Dog and Duck

The Dog and Duck was a tavern established on St George's Fields in London during the 17th century, known to have existed by 1642. It took its name from the blood sport of duck-baiting, which was practised in the adjacent marshy ponds draining into the Neckinger brook. Taverns sprang up near such venues to provide refreshment for spectators, and the Dog and Duck became one of the most popular inns in the area, appearing on John Rocque's 1741–45 map and his 1746 map of London. Its inn sign, dated 1716, was an oblong red stone-composition moulding showing a dog with a duck in its mouth, with the badge of Bridge House Estates, the landowner, on the left. In the early 18th century the tavern's gardens were developed as a spa under the name St George's Spaw, selling Purging Waters at sixpence a gallon and offering cold bathing. The spa attracted fashionable patronage and was mentioned by Dr Samuel Johnson in 1771 in a letter to his friend Mrs Thrale. By the 1770s, however, spas had fallen out of fashion and the Dog and Duck declined into a rowdy venue for concerts and other amusements. Contemporary accounts described its audience as "the riff-raff and scum of the town", and the premises gained a reputation for vice, being called "a house in which gangs of both whores and rogues were constantly associated". Highwaymen were said to carouse there before setting out on their robberies. In 1787 the Surrey magistrates refused to renew the tavern's licence following a proclamation by George III against drunkenness, but the landlord obtained a licence from the City of London magistrates instead. This led to a protracted legal dispute between the two benches, decided in 1792 against the City magistrates. The Dog and Duck finally lost its licence in 1799 and closed. The building was subsequently used as a School for the Indigent Blind and was demolished in 1812, when the new Bethlem Hospital was built on the site. That building is now occupied by the Imperial War Museum. The tavern's inn sign is preserved in the collection of the Cuming Museum on Walworth Road. The Dog and Duck was closely associated with the Hedger family. Mrs Elizabeth Hedger, a former barmaid, was granted a lease on the tavern and its gardens in 1773, and three years later her son James was promised the lease of all Bridge House Estate land at St George's Fields on condition that the Dog and Duck itself was repaired. The Hedgers extended the building with leaded domes, a music gallery and an outside bowling green, and as the spa lost trade they concentrated increasingly on amusements and attractions. With the lease formally established in 1785 they became very wealthy and began speculative building in the grounds. By 1802 James Hedger was known as the "King of St. George's Fields". After the tavern was demolished the Hedgers continued to build houses on the land, though the properties were of poor quality and the land undrained, leading the City of London to refuse renewal of the lease. When the lease finally expired, Hedger began demolishing the buildings to reuse the materials elsewhere, and in March 1810 a crowd of about one thousand "of the lowest orders" gathered to join in the demolition and remove building materials.

