Old London Maps
Free access to scores of rare and detailed maps, plans, articles, information and views of medieval, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth century London for the genealogist, family historian, student and the curious.

 

 

 

Samuel Horsey, sliding down Charing Cross

 

Samuel Horsey was an institution on Georgian London streets. He had been begging since 1785 - when Horsey claimed that the surgeon Mr Abernethy cut off his legs in St Bartholomew’s Hospital. Horsey never explained why Mr Abernethy so denuded him of his legs. Some days Horsey slid a-begging down Charing Cross, other days he could be seen at the door of Mr Coutt’s banking-house. Still other days he could be seen forcing his way into a gin shop by slamming the front of his sled against the door.

 

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