1
THE CHINA "MAIL, SATURDAY, JANUARY 1. 1908.
The Journalist Church
.
AND THE OLD BELL INN
THE journalist's church, St Bride's in Fleet Street has been restored and re- dedicated according to a message from London.
Lud Gate which stood half way.
up Ludgate Hill..
The intervening district (Far ringdon Ward Without) is in the "Libertes of the City", and
сый
Thuring the past two turies the Old Boll has been variously known as the "Ten Bella" and the "Great. Tom of
Oxford and was possibly Hen-
tleal with the "Twelve" Bells" and the "Golden Bell,"
A title deed of 1729 greatly
site side
adds to our knowledge by Iden- thus for many years enjoyed tifying the present house with the protection of the City, but that which had been formerly (Not wis free from St Bride's was blasted and gutted during tons oculations to be confused with the "Black
many of the known as the "Swan." the blitz on London in 1940.
which, under the City's XVII Swan" which was on the oppo-
of tho Century
road. In tho puritaniend KOVOTEL That was the socond time the famous ment, wore often vexatious, parish of St Dunstan,),
It was for this reason that interesting, as it has preserved The history of the Swan is church had been destroyed. According to meet Street was for many
the econo of London's (and still preserves) associn- tradition it was burnt down completely yours
night life.
tions with the printing trade during the Great Fire in 1666 and rebuilt
that Uppling street and journalism over-anore years any other thvern In Distinguished by the name of than by Sir Cristopher Wren.
William Caxton was the first English printer and at his pross within the princts of West- minster Abbey he was assisted by Wynkin de Worde who eventually succeeded him and later Issued coks "Emprynted at the rign of the Swane in Ficolstrett."
Plom
rc.
No doubt the workmen anged Ou the second construction used the "Old Bell" Inverni situated a few feet away on the other side of St Bride's Lane for refresh ment.
Possibly, too, few. of 1h ni realized that the "Old Bell," or the "Swan" or if was known at The time, was built by Wren for the fame purpose.
The Old Bell is not as well known as many of the famous pubs in Fleet Street.
I found the Old Bell in 1953, or at feat I was guided there by "013 China Hand" Grabunt Barrow of Reuters.
Oddly enough I saw more Hongkong Cricket Club tios n the Old Ball than ne enn spot in the Club itself on any one day.
Fiest
By NOEL CRAIG
for a good Hongkong Just measure Frock Leyshon of San Jock Murry. the Miguel, Government Public Kelutions Omeer and Monty Parrett of A.A.P.-Reuter dropped, in t various ilmes.
I spent many plungint hours In the OI Bell talking to the "Boss" Len Broughton" and his
wife Billye.
Len, who died recently, arst saw Hongkong in the Navy (HMS Hawkins) in 1921.
In exchat for Information about the Colony, he told me about the Old Bell.
But in order to understand There was "G. B.". Ted the significance of Fleet Street Lewis of the RAF. Jho Henry one
that, musi remember of Reuters, Bill O'Reilly and whorcos one leaves the City of Keith Miller of the Australian Westminster, al Temple Bar, Test team and Bill Phillips all the City of London proper in wearing the Club tle.
not entered until one repehes
GOLDEN SWALLOW
a pleasant pavilion beside the garden lake sat Wang away
of, Miss Golden Swallow, Wang being the family, or surname. All morning she had been practising those delicate brush strokes of complex beauty which illustrate rather than symbolise the ideas of the Chinese people,
She allowed the brush to fall from her fingers: "I wish I could go to school" she said,
Her lutor, the old man Lo," froze into an Image of shocked silence; her maid glanced at the mother sitling nearby: The mother gazed placidly at the
lake.
Golden Swallow said again "I wish I could go to school; 1 with all girls could go to school."
There followed
terrible silance for hmong superior persons none speaks wille onger scizes the tongue,
a
"Doubtless The mother said, the heat of the morning and the prolonged cpplication to the task have disturbed my daughter's mind. The lesson is finished."
"My
pil her splendidly Avor.
There was, a youth, a year her senior, who had befriended days of inaccent ragging when she hed
her In those early
30
passionately resented the
intimate word or gesture.
Is neme was Wu Din Chee and perhaps it was instinct that led him to seek friendship with
By JOHN LUFF
The young bowed politely, this so handsome youth, for one yours are few but my day he sought Golden Swallow knowledge is considerable," he out end asked her to accompany unswered confidently. yet him on a walk. modestly.
which
And sure enough that was past he recalled with great clarity, there was no ambiguity such as it seems' or 'perhaps, and Mr Wang's spirits rose.
Then the young addressed himself to the future. "You have a daughter," he said. Indeed "of great intelligence. she should have been a son for
man
They walked in pleasant Wang, silence until Wa Bid: you are a strange fellow, if you good a scholar, truly I would think you were a Golden Swallow did woman." not answer.
were not so
Wu said "What a fellow you are, really now, you're blushing like a woman."
Wu. Her letter suld that the jade pin belonged to his schoolfellow Wang and that it Wa could understand he should Come quickly for surely her heart was breaking because sho must marry the min her parents'
choice.
