Peering closer, can you make out the arm? That’s all that remains to hint at the traditional industry once thriving in this lane. This is Goldbeaters.
Goldbeaters refers to a craft. It was an industry dedicated to producing fine sheets of gold for gilding. Imagine artisans meticulously crafting gold leaves. They would supply these to the carriage trade and more.
The gold beating process was quite something. A small bar of gold was laid on a stone. This stone could be marble or granite. The gold was then struck with a 15-pound hammer. Can you picture that?
The rhythm was intense. Goldbeaters hammered at about 70 strikes a minute. Sometimes, this went on for hours. The goal? To produce fine ribbons of gold. These ribbons were often used for gilding a royal carriage.
In Victorian times, this lane housed various industries. Among them was an organ builder. There was also a maker of coach trimmings. Close to Long Acre, where the coaches were made, Goldbeaters thrived. Tremendous cast iron mallets were used. These beat out ribbons of gold. The gold became gold leaf just a few atoms thick.
Dickens described this area in *A Tale of Two Cities*. He depicted it as Dr. Manette’s home. Dickens wrote of a “mysterious giant” with a golden arm. This giant seemed to threaten visitors with a similar “conversion.” The description evokes the powerful goldbeaters at work.
The House of St. Barnabas in Soho Square has a connection. An officer of the house convinced the Dickens Fellowship. He said that Dickens based Dr. Manette’s house on the House of St. Barnabas. Previously, they thought it was the Duke of Monmouth’s house.
The House of St. Barnabas had a garden with a plane tree. Rose Street ran down the side. Dickens described people in the garden hearing Sidney Carton’s footsteps. Then a silence, then the front door bell ringing. This suggested he was running down Rose Street.
Later, a chapel was built in the garden. The organ builder made an organ for it. The old Goldbeaters premises was knocked down. It made way for an extension to Foyle’s. This included flats for the Foyle family.
The original sign of Goldbeaters was given to the Dickens Museum. It is in Doughty Street. The replica you see here was installed in its place.
In 1924, the London County Council decided to build housing estates. This was part of the “Homes fit for Heroes” campaign. Much of the Watling Estate had been Goldbeaters farm. The LCC bought 387 acres of land. This purchase was from Goldbeaters farm alone.
Life on the new estate was not easy. Commuting to London cost 6 shillings a week. This was a lot for working people. Many residents were from St. Pancras. They were used to plentiful shops and services. The new estate lacked infrastructure.
Some residents in the surrounding areas were unwelcoming. They did not want a working-class district. Many could not afford the rent. They were evicted. From 1927 to 1937, 3,900 families left the estate.
To address these issues, the Watling Association was formed in 1927. In 1933, the Prince of Wales opened a new community center. The Pilgrim Trust and the Association funded it.
Of the forty-nine companies of goldbeaters recorded in the 1880s, none remain. The last firm, George M. Whiley Limited, moved out in 1971. Their goldbeating equipment was donated to the Museum of London.