George Robbins (1832)

Born 24 Feb 1832 in Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

George Robbins was born in Westminster, Middlesex, England.

England Births and Christenings

Name: George Robins
Christening Date: 06 Apr 1834
Christening Place: SAINT MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND
Birth Date: 24 Feb 1832
Father's Name: Anthony Robins
Mother's Name: Sarah

Geographical Notes and Social context: St. Martin-in-the-Fields is a parish, in the city and liberty of Westminster.
The church of St. Martin's in the Fields is situated on the northern side of the western extremity of the Strand, and derives its name from being dedicated to St. Martin an Hungarian Saint, and its addition from its former situation in the fields.
The parish extends westward along the Mall to include half of St James's park, Green park and the northern part of Buckingham House garden. North nd east of Trafalgar Square is built up, where the parish extends along the Strand, a nd from Leister Square along Long Acre.
The parish had its share of slums and squalor, Walter Thornbury, 'St Martin-in-the-Fields', in Old and New London: Volume 3 (London, 1878) wrote "At the bottom of St. Martin's Lane was a nest or rookery of narrow lanes and streets, which rejoiced in slang names, such as "Porridge Island," "The Bermudas," and the "Straits of the Strand." The names in course of time became classical, being constantly imported into the comedies of the time by Ben Jonson and other authors. From the allusions to them which occur, it is clear that they were occupied by a low lot of inhabitants, who indulged in gin, ale, and fighting. Porridge Island, especially, was filled with second-rate cook-shops. In the World, of November 29th, 1753, we find an allusion to "a fine gentleman whose lodgings no one is acquainted with," as having his dinner "served up under cover of a pewter-plate from the cook-shops in Porridge Island." The greater part of this rookery was swept away about the year 1830, but a considerable portion of the low courts remain about Bedfordbury."

Sources

• Christening: [1]