New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-05
THE STR4TFORD CHANGES
Mr. Albert III. Smyth on the Alleged
Vandalism an Henley Street.

troversy. Diligent but msinformed writer's
have raised a great clamor in the newspaper
press Of England and America TO the effect that
certain recent actions of the trustees of Shake
speare's birthplace are 'iconOclastic" and bar
barous': that they constitute a serious piece
OF vandalism involving dissertation" and
'spoliation" Of historic edihces The actions
complained Of are twofold. They both involve
the demolition OF certain houses in Henley-st.
Cthe street Of the poets BIRTH and the dedica-
ton OF their sites TO public
In the first place through the generosity Of
Mr.. Carnegie. the trustees have come into pos
session OF four buildings abutting the birth
place gardens. Two of these have been demol-
ished. The other two are TO remain standing
but are TO be withheld from domestic or mer-
camille occupation, for the whole object OF this
action Of the trustees is the protection OF the
birthplace from fire. The desirabiIity Of more
complete isolation Of the birthplace was brought
home TO the trustees By the fire which in 1896
completely destroyed two shops in Henley-st,. in
the near neighborhood Of the birthplace The
other action complained of is the erection by the
corporation of a free public library Carnegie
foundation in the same street with the birth
place and occupying in part the site of a house
now in process of demolition called the China
Shop" which 1t is claimed, is Of the Eliza
bethan time and has Shakespearian associations
Henley-st, upon which the birthplace is To-
Gated, is to be profaned for the first time by the
spirit of uncouth modernity." Before the Sell
borne Society Miss Coreln. who has raised most
of the bewildering dust Of this unfortunate con-
froversy pleaded not only Tor our
selves, but for all the unborn generations. that
they might wend their way, as we did, down the
historic thoroughfare and find it spared from
any touch of modernity." This kind of senu-
mental appeal finds a favorable echo in all gen
tie and reverent hearts But those who know
Henley-st. and its houses are aware how en-
+irelv II misrepresents the actual visible state
of things The hand Of renovation has been
busy In this street. and scarcely anything OF
ancient history greets the eye of the anti
ouarian The houses of the Eliza bethan and
.Jacobean times as they fell into decay were re-
built and patched up, altered in one portion and
another. new, fat brick fronts replacing the Old
4imbers until the threescore houses that line the
street are now "low. featureless, brick tronted
tenements, ranging in date through all the dec
AIDES Of the nineteenth century Oee). indeed
some Of the taller buildings opposite TO the plrth-
Mace are not yet five years old, and are pam
fully and obtrusively suburban. Yet IN the
hysteria of this controversy one writer is heard
exclaiuing, Let Shakespeares street alone!
Leave the sacred side of Henley-st. uncontami-
mated by modern bricks and mortar"
Now let us see what has actually been done
In order to protect the birthplace from fire four
cottages Immediately adjacent to the east OF the
gardens of the birthplace have been purchased
TWO of them We're ruinous novels, entirely ouilt
within the last seventy years They nave peeh
demolished and garden will be cultivated upon
their site The other two cottages nave lhoI-
fensive modern brick fronts, and contain old
tirbers and an open fireplace with inglenook
r-loic oh Ia a
of Shakespeare's time. These cottages are TO
remain. but they will be jealousy guarded, and
no fire or artificial light permitted in them.
So far the action of the trustees has extended.
The very head and front Of their offending
hath this extent, no more.
The CORPORATION of Stratford has in its charge
the erection of the free library presented by
Mr.. Carnegie. It is desirable that the library
should be near the technical school so that the
two institutions may be mutually helpful I'm
nlediately next to the school is a vacant plot
cleared by the fire of 1896 the only vacant plot
in Henley-st. Adjoining this plot TO the west is
the now famous china shop, about which the
controversy has chiefly ragged. The new library
Is to include this building, and continue over
the vacant ground to the wall of the technical
school. The secretary of the National Trust de-
scribes the shop as IAN almost unique dwelling
house Of the Shakespearian period, and well
worth maintaining in its unmodernized condi-
tion'' It has frequently been spoken of as the
house Of Shakespeares cousin" Miss Corelli
before the O. P. Club, called h. the quaint
little half timbered dwelling Of one Thomas
Greene, once Town Clerk Of Stratford. and
cousin to Shakespeare himself" All this is err
roneous. The house, it is true, was standing in
the sixteenth century. 1t belonged to one
Thomas Greene. who had formerly lived at
Bishopton and who kin whatever TO the
Thomas Greene who was Town Clerk Of STRAIT
ford and who is sometimes thought to be of
Shakespeares blood. Indeed. in the entries in
the minute books Of the corporation the owner
of the china shop is always called Thomas
Greene, of Henley-st.,' TO distinguish him from
the Town Clerk, who dwelt in the "Old Town"
near Trinity Church. But the misrepresenta-
tions do not end here. The building is not half
tinbered. II has a modern brick front. 1t has
been rebuilt several times and has been
tenantable for some years. The old timbers
which it contains are much decayed; the greater
part Of the brick parapet has fallen down, and
in the ordinary course Of events the corpora
ton would be legally obliged TO provide for the
houses entire reconstruction" The corporation
has consulted with Mr.. Cossins, the architect
who has advised that the premises might be
adapted 10 the purposes OF a library without
detriment 10 any structural work of really an
Gent origin that could be retained. Therefore
the building viii not be destroyed; its hideous
modern deformities will be removed and the
ancient features be restored with reverent and
scholarly care. Finally the free public library
(Which. by the way. is not to bear the name Of
Carnegie) is to be no tall pretentious palace"
affronting the sober. street with its magnif1-
cence but low modest, half timbered build
ing quite in harmony with the best traditions Of
the ancient town.