Brewers' Quay

XII.—BREWERS' QUAY

(A) CLARE'S QUAY

In 1352, by a document already referred to, (fn. 1) Ralph Campion, executor of Amice, widow of John Palmer, shipwright, grants to Sir John Philip, rector of St. Faith, a tenement with a quay which John Palmer had in Petty Wales, lying between the tenement of Thomas of Snettisham (Stew Quay) on the west, and the tenement once of Peter Talworth (the "Ram's Head") on the east. In 1368 Salamon Brownyng is given as occupying this property east of Stew Quay, (fn. 2) and in 1398 the joint owners of the latter are parties to a document which appears to concern Clare's Quay itself: (fn. 3) John Andrew, vintner, and Margaret his wife surrender to Margery Brounyng, widow (these were the two daughters of Snettisham), all their tenements in Petty Wales lying between the tenement of Richard Brownyng (the "Ram's Head") on the east, and the tenement of John Andrew and the wharf of Margery Brounyng (Stew Quay) on the west, which tenement they had jointly by gift of John Wawyn, chaplain, and Richard Pickenham, son of Walter Pickenham, skinner. Margery Browning seems to have disposed of this property before the sale of Stew Quay in 1415, (fn. 4) when the eastern neighbour of the latter is given as Robert Purfoot, a name that occurs again, as west of the "Ram's Head" in 1494. (fn. 5)

The name of the quay occurs first in a quitclaim (fn. 6) of 1525 from Humphrey Gay, son of Christopher Gay, son of Thomas Gay and Alice his wife, to Nicholas Jenyns, skinner, and others of a messuage and quay called Clare's Quay … lying between the brewhouse of Nicholas Jenyns on the east (the "Ram's Head") and the Stew Quay on the west. Again in 1566 it occurs in a quitclaim from John Lewys and Joan his wife to Thomas Wylson, yeoman, (fn. 7) and in the same year Wylson sells to Roger James, brewer, the wharf called Clare's Quay and house thereon late in the occupation of Elizabeth Alderton and now in the tenure of Thomas Edwards, bounded on the north by Petty Wales, on the east by the brewhouse of Thomas Pyke called the "Rammes Head," and on the west by the house and wharf of Edward Jeffery, tallow chandler (Stew Quay). (fn. 8) But at some time in this year it appears that part of Clare's Quay was occupied by Randall Hayward, who was west of the "Ram's Head." (fn. 9) Another tenement, presumably on Clare's Wharf, or part of the property that went with it, is the subject of a quitclaim, in 1570, of William Kime, gent., and Elizabeth his wife, to Roger James, for it was formerly in the tenure of William Jenyns, deceased, and was then divided into two small tenements occupied by Widow Gamon, Peers Rowlands, sailor, and Thomas Camfill, cobbler. (fn. 10)

In the later history of the site we shall find that the first quay (the successor of "Clare's Key") west of Tower Dock became known as Brewers' Quay.

(B) THE RAM'S HEAD

This name is that of the corner property between Petty Wales and the river, and adjoining Tower Dock or Watergate. The names of its occupiers have already been given in the bounds of Clare's Quay: (fn. 11) 1352, Peter Talworth; 1368, Salamon Brownyng, who is still a tenant in 1398. In 1494 John Assheford, junior, and Alice his wife, daughter of Thomas, son of Laurence Braunche, quitclaim to John Morcote, yeoman, and Robert Williamson, chaplain, a corner tenement and wharf in Petty Wales between the tenement of Robert Purfoot on the west and the Watergate annexed to the Tower on the east, which Laurence Braunche had with other properties of the feoffment of Thomas Depdene, plumber, John Carpenter, junior, and Reginald Weldon. (fn. 12)

We have already seen that in 1525 the property was described as the brewhouse of Nicholas Jenyns, who also owned Clare's Quay, (fn. 13) and Nicholas in his will, quoted in the first part of the Survey of this Parish, (fn. 14) mentions his quay in Petty Wales and another house of his called the Ram's Head in Eastcheap which he bequeathed to the Skinners' Company. The story of how he became possessed of the Ram's Head in All Hallows Barking is told in a number of documents in the Early Chancery Proceedings at the Public Record Office. (fn. 15) It appears that John Ashford and Alice his wife (mentioned above) had granted a lease of the premises to Henry Mortelman in 1515 for fifty years. Mortelman rebuilt "the great messuage called the Rammys Hed "at his own costs and charges, and when he died he left it, in equal parts, to his widow Joan and his daughter Avice, who was wife of Nicholas Gibson, citizen and grocer. Joan remarried Nicholas Jenyns, and during her lifetime, and for twenty-seven years thereafter, the daughter Avice was excluded from her share. On the death of Nicholas the Ram's Head was seized by his executors John and Thomas Pyke, who were trustees during the nonage of a son, Bernard Jenyns, and when Nicholas and Avice Gibson attempted to install John Pope, a tenant of their own, the Pykes turned him out.

It seems that the Gibsons were successful in recovering their share, for in some later proceedings (fn. 16) we find that John Pope (Avice's nominee) held two brewhouses, the Harteshorne and the Ram's Head, in Petty Wales, and that Nicholas Mychell, who had married the sister of Pope's wife, and had been in the King's service at "Guiennes," was tenant of the Ram's Head.

The following transaction appears to deal with the other share. In 1566 Thomas Dewey, goldsmith, and Margery his wife, trustees on behalf of Judith, Awdra and Marye, daughters of the late Thomas Pyke, skinner, convey to Sir William Garrard and Sir William Chester, aldermen, a moiety of a tenement or brewhouse called the "Rammes Head," with a wharf, abutting east on the Watergate of the Tower, and to the wharf of Randall Hayward on the west, to the use of the daughters. (fn. 17) In the same year it recurs in the bounds of Clare's Quay as "the brewhouse of the late Thomas Pyke called the Rammes Head." (fn. 18) It is probably this house which is referred to in 1520 in the account of the expenses for carrying King Henry VIII and his Queen to Calais and back: "To Peter Swynbanke at the sign of the Rammes in Petty Wales, London: 26 Pipes, 1 hhd beer @ 6/8 the pipe, an ox and a half @ 6/8 the quarter, 5 oxen @ 22/- each, 200 lings @ £3, 6/8 the 100." (fn. 19)

The "Rames Hed" appears in the rate-books of 1562 as the first house in Petty Wales, and is rated at the high figure of 2s. 6d. and was apparently occupied by Roger James from 1576 to 1579.

From the year 1683, when the assessments for poor rate are available, the occupants of the quays can be given with certainty. Galley Quay, Aquavite Quay and Chester's Quay are in that year in the joint names of Clement Keene and John Hilton, the latter name appearing alone from 1685 to 1687. Brewers' Quay and the Corner House (the Ram's Head) are held by Robert Richardson, who continues until 1719, in which year Mrs. Katherine Richardson takes his place. In 1700 there is a note that the corner house has been converted to a warehouse. Galley Quay and Aquavite Quay pass to Thomas Pecock and partners in 1689, and to W. Fydall and partners in 1690, while in the former year Chester's Quay is occupied by John Butler, and then passes to Richard Lachmere, who in 1693 has all three quays in his name. (fn. 20) He continues to 1719, but after the break in the records (1720–1723), his executors are entered, and thereafter as far as 1759 Richard Lachmere and Company.

In 1711 a new inn appears, perhaps to take the custom of the vanished Ram's Head, the Tower Inn, and this with the other property formerly pertaining to the Ram's Head and Brewers' Quay, were taken over from Samuel Davenport in 1736 by Thomas Dineley, who remains until 1759.