lara to Mr. Moore, 33 Bury Street, to-night, as he leaves town to-morrow, and wishes to see it before he goes.—Lord Byron to Mr. Murray, July 11, 1814.

Three or four days ago I wrote to London, 19 Bury Street, to know whether his second floor would be vacant next week, and he has not answered me. You could perhaps stir him up with a long pole on the subject to-morrow, as I am rather in a difficulty about a lodging, and would not go to him but for my hatred of strange places and faces.—Moore to Power, 1830.

Crabbe, the poet.

June 28, 1817.—Seek lodgings, 37 Bury Street. Females only visible. ... My new lodgings a little mysterious.

29th.—Return to my new lodgings. Inquire for the waiter. There is one, I understand, in the country. Am at a loss whether my damsel is extremely simple, or too knowing.—Crabbe's Journal in Life, p. 242.

Daniel O'Connell, in No. 19, during the struggle (1829) for Catholic Emancipation.

---

¹ Rate-books of St. Martin's.