entioned by
Addison. Lord Byron was one of the members. The old house was situated
nearer to the south end of the street than the present club.

"Arthurs," south of St. James's Place, was founded by the proprietor of
White's in 1765. The present building was erected in 1825 by Hopper. The
Conservative Club house (74) was built in 1845 from designs by Smirke
and Basevi. The building is large, with slightly projecting wings, and a
stone balcony extending uninterruptedly across the frontage.

Next door is the "Thatched House" Club, which originated in the Thatched
House Tavern, in which the dilettanti and literary societies used to
meet. Wheatley describes a row of low-built shops standing before the
tavern, one of which was that of the hairdresser Rowland, who made a
fortune by his macassar oil.

St. James's Coffee-house, a celebrated Whig rendezvous from the reign of
Queen Anne until the beginning of the nineteenth century, was at this
end of the street. In this street there are also many other clubs of
later origin. It was at the foot of St. James's Street that the Duke of
Ormond was attacked in his coach in 1670, by the notorious Colonel
Blood. The Duke had been responsible for the execution of some of
Blood's associates in Ireland, and Blood determined to take him to
Tyburn and hang him in revenge. He actually succeeded in dragging him
from his coach and mounting him on horseback behind one of his men. When
they had proceeded as far as Devonshire House, the Duke succeeded in
unhorsing his companion, and in the delay that followed his servants
made their appearance and rescued him. For this outrage Blood was never
punished. Sir Christopher Wren died in St. James's Street in 1723, and
Gibbon, the historian, in 1794. The names of Waller, the poet, Wolfe, C.
Fox, and Lord Byron, are among the residents. It was here that the last
named was lodging when his "Childe Harold" created such an extraordinary
sensation. Alexander Pope was also a resident.

McLean, the famous highwayman, lodged opposite "White's." He was hung in
1750, and the first Sunday after he was condemned 3,000 people went to
see him in gaol. St. James's Street at present is sufficiently
noticeable because of its width, in which the old palace gateway at the
foot is framed.

Park Place was built in 1683. William Pitt came to live here in 1801.
St. James's Place is a medley of old and modern buildings, some having
been built in the last decade. Wheatley s