The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-11-22 00:00:00

CROCKFORD THE GAMBLER.

All the world has heard of Crockford's gambling-house, in
London. The history of Crockford is curious. His autobio-
graphy, nothing concealing and nothing extenuating, would
be one of the most readable works which have appeared for
many a day. He was originally ft small fishmonger, without
a itenny in the world, in the neighbourhood of Temple. Bar.—
The following copy of an account for fish, which appeared some
years since in a book called " Life in the West," will give some
idea both of the extent of his business and of the measure of his
intimacy with the schoolmaster:—
Mr. A---

To William Crockford, s. d.
April 3, to pair, of cowls
5, Sprats
6, 3 viten5........,
12, 7 red herrings......
19, 2 makerils • 0 8
•

3 5
The way in which he is said to have then in the world is sin-
gular enough. Nature, it appears, has made him a first-rate
mathematician in. all that relates to money calculations. lam
assured by those who know him, that the member for Middlesex
is a mere tiro to hint in this respect. By some inward process,—
mental arithmetic, I believe, is the phrase, though it is doubtful
if Mr. Crockford knows what is meant by "mental"—by some
inward process he can calculate, provided there be large stakes
in the field, with an almost absolute certainty, what are to be
the results in certain games. Having early discovered that he
possessed this most useful gift, he began, while yet a fishmonger
in a small way, to pay nightly visits, when the day's business
was over, to a low hell in King's-place, in the neighbourhood
of Pall-mall. Here he commenced his career as a gambler by
risking a sew shillings. at English hazard.. Finding himself al-
most invariably successful, he was in the habit of proceeding
next morning to Billinsgate, where he laid in a stock of "sowls"
(soles,) flat fish, &c., for the day. He was gradually enabled
fo carry on his business to greater advantage and on a more ex-
tensive scale; while his increased profits enabled him to bet at
the den referred to much more heavily than his limited resour-
ces would, in the first instance, admit of. His first great bet,
however, was not in a gaining-house. The author of the work
from which I have copied the account for "sowls" and " vitons"
and " makerils" says, that his "first step of any particular note
to h is present elevation was taking immense long odds upon an
out horse, which he did upon private information, given to
him by a jockey, that it was to win." Soon after this Crock-
ford purchased for £lOO the fourth share of a gambling-bank, at
No. 5, King's-street, St. James's. The proprietors of the hell
had previously quarrelled, and certain extraordinary disclosures
were the consequence. Amongst other startling facts, it ap-
peared that, though the den was not of any great note, the' sys-
tem of plunder had been carried on in it on such an extensive
scale, that in one night the players were " piL,Teoned" to the
tune of £2OOO. One of the proprietors being afraid that on this
disclosure proceedings might be instituted against them, appro-
priated to himself his share of the £2OOO, and then disposed of
his interest in the concern for the above-mentioned sum of
£lOO to Crockford. The three other partners were persons of
.the names of Abbott, Austin, and Holdsworth.
Having amassed a great deal of money at No. 5, King's-
street, Croekford quitted the ' business' there, and opened a .
hell with three other persons, in 81, Piccadilly, for playing
French hazard. In one season, according to the statement of
a gentleman who lost to a very considerable amount, the four
proprietors must have divided amongst them the sum of £200,000
being £50,000 to each. That, however, was the most success-
ful season ever known. In point of real profit it far exceeds
anything realized by the present princely establishment, be-
cause the expenses of keeping up the latter are ten times greater
than the former. At this place loaded dice were discovered, as
I shall afterwards mention more particularly. Here again a
quarrel took place among the partners about the division of the
plunder, and the establishment was consequently broken up.—
Crocktord then purchased the house, No. 50, St. James's-street,
ut finding it too small for the crowds of noblemen and gentle-
bmen Who frequented it, he purchased 51, and subsequently 52;
when, in 1825, he pulled the-three houses down, and erected on
their site the present magnificent building.--The Great Metro-
polis.

THE SPANISHWAR : BRAGG A Dom.—According to published
accounts by the respective sides, the Queen's party has killed
314,562 Carlists, taken 66,453 prisoners and 11,221 guns, gained
597 battles, totally routed 270 Carlist armies, and partially routed
227 ; while the Carlists have killed 189,688 Christinos, taken
43,811 prisoners, and received 42,936 deserters, gained 95 battles,
taken 107 cannon, and carried 87 decisive and complete victories.
So much for Spanish generals, armies, victories, and official state-
ments !—London paper.

_ .
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svim
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