When Wu received the letter and the pin, his heart leaped with Joy. All that was 50 mysterious was now made plain and that so range emotion was Ho perfectly explained.
but
now
mede ready immediately, first planned to call at hi parents' house to tell them of his Intertions.
He travelled gaily along the rond with bis servant following closely and almost within sight or his house was tallon upon by o bend of robbers who used him. So savagely that by the line ha frightened servant returned with ald, he was dead.
Golden Swallow waited
d she could be a great scholar, it silver nights passed quickly in walted and the day
she attended the schools of stumbling learning."
Old man Lo went towards the. house; the timid maid collected the ink making apparatus, the brushes, and the books. Golden Swallow gozed into the lako and stared straight into the eyes
of a goldfah. "I wish I could go to school," she said for the third time.
goggling "How can that be" asked Mr
Wang, "for whoever heard
of woman attending school and silling the Imperial Examina- tions?"
Mother Wang was of rather
"Nevertheless thy daughter advanced views for those long ago days, Nevertheless, a sense should," answered the fortune- teller, at which the attendant of that which to proper and to be observed, and for a girl to laughed so heartily that he blew say in front of outsiders that his beard off, she wished to ilve a life away from the
perilously
And so the golden days and
beautiful elly, and love
and that
Golden before she was to leave for her completeness ta gave
Her teachers brital home, news came of her Swallow's work. gave great praise to her delleate lover's fate.
brush work: and cne of Imaging then her
her, poems lives in back to this day.
In that
poor
the silver tortured mind, as
she sat in stately
the solitude, while leisured ceremony manner of
of happiness and patience 60 strange to the sorrow proceeded. The next Western mind. Golden Swallow dry in splendid marriago gown, sport blissful hours of honeyed she sat in the bridal chair which awcetness, content to know that wes hoisted upon the shoulders Wu was her friend. And Wu, of the first relay of bearers. with the Inner understanding Now Golden Swallow should that all can be explained was content to see this friendship grow unt}] JE surpassed al:
come
for
Golde Swallow a message from home. summons she could not ignore, u summons for which most girls of her age waited in idle cose
with fear and greeted delight,
"What is this," asked
Mr else.
There bordered Wang. familly
"are
you not. my near
wanton daughter's #
maid in spite of remark The father was told your mannish dress?" and for a lime the tranquillity The attendant now thoroughly of the Jamily was disturbed frightened rno away
but rather as the wind, at times, the fortune-teller remained. moved upon the surface of the "Father" she said, "hove I not garden lake.
convinced you that I could safely allend school und at least ccro the learning of the books?
BUT with the passing days, su Golden Swallow's yearn to altend school Increased. but such things sh schools for young ladies did not exist; were
An
I "Golden Swallow, ashamed; dress thyself proper, ly" end he arose and stamped into the house.
от
scen
Ficus juch
Where Lavern
thicker fur Than trophies down at West-
minster,
From early days Fleet Street has been famous for its taverns, Ben Jonson held his court, at "The Devil: zod St Dunstan" by Temple Har: Pepys, who was 'born just around the CVITIET from the Old Bell frequently mentiores convivial evening in Fibet. Street, and Dr. Sam John- son could be Lound at the "Cheshire Cheese;"
London.
* +
*
As. Wynkiu de Worde was parishioner of St Bride's and ine buried in. that church, It seems reasonablo 10 Eupposo that the Old Boll was his place of business possibly with a tavern. on. the first floor is was common in the XVI and XVII Centuries
There is a lurther reference to the Swon in Fleet Street in the early XVIII Century In view of these favourable Edmund, Curll, accused the poet when the scurtilous publisher, clrcumstances, it was to more than add that historie emetle into his half pint of Alexander Pope of pouring an of Flect Street give no more
Canary Wine when the two then
paaring mention of tho
met. Lintot at the tavém. Old Bell which possesses · MODE
The Old Bell was fortunate visible signs of antiquity than any other of
the Fleat Street Fire of London" in
enough to escape the "Second 1840 and taverns.
like the Windmill Theatre never The explanation possibly closed ita doors during the air arises from the fact that ralds although Wren's church generations of landlords had the of St Bride only a few feet tabit of changing; the naine of from the windows, was burnt the house from time to time. to a shell:
„✯ CHURCH BABAAB " CHILDREN'S FANCY DRESS • •
* MANY PEI323 · Á
Joyco Molklo.
Page
SEX-SHOOTING IN
SCOTLAND
N 18-year-old British-Army officer-cadet, home Christmas leave, shot dead his sweat-
A on
heart and a television executive with whom he had: been told she was having a love affair. Then he shot himself.
Church bells were pealing in the quiet, Glasgow, Scotland suburb of Pollokshields when the three were found in a small pale blue car. They had been dead for 10 hours.
In the back seat was a doctor's son James Wands, who had told friends he would become engaged to 18: year-old Joyce Meikle during his Christmas leave. Crumpled over the wheel was 35-year-old John Hailey, sales executive for Scottish Independent Television. Next to him was Joyce Meikle, a part time model.
