Crown and Anchor, Strand facts for kids
The Crown and Anchor was a famous meeting place in London, England. It was a type of public house, like a large restaurant or inn, located on Arundel Street near The Strand. People often called it the Crown & Anchor or simply The Crown. It became well-known for hosting important meetings, especially for political groups like the early 19th-century Radicals. Today, the building is no longer there.
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A Place for Music and Learning
The first building on this spot was built before 1710. It quickly became a popular spot for different groups. For example, the Academy of Vocal Music met there starting in 1726. This group later changed its name to The Academy of Ancient Music. The important Royal Society, a group for scientists, also used to meet at the Crown and Anchor.
Handel's First English Oratorio
A very special event happened at the Crown and Anchor in 1732. The famous composer George Frideric Handel performed his first oratorio there. An oratorio is like a big musical story, usually without costumes or acting. Handel's work was called Esther. This was a big deal because it was the first time an oratorio was sung in English, not the usual Italian.
Famous Visitors
During the 1700s, other famous people visited the Crown and Anchor. The well-known writer Samuel Johnson and his friend James Boswell often ate dinner there.
A Hub for Political Change
In 1790, a new, larger building was constructed on the same site. This new Crown and Anchor was huge, big enough to hold about 2,500 people! Because of its size, it became a very important place for political meetings.
The Radicals' Meeting Spot
Many groups who wanted big changes in the government, known as the Radicals, met here. Important leaders like John Cam Hobhouse and Charles James Fox spoke at these meetings. Even the Irish leader and Member of Parliament (MP), Daniel O'Connell, gave a speech there.
Birthplace of a University
One of the most important meetings at the Crown and Anchor happened on November 11, 1823. George Birkbeck gave a speech to over 2,000 people, including famous thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and Henry Brougham. Birkbeck suggested creating a new school to help working-class people in London get an education. This idea led to the founding of the London Mechanics' Institute just a few weeks later, on December 2, 1823. This institute eventually grew into Birkbeck, University of London, which is still a university today!
The Crown and Anchor Society
The Crown and Anchor was so well-known for political gatherings that a group called the "Association for Preserving Liberty and Property against Republicans and Levellers" was formed there in 1792. This group, started by John Reeves, was often called the Crown and Anchor Society or Association.
What's There Now?
In the late 1900s, the site of the old Crown and Anchor was home to offices and a branch of HSBC Bank. Today, it is a modern residential building called 190 Strand, with shops on the ground floor.