The Dog and Duck was a tavern on St George's Fields in London, known to have existed by 1642. It was named after the sport of duck-baiting, which took place in the adjacent marshy area of ponds draining into the Neckinger brook. The sport involved putting birds into a small pond and chasing them with dogs; taverns sprang up nearby to provide refreshment for spectators. The inn sign, dated 1716, was an oblong red moulding in stone composition showing a dog with a duck in its mouth, with the badge of Bridge House Estates, the landowner, on the left. At its peak the tavern was very popular and was marked on John Rocque's 1741–45 map and 1746 map of London. By 1695 the area was famous for its waters, and a spa was set up. When it ceased to attract business it was abandoned, but other entertainments were promoted, such as an organ and skittles. David Garrick, in his prologue to the 1774 play The Maid of the Oaks, alluded to the decline. According to Edward Walford, the tavern gardens were used for popular concerts with an audience of "the riff-raff and scum of the town", which became a public nuisance. The place gained a reputation for vice, being described as "a house in which gangs of both whores and rogues were constantly associated". Highwaymen would carouse there before setting out on their depredations. Francis Place reported that, as a boy, he had seen "two or three horses at the door of the Dog and Duck in St George's Fields on a summer evening, and people waiting to see the Highwaymen mount ... flashy women come out to take leave of the thieves at dusk and wish them success". In 1787, renewal of the licence was refused by the Surrey magistrates following a proclamation from George III against drunkenness. They decided "too many people assembled there of very loose character, and that it consequently became a receptacle for disorderly persons, and a place of assignation destructive of that morality which it was the duty of the law to see preserved". However, the landlord applied to the City of London magistrates, who granted a licence despite its being a house "so notorious as a resort for amusement and debauch". This led to a legal dispute between the magistrates, which was decided in 1792 against the City magistrates. The tavern finally lost its licence in 1799. The inn sign is now in the collection of the Cuming Museum on Walworth Road. Spas became fashionable in the early 18th century and the gardens of the Dog and Duck, under the name St George's Spaw, started selling Purging Waters at 6d a gallon. As a spa it became very popular and was patronised by the gentry. A 1732 advertisement claimed that the "great success which these waters have had in the Cure of Investigative Cancers have rendered them truly famous throughout the Kingdoms" with "many happy instances of the Truth of this daily to be seen". Within the tavern itself the waters were also used for cold bathing. In 1771, Dr Johnson corresponded with his friend Mrs Thrale about the waters, "You despise the Dog and Duck; things that are at hand are always slighted. I remember that Dr. Grevil, of Gloucester, sent for that water when his wife was in the same danger; but he lived near Malvern and you live near the Dog and Duck. Thus, in difficult cases, we naturally trust most what we least know." By 1773 the waters had reached "their utmost perfection" and at the tavern, comfortingly, there were "Tea, coffee and hot rolls as usual". Mrs Elizabeth Hedger, who had been a barmaid, was granted a lease on the tavern and its gardens in 1773, and three years later her son James was promised the lease of all the Bridge House Estate land at St George's Fields on condition that the Dog and Duck itself was repaired. In fact they extended the building with leaded domes, a music gallery and, outside, a bowling green. As the spa lost trade they concentrated more and more on amusements and attractions, which led to the place developing a poor reputation with the authorities. With the lease formally established in 1785 they became very wealthy and started speculative building in the grounds. By 1802 James Hedger had become known as the "King of St. George's Fields". With James's son, also called James, they built on common land and the Court of Common Council took legal advice towards prosecution. However, since the common ground was for the benefit of the land tenants of the estate and the Hedgers by then had a controlling interest in the land, the matter was dropped. After the tavern had been demolished the Hedgers continued to build houses on the land although this required paying a forfeit for breach of covenant. The properties were of very poor quality and the land had not been drained so the landlord, the City of London, decided the lease would not be renewed. When the lease finally expired, Hedger started demolishing the buildings to reuse the materials elsewhere and in March 1810 a crowd of about one thousand "of the lowest orders" gathered to join in the demolition and remove building materials. Hedger did not intervene because he was required to return the land in a cleared state.

• 1812

  Building demolished; new Bethlem Hospital built on the site.

• 1810

  Crowd of about one thousand gathered to demolish buildings and remove materials.

• 1802

  James Hedger known as the 'King of St. George's Fields'.

• 1799

  Tavern finally lost its licence and closed.

• 1792

  Legal dispute between magistrates decided against the City magistrates.

• 1787

  Surrey magistrates refused to renew the licence; City of London magistrates granted one.

• 1785

  Lease formally established; Hedgers became very wealthy.

• 1776

  James Hedger promised the lease of all Bridge House Estate land at St George's Fields.

• 1774

  David Garrick alluded to the decline in his prologue to The Maid of the Oaks.

• 1773

  Mrs Elizabeth Hedger granted a lease on the tavern and gardens.

• 1771

  Dr Johnson corresponded with Mrs Thrale about the waters.

• 1746

  Marked on John Rocque's 1746 map of London.

• 1741

  Marked on John Rocque's 1741–45 map of London.

• 1732

  Advertisement claimed the waters cured investigative cancers.

• 1716

  Inn sign dated 1716, showing a dog with a duck in its mouth.

• 1695

  Area famous for its waters; a spa was set up.

• 1642

  Tavern known to have existed on St George's Fields.

A historic London tavern and spa that became notorious for rowdy entertainments before its licence was revoked.

• Purging Waters

  Sold at St George's Spaw at 6d a gallon.

• Tea, coffee and hot rolls

  Served at the tavern as usual.

• Concerts

  Popular concerts in the tavern gardens.

• Bowling green

  Outdoor bowling green added by the Hedgers.

• Skittles

  Entertainment promoted after the spa was abandoned.

1. 1Dog and Duck, St George's Fieldsen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Dog and Duckwikidata.org