e children of the Moorfields
Schools, who had just passed near where we stood, as they entered the
church. One of us remarked in reference to the Tower close by, that it
was the dower of the Lady Blanche, the daughter of John O'Gaunt, who,
although occupying so eminently marked a place in history, was a man so
narrow-minded that he would not allow any of his vassals to receive the
least education as he held that it unfitted them for the duties of their
station, and gave them ideas far above their lot in life. A curious
speculation was hazarded by one of my friend's that as Water-street was
anciently called "Bank-street," whether the word "Bank" ought not to have
been "Blanche"-street; a name given to it in honour of the lady to whom
the principal building in the street belonged, when, just as he had
finished speaking, we heard, as if above us, a smart crack. On looking
round to ascertain the cause, a sight burst upon our view, that none who
witnessed it could ever forget. The instant we turned, we beheld the
church tower give way, on the south-west side, and immediately afterwards
the spire fell with a frightful and appalling crash into the body of the
building. The spire seemed at first to topple over, and then it dropped
perpendicularly like a pack of cards into a solid heap, burying
everything, as may be supposed, below it. There were many persons in the
churchyard, waiting to enter the sacred edifice, and, like ourselves,
were struck dumb with horror and dismay at the frightful catastrophe. We
were soon aroused to a state of consciousness, and inaction gave way to
exertion. In a very short time, the noise of the crash had brought
hundreds of persons into the churchyard to ascertain the cause. Amidst
the rising dust were heard the dreadful screams of the poor children who
had become involved in the ruins; and not long after, their screams were
added to by the frantic exclamations of parents and friends who, in an
incredibly short time had hurried to the scene of the disaster. Crowds
of people rushed into the churchyard, some hurrying to and fro, scarcely
knowing what to fear or what to do. That the children were to be exhumed
was an immediate thought, and as immediately carried into execution. Men
of all ranks were seen, quite regardless of their Sunday clothes, busily
employed in removing the ruins--gentlemen, merchants, tradesmen, shopmen
and apprentices, willingly aiding the sturdy labourers in their good