Two hundred years ago, on October 4 last, there were brave doings in Queen Square, Bloomebury, for -the church of St. George the Martyr, which had long occupied a second-rate position as a spiritual home, was to be consecrated as a parish church. Both the square and the church had a brave struggle before their merits were recognized. The square, which is not a "square" at all; but not singular among London squares in that, was built in the early years of the 18th century, and bad the north side left open, so that the residents might enjoy an uninterrupted view of the heights of Hampstead. It was called Devonshire Square at first, but the name was afterwards altered to Queen Square, out of deference to the friend of the Duchess of Marlborough.
When the square was built the church was built also on a plot of land owned by Nathaniel Curzon, and that, too,. took its name out of a compliment—to Sir Streynsham Master, one of its founders, who had been Governor of Fort St. George. It wag destined to serve as a chapel-of-ease for St. Andrew's, Holborn, but was delared a parish church in 1723, just two hundred years ago. _The persons who built it (says Noorthouck) intended to reimburse themselves by the sale of pews, but the commissioners for erecting fifty mew churches, resolving to make this one of them, purchased it and caused a certain district to be appointed for its parish, The chaplain and the afternoon preacher (who was also a reader) got £100 a year each; and the clerk £50.
There were jerry-builders in those days, for within ten years of St. George's being opened many people were afraid of attending service there, lest roof and walls should fail oont ther heads. Thousands of pounds were Spent at various times in patching up the fabric, and even within living memory it has had to be reconstructed.
Curiously enough, the churchyard was no more popular than
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.