Thomas Pennant to William Owen [Pughe], 16 April 1789 Aberystwyth NLW 13222C pp. 127–30

on address side: St, Savr , ab Lth. 400y... bt. 30 ft. b. Coal Copperas from Writtlsea Essex Clay from pool Lime House New cut begn. abt- 20 Y. ago Trade Coal. Corn flour Malt &c. s towds. Bow. Bow-lock - on River Lea joins it up the Bason is to be cut at Blackwall

E: India Warehouse Inside court 20 by 50 yds The measurements of the inside court given here correspond to those published in Of London (1790), p. 252. Extreme breadth 54 yds. 60 3 50 34 3 102 150 2502 54 3 162

Condition: a small rectangular section of p. 128, containing Pennant's signature, has been deliberately cut out. This also affects the reverse, p. 127.

 Thomas Pennant 16 April 1789 Downing William Owen [Pughe] No. 73 New Bond Street English
Mr Owens

To mr Fauld – are Inclosed The words added above the line appear to be in a different hand. are some corrections or additions to my M.S. of LondonPennant writes of his draft work on London, the first edition of which was published by Robert Faulder in 1790 under the title Of London . which Mr Faulder will assist in putting in their proper place. Pray do it as nicely as you can.

Please to copy

Pray transcribe & send to me what I have said of Henry V. when Prince of wales, & Sir John Elliot p. 53.This refers to Pennant's account of the imprisonment at the King's bench prison of Henry V whilst prince of Wales on the order of the 'honest judge Gascoigne, for striking or insulting him on the bench'. The incident was reported by Sir Thomas Elyot (rather than John, as given here), Pennant notes. Of London (1790), pp. 38–9. The reference to 'p. 53' in the text of the letter may be in the hand of William Owen [Pughe]. about a dozen lines will do. I will return it corrected with that page respecting Elis 1. This may be a reference to Elizabeth I, who makes numerous appearances in Pennant's Of London (1790).

If you could have leisure to go as far as st Saviours Dock behind Bermondsey I wish for a general account of its size & what barges or vessels frequent it. also if there is not a new prison building near Battle Bridge.Battle-bridge, named after the abbot of Battle, is noted in Of London (1790), p. 55, but no mention is made of a prison being built nearby. Mr Faulder will get yr letters franked.

I am yr friend Th. Pennant The original signature has been torn out, and replaced by Pennant's name in another hand. Downing April 16th 1789.

If you cd conveniently cross the river I wish you cd learn the uses of the canal from Bromley near Bow which ends in the Thames west of Lime house dock.See Of London (1790), p. 283, and 1416. What commodities are brought down:? & whetherhas not this new canal annihilated the use of the River Lea from its mouth near Blackwall, to Bromley?The canal in question, about a mile and a quarter in length, is named as 'the New Cut, or Poplar canal' in Of London (1790) and was observed by Pennant '[i]n our walk through Limehouse'. For Pennant's account of it see ibid., pp. 283–4.

also in yr return to observe whether the old navy office is pulled down & new buildings erected for the purpose of a i east india warehouse.Upon the removal of the Navy Office to Somerset house, the old building was replaced by 'a most magnificent warehouse' by the 'India company'. Of London (1790), p. 252.

To Mr William Owen at Messrs Owen & ockley’s No. 73.new Bondstreet.