Joyce, who also worked as a television accounts. clerk in Glasgow, first met Halley, a married man, soon after she joined the counting house staff three- months ago,
Said a senior police officer: "We are not looking for anyone else. A post-mortem will be held to morrow. The three people died from gunshot wounds in the head. A firearm was found in the car.
Said a friend of Joyce's, who saw her only last week: "She was talking of Jimmy's Christmas leave. She seemed so glad he was coming home. She told me they were thinking of marriage when Jimmy, was settled in his career. He was going to be a chartered
accountant."
Said an employee at the TV studios: "Joyce and Mr Halley went out together several times, mostly In. his car. But Joyce was not keen on talking about it: I think she wanted to keep it secret. But she made no secret of the fact that her boy-friend was coming home for Christmas. She did not appear to be upset. In fact she was eagerly looking forward to seeing Jimmy."
But as we
·MADDLOCKS
GA
The death-car. being towed away,
have sat in the chair and should not have alighted until she retched the home of her husband's parents. That much she knew,
that much and custom demanded. have
shc WES unconventional girl.
future to her On the way husband's parents she had to pass the home of the family of Wu, and there upon a gentle slope looking towards Peking WAS 4 Rew greve, Golden Swallow ordered” her bearers to THE honoured parents sent
tura calde and when they greetings and bade their
CDI'S hesitated her passionate as quickly as drove them to obey, In fear ughter return good manners end custom ard trembling they set down permitted, for & husband had the chair and Golden Swallow been found and. ሰባ
an alighted.
*ill barely two
Nevertheless Golden Swallow had won the day, partly because auspicious day not even contemplated; but she had revealed the way in months hence, Golden Swallow Golden Swallow thought of R which she could attend school, must hurry.
plon.
divinations,
and partly because as the only
the
did he matter indeed, no sooner
hear the chiming handbell and
the sing song sry of the fortune-teller than he urdgred
his gates to be opened and "the vagabund nocromancer
- with
invited
1
und
that
that a
cousing it
Only those who If Mr Wang had a weakness, child of the favoured wife, she
know the It was
unseen that of consulting embraced
qualities of East can Imagine the Iuneront fortune-tellers, and no favoured children; but to attend sorrow that Golden Swallow hid SLOWLY in her rich dress of happiness, she tearfully Lyca es aho bzde matter how, contradictory their school, that was weighty behind her
farewell to her
Slowly teachers and approached the grave. fellow scholars. The parting she sank to the ground and with Wit was a painful time et bowed her head and her tears silence, for Golden Swallow fell like silver zain - upon the could not say that which both parched earth that covered her
lover's body. perceived but only she under- VET there came a day, follow stood. For there was the And then, so runs the oral in. There he would ait while much argument, when double erin of the loss, of a tradition, the ground trembled the bones or tortoiseshell of the
Golden Swallow, Reialind-like,, friond chart
strorge and shoot and suddenly burnt were consulted bappy
Swallow friend open where Golden every
omen, clad in all the inery of a son emotional prin good depressed by every suggestion of a splendid house, rode upon alone, no matter how dear, knell. For a moment they saw or iD.
the back of a fine mare 4towards could not kindle within the her in her une murrlage gown, So it happened that one after. Peking. Before, besidio, and heari
woll-nigh the next moment she had dis- noon while dozing in his garden behind her, rode a splendid break.
appeared into the grave' which house, ho, heard, the silver chime; company of spirited horsemen, So Golden Swallow returned had opened to receive her. With the followed by the plaintive ory of so that bar arrival at the school to her home and dressed agrin another mighty hudder tho, fortune-teller. Ho summoned. Was
matter of spine asia girl, but her grief was such earth closedjugale, his servant and gave orders that importance.
that hor cheeks grow pale. . And as the marriage retinu the soothsayer be brought to There were. dlicultler, of There was talk for a time of gazed in fearful wonder, they him,
The servant, retumed course, that can be imaginad, postponing the Wodding, but Mr saw two butterflies hovering with, a young man of grave Certain matters of privacy, that Wang would have tons of it So above the stove. For fully-ava beauty, upon whom waited a ho insisted upon to the point for the secural time t her life, minutes the butlarflon played, bearded, attendant, carrying the of tho segning ludicrous, but Golden Swallow alda dering and danced a joyful saraband paraphernalia of the fortune, boce thesp" oppbront eccentri-" and unconventional deed; upon the gold sunbokm14,11,Ana Lailers' orat." My Wana, nineted: cifies were secopted, 11e became She, topit a jade pin from has then, as if at a word, bath En surprise!'"Barnly; you are too very plossint to Quiden; hair, ag brnement of exquisite butterfles rose upon the wings young la, bays mida much, free Swallow. And then came the boxity, and, alle enclosed it with, of the west wind and store.
say when she wished to: throw a letter and sent is to her friend, osrried "towanda: tho, mawning
....
canace
· CAREFUL, MR. PRESIDENT, WE'RE ON THE BRINK AGAIN