The great May-fair was formerly held near
Piccadilly. An antiquary.. . Mr. Carter, describes this place in an interesting
communication, dated the 6th of March, 1816, to his valued friend, the
venerable ‘Sylvanus Urban’. ‘Fifty years have passed away since this place
of amusement was at its height of attraction: the spot where the fair was held
still retains the name of May-fair, and exists in much the same state as at the
above period: for instance, Shepherd’s market, and houses surrounding it on
the north and east sides, with White Horse- street, Shepherd’s-court,
Sun-court, Market-court. Westwards an open space extending to Tyburn (now Park)
lane, since built upon, in Chapel- street, Shepherd’s street, Market-street,
Hertford-street, &c. Southwards the noted ducking-pond, house, gardens,
since built upon, in a large riding-school, Carrington-street, (the noted Kitty
Fisher lived in this street,) &c. ... In the areas encompassing the market
building were booths for jugglers, prize-fighters, both at cudgels and
back-sword, boxing-matches, and wild beasts. The sports not under cover were
mountebanks, fire-eaters, ass-racing, sausage-tables, dice-tables, up-and-
downs, merry-go-rounds, bull-baiting, grinning for a hat, running for a shift,
hasty-pudding eaters, eel-divers, and an infinite variety of other - similar
pastimes. Among the extraordinary and wonderful delights of the happy spot, take
the following items, which still hold a place within my mind, though I cannot
affirm they all occurred at one precise season Before a large commodious house,
with a good disposure of walks, arbours, and alcoves, was an area, with an
extensive bason of water, otherwise “Ducking-pond”, for the recreation of
lovers of that polite and humane sport. Persons who came with their dogs paid a
trifling fee for admission, and were considered the chief patrons and supporters
of the pond; others, who visited the place as mere spectators, paid a double
fee. A duck was put into the pond by the master of the hunt; the several dogs
were then let loose, to seize the bird. For a long time they made the attempt in
vain.. . At length, some dog more expert than the rest, caught the feathered
prize, and bore it away, amidst the loudest acclamations, to its most
fortunate and envied master...
‘Then there was “Beheading of Puppets”. In a coal-shed
attached to a grocer’s shop, (then Mr. Frith’s, now Mr. Frampton’s,) one
of these mock executions was exposed to the attending crowd. A shutter was fixed
horizontally; on the edge of which, after many previous ceremonies, - a puppet
laid its head, and another puppet then instantly chopped it off with an axe. In
a circular staircase-window, at the north end of Sun- - court, a similar
performance took place by another set of puppets. The condemned puppet bowed its
head to the sill, which, as above was soon decapitated. In these
representations, the late punishment of the Scotch chieftain (lord Lovat) was
alluded to, in order to gratify the feelings of southern loyalty, at the expense
of that farther north.—In a fore one- - pair room, on the west side of
Sun-court, a Frenchman submitted to the curious the astonishing strength of the
“Strong Woman”, his wife. A blacksmith’s anvil being procured from White
Horse-street, with three of the men, they brought it up, and placed it on the
floor. The woman was short, but most beautifully and delicately formed, and of a
most lovely countenance. She first let down her hair, (a light auburn,) of a
length descending to her knees, which she twisted round the projecting part of
the anvil, and then, with seeming ease, lifted the ponderous weight some inches
from the floor. After this, a bed was laid in the middle of the room; when,
reclining on her back, and uncovering her bosom, the husband ordered the smiths
to place thereon the anvil, and forge upon it a horse-shoe! This they obeyed; by
taking from the fire a red-hot piece of iron, and with their forging hammers
completing the shoe, with the same might and indifference as when in the shop at
their constant labour. The prostrate fair one appeared to endure this with the
utmost composure, talking and singing during the whole process; then, with an
effort which to the by-standers seemed like some supernatural trial, cast the
anvil from her body, jumping up at the same moment with extreme gaiety, and
without the least discomposure of her dress or person...
William Hone, The Every-Day Book 1826