Spa Fields
Encyclopedia
Spa Fields is a park, and surrounding area, in the London Borough of Islington
in London, bordering Finsbury
and Clerkenwell
. Historically it is known for the Spa Fields riots
of 1816 and an Owenite community which existed there between 1821 and 1824. The park, or open common
was once of 14 hectare
s but was mostly built over in the 19th century, beginning in the 1830s, and is now a small park, popular with office workers at lunchtime, and a children's playground.
A large surrounding area was once called by the name, but this is now less common. In the 18th century it was a disreputable area, known for "the rude sports that were in vogue, such as duck-hunting, prize-fighting, bull-baiting, and others of an equally demoralising character," and "seems to have been much infected by sneaking footpads, who knocked down pedestrians passing to and from London, and despoiled them of hats, wigs, silver buckles, and money," The moral tone gradually improved after the Spa Fields Chapel was erected in 1777 by the Countess of Huntingdon, a famous Evangelical.
and was the idea of George Mudie
(1788-??). On 23 January 1821 a group of printers met at Mitchell's Assembly Rooms, London
, to discuss Mudie's proposals for a community, and at this meeting a committee was appointed. They met at the Medallic Cabinet, 158 The Strand
, to raise money. As part of the fund-raising effort, Mudie began publication of a weekly journal, the Economist, which ran from 27 January 1821 to 9 March 1822.
The plan was soon formulated to create a 'Co-opearative and Economical Society' of 200 families. The male members had to contribute a guinea to the central fund. There would be a communal kitchen and dining hall, plus there were plans for a school as well. The committee calculated that the community would save around £8,000 per year through its own manufacture of various items that it would use. Mudie believed that the community would be able to become independent.
During this period the chairman was George Hinde and one prominent member was the printer Henry Hetherington
.
By December 1821 the 'Spa Fields Congregational families' had begun to live together. The women worked from 6am to 8pm, and the children were also kept busy 'without a moment's intermission'. The community advertised various services that they would provide, such as cobbling, painting, haberdashery, etc, and they also announced that they would be opening a school run on approved Fellenbergian lines.
The community also set up a 'monitor' system whereby each monitor looked after one person and acted as his 'confessor'.
Mudie found himself working very hard to maintain the community, but this affected the quality of the Economist. The publication ceased in March 1822 and the community continued for another two years. The reasons for its demise are not known, but Mudie immersed himself in another community, at Orbiston, run by Abram Combe
, but could not agree with Combe and also left this community after a year or so.
London Borough of Islington
The London Borough of Islington is a London borough in Inner London. It was formed in 1965 by merging the former metropolitan boroughs of Islington and Finsbury. The borough contains two Westminster parliamentary constituencies, Islington North and Islington South & Finsbury...
in London, bordering Finsbury
Finsbury
Finsbury is a district of central London, England. It lies immediately north of the City of London and Clerkenwell, west of Shoreditch, and south of Islington and City Road. It is in the south of the London Borough of Islington. The Finsbury Estate is in the western part of the district...
and Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
. Historically it is known for the Spa Fields riots
Spa Fields riots
The Spa Fields Riots were mass meetings that took place at Spa Fields, Islington, England on 15 November, 2 and 9 December 1816 between revolutionary Spenceans against the British government. The Spenceans had planned to encourage rioting at this meeting and then seize control of the British...
of 1816 and an Owenite community which existed there between 1821 and 1824. The park, or open common
Common land
Common land is land owned collectively or by one person, but over which other people have certain traditional rights, such as to allow their livestock to graze upon it, to collect firewood, or to cut turf for fuel...
was once of 14 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s but was mostly built over in the 19th century, beginning in the 1830s, and is now a small park, popular with office workers at lunchtime, and a children's playground.
A large surrounding area was once called by the name, but this is now less common. In the 18th century it was a disreputable area, known for "the rude sports that were in vogue, such as duck-hunting, prize-fighting, bull-baiting, and others of an equally demoralising character," and "seems to have been much infected by sneaking footpads, who knocked down pedestrians passing to and from London, and despoiled them of hats, wigs, silver buckles, and money," The moral tone gradually improved after the Spa Fields Chapel was erected in 1777 by the Countess of Huntingdon, a famous Evangelical.
Owenite community
The community was established in a number of properties at Guildford Street East, Bagnigge Wells Road and Spa Fields, London. The community was based on the cooperative ideas of Robert OwenRobert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
and was the idea of George Mudie
George Mudie (Owenite)
George Mudie was an Owenite, cooperator and publisher.Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1788, Mudie became a supporter of Robert Owen's cooperative principles. In 1818 he was a member of a discussion group that met in St Andrew's Chapel, Edinburgh, and he tried to persuade that group to form a...
(1788-??). On 23 January 1821 a group of printers met at Mitchell's Assembly Rooms, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, to discuss Mudie's proposals for a community, and at this meeting a committee was appointed. They met at the Medallic Cabinet, 158 The Strand
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
, to raise money. As part of the fund-raising effort, Mudie began publication of a weekly journal, the Economist, which ran from 27 January 1821 to 9 March 1822.
The plan was soon formulated to create a 'Co-opearative and Economical Society' of 200 families. The male members had to contribute a guinea to the central fund. There would be a communal kitchen and dining hall, plus there were plans for a school as well. The committee calculated that the community would save around £8,000 per year through its own manufacture of various items that it would use. Mudie believed that the community would be able to become independent.
During this period the chairman was George Hinde and one prominent member was the printer Henry Hetherington
Henry Hetherington
Henry Hetherington was a leading British Chartist.- Early years :Henry Hetherington was the son of a London tailor, John Hetherington , and was born on 17 June 1792, at 16 Compton Street, Soho, London...
.
By December 1821 the 'Spa Fields Congregational families' had begun to live together. The women worked from 6am to 8pm, and the children were also kept busy 'without a moment's intermission'. The community advertised various services that they would provide, such as cobbling, painting, haberdashery, etc, and they also announced that they would be opening a school run on approved Fellenbergian lines.
The community also set up a 'monitor' system whereby each monitor looked after one person and acted as his 'confessor'.
Mudie found himself working very hard to maintain the community, but this affected the quality of the Economist. The publication ceased in March 1822 and the community continued for another two years. The reasons for its demise are not known, but Mudie immersed himself in another community, at Orbiston, run by Abram Combe
Abram Combe
Abram Combe was a British utopian socialist and Christian social reformer, an associate of Robert Owen and a major figure in the early co-operative movement.-Life:...
, but could not agree with Combe and also left this community after a year or so.