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the various journals and papers of the day. It came into prominence
at the beginning of the 18th century originally as a cattle
fair but gradually became a place noted not only for the sale of
eatables and for its variety of amusement but also for its riotous
and disreputable character. Despite its doubtful reputation Charles
Dickens thoroughly enjoyed the fair and gives an amusing account
of it in his "Sketches by Boz". In addition to theatrical and waxwork
shows, there were menageries, prize fighters, thimble-riggers,
equestrians, rope performers, quack doctors, dancing booths, and
the inevitable quota of pickpockets. Through telescopes on the
Observatory and One Tree Hills, gibbets with skeletons attached
could be viewed on the river banks for a few pence. The fair
drew enormous crowds and thousands of persons, many of whom
came by water in every conceivable craft, congregated in the
park for rough merrymaking. There were swings and roundabouts,
and it is reliably reported that the latter was first introduced to
the British public at Greenwich from France in 1835. Stalls were
arranged by the roadside from St. Mary's Gate to Blackheath and
refreshments included shell fish of all kinds, effervescing drinks,
eels in all its stages of cooking (pickled, stewed and in pies), plum
pudding, gingerbread, cold fried fish all liberally peppered with dust
but being rapidly disposed of by their vendors.
In the evenings, the taverns were filled to overflowing and the
merrymaking continued well into the night. As a direct result of
the increase in the riotous nature of the entertainment, the fair
was relegated to the road from Deptford Creek via St. Alfege's
Church to the Park Gates and, finally, the local inhabitants
succeeded in having it closed down in about 1860. One suspects
that Nathaniel Hawthorne, the celebrated American writer who
resided in Pond Road for a time, although somewhat critical of
the fair, was one of many who regretted its passing. Nevertheless,
the fair, a mere shadow of its former glory, is still held on
Blackheath at time of Public Holidays.
In more recent time, before the quality of the river deteriorated
as a result of the population explosion of London in the latter
half of the nineteenth century, Greenwich was renowned for its
whitebait dinners and suppers. Gladstone, Prime Minister and
member of parliament for this constituency in 1868, with his
ministers, regularly dined here on whitebait caught in the Thames,
off Greenwich, and the "Ship", "Trafalgar" and "Crown and
Sceptre" Hotels were famous not only for these occasions but for
the literary luncheons which were frequented by such celebrities
as Thomas Hood, Captain Marryat, George Cruickshank, Douglas
Jerrold and Charles Dickens. Lately, with a resurgence of events
of interest in Greenwich and its history, there has been some
move to revive these admirable riverside gatherings.