Anne Lister in London 1819-1839

Introduction

Readers wanting to follow Anne Lister’s footsteps around London, whether in reality or on maps, will find she is a helpful guide. She invariably describes her routes street by street, giving the addresses of all the commercial and public buildings she visits. These can often be traced in the books mentioned below.

Keeping track of time was something of an obsession with her, for instance she noted every day in the margin of her journal the times of rising and retiring (showing that during her hectic month with Miss MacLean in 1829 she was seldom in bed before 2am)

Anyone wanting to compare the ease of getting around then and now can depend on AL to give the timing of journeys long and short. (As to travelling by sea versus road, see introduction to 1 September 1822).

In the days before she had the use of a private carriage in London, she walked everywhere or would take one of the vehicles plying for hire, and she was not afraid to challenge the drivers over their fares. Nor would a locked door put her off visiting places that were closed; only one of her British Museum visits was made during opening hours, but she was generous with her tips on these occasions.

Anne Lister was fascinated by new inventions, recording the horse-power of the steam vessels they took, and often purchasing gadgets, such as non-spilling inkwells, self-pointing pencils and promethean lights.

During early visits AL put herself in the care of the Webbs, whose hotel was “a neat small house” at 220 Piccadilly (site now occupied by the Criterion). When they were full the Webbs found her accommodation in nearby Panton Street and Jermyn Street. Once she stayed at Warrens Hotel on (Lower) Regent Street, which the Lawtons often used. AL later favoured the Hawkins place at 26 Dover Street, off Piccadilly, Mrs Hawkins being also the proprietor of fine suites of rooms in nearby Albemarle Street. Of the places AL stayed at in London, only 26 Dover Street and 29 Albemarle Street are still standing. Webbs and Warrens are illustrated in Tallis (parts 25 and 17 respectively).

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