New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-07
Records Gone Over Before
SO Craven St. Is Fixed On
as London Home.
BRITISH JOURNAL
PRINTS FULL PROOF
American Fears That Building
Was Soon To Be Torn Down
Prove GrOundless.
fFrom The Tribune Correspondent. ]


London, Nov. 29.-The proof discovered
after forty years b. the Royal Society
Of Arts that Benjamin Franklin did not
live after all at No. I, but at No. 50
Craven street, necessarily attracted much
attention in the American Colony IN
London, especially as of late there has
been great agitation, because it was
feared that No was to be torn down.
The societys recent discovery has been
exploited in cable dispatches TO the
United States, briefly, but the full proof
as published in THE Journal of the
Royal Society OF Arts" November p,
1913. will undoubtedly be Of great inter-
est not only to antqua:ies, but to all
good Americans. The Journal says in
substance as follows:
I'm 1915 a tablet was set up by the So
eiety on No. Craven street to commem.
crate the residence OF Franklin in Lon
don. At that time no doubt whatever
was felt that the present No. was iden-'
teal with the No. I Craven street.-The
house OF Mrs. Margaret Stevenson-eti
which Franklin is known to have stayed
during all his visits to London between
Frankln's various biographies, and has
been frequently referred to by other writ
ers, including the authors Of the various
London handbooks.
Cunningham we'll known book on Lon,
don, in the note on Craven street in tho
edition Of lSi9 mentions No. as Frank
Inns house, and Mr. Wheatley, In the
elaborate edition OF the same work,
which he published in 1891 under tho
title of London Past and Present. re-
peats Cunningham's statement with tho
additional remark that the house was the
seventh on the right hand going down
from the Strand-that is, on the western
side Of the street.
Some few years ago. however. Sir Lau-
renee CONNIE, the clerk OF the London
County Council, in the course OF some in
vestigatiOns into the history OF London
houses, found that Margaret Stephenson
the name IS so spelt was given In tho
Westminster rate books as the tenant Of
house on the east side two doors from
Craven Court from the years l761 10 l17l.
I'm Horwood's map which is GER
tainly not later than 1899, the numbering
OF the craven street houses IS tne same
as at present In this map the second
house north OF Craven Court now Craven
Passage). is numbered SO. as il is to-day.
The present number 60 is the eleventh
house from the south end of Craven
street. and also the eleventh house from
the north end. so that with the street in
its present condition it could not possibly,
by any system OF numbering be num-
bered !.
The evidence for believing that Mrs
Steyenson's house was first No under
the oldest system. next No. q under ths
second system. and. finally, No. IS under
the latest and existing system. is to %
found in the various directories and the
Westminster rate books.
Taking all the evidence together there
cannot be any doubt whatever that Mrs.
Stevenson's house. in which Franklin
lodged, was the house two doors north
from Craven Court. first numbered +
afterward o., and. finally, 50. and conse-
ouently that the house in which Franklin
lived was that now numbered SO. not the
one now numbered :, on which the tablet
is placed.
1T is known that Franklin had very
hish regard for Mrs. Stevenson. and kept
up with her correspondence which was
continued after his final return 10
Ap,erica "