Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1911-10-27

9Y t is but little over year ago, at
"a the time when King Edward lay
81 in state in Westminster hall. that
81 thousands of Londoners made
their first acquaintance with the
riverside district which lies between
Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges. No
one who witnessed the wonderful spec
tacle presented by the vast crowds
that thronged Grosvenor road, Mill
bank street and Abingdon street in
their patient pilgrimage can ever for
get It. Joining the multitude at or
even beyond Vauxhall bridge. those
who walked, step by step. felt that
when at last they reached Lambeth
bridge the goal was almost In sight,
tor just beyond the great Victoria
tower was the royal death chamber
Few paused to notice the rather squat
Id appearance of the approach by MILL
bank street to the houses of parlia-
ment and old palace yard as compared
with the splendor of the opposite ap-
proach along the spacious ways of
Whitehall and the embankment. and
Few knew much OF the proposed
scheme destined to transform this
part of London and make it worthy
of the imperial center of the metrop-
oils.
In the old days the river banks here
on both sides were lonely marshIand;
where Lambeth bridge now spans the
stream there was an ancient horse
ferry. (Horseferry road preserves its
name). the revenues OF which be-
longed to the archbishops OF Canter-
bury, whose palace OF Lambeth lies
opposite. on the Surrey side. Just out
side the southern wall of the abbey
precincts there arose in later times
little suburb much favored by the gen.
try cs the days of Anne and the
Georges. College street, Cowiey street
and Barton street still show the
quaint, digniSed facades OF these
charming specimens of eighteenth CEN
fury domestic architecture. Here IN
1716. in Smith square. was built the
singular church of st. John. with its
four belfry towers, which was adj
mired and abused more, perhaps, than
any church In London: some iikened
1t to "a parlor-tabie upset with its legs
In the air q chef d'oeuvre of the alb
surdity of its architect. Thomas Arch
err: others spoke of 1t as an orna-
ment to the city of Westminster, and
regretted that vista had not been
opened up from old palace yard to
show its beauty. Nowadays, perhaps,
we are better able to appreciate It's
merits. the originality OF its design
and its massive construction. St.
Johns church is the central feature
of the Millbank Improvement scheme
now being carried out at immense
cost by the London county council.
This great scheme, known as the
Thames EmhankmeEt Extension and
Westminster improvements at Mill
bank" was proposed thirteen years
ago in resolution of the council that
plan should be prepared for the EN-
bankment Of the Thames from the Vic
toria tower garden to Lambeth bridge,
including the widening OF Millbank
street In 1901 provision was made
for the scheme by capital vote OF
s7,5T5.0OO, of which the sum of S..
| $4,000 was the estimated cost OF ac-
| quiring the properties east and west
of Millbank street and for widening
| the west side OF the street itself;
while s250,000 vas reserved for the
rehousing OF the iaboring classes dis.
lodged by sc extensive a sweeping
away of the unsightly dwellings oc-
| cupying the site.
The most important part OF the
scheme is the construction OF the new
gardens between the existing Victoria
tower gardens and Lambeth bridge
the extension of ths embankment be
tween the houses of parliament and
the bridge and the widening OF Mill
bank street, which will thus form .
broad and spacious approach fros1 the
south. The new gardens and en.bank
ment will take the place of old rows
of wharves and .breweries. Few. how
ever. will Regret that stateI'nAAa on