The body of the Town Hall was arranged
to represent an English street of the olden time, a baronial castle
rising tower upon tower at the great gallery end, and an Elizabethan
mansion in the orchestra, with a lawn in front, occupied by a military
band. The sides of the Hall constituted a double row of shops, the upper
storeys (reaching to the galleries) being filled with casements and
balconies, from whence the doings in the street could be witnessed.
~Bean Club.~--The first anniversary we read of was that held July 17,
1752, at which meeting Lord Fielding gave L120 to erect an altarpiece in
St. Bartholomew's.
~Beardsworth (John).~--Founder of the Repository, began life as driver
of a hackney coach, in which one night he drove a beautiful young lady
to a ball. John went home, dressed, procured admission to the ball,
danced with the lady, handed her to the coach, drove her home, and some
time after married her. The lady's cash enabled him to acquire an ample
fortune, being at one time worth nearly a quarter of a million, most of
which, however, was lost on the turf. The Repository was the largest
establishment of the kind in the kingdom, and Beardsworth'a house
adjoining was furnished in most splendid style, one centre table (made
of rich and rare American wood) costing L1,500.
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