How Did Our Garden Grow? E-Book

Vivian Watson

• Herausgeber: The History Press
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

Never before has the full history of Hatton Garden and its diamond and jewellery trade been revealed in such detail. Stories of individuals who made the community what it is today and events that are usually hidden from the public's eye have been compiled by one of the Garden's best-known jewellers, Vivian Watson FGA, who joined the family business in the 1960s, becoming the third generation of his family to work there. With a unique network of contacts, he has interviewed the great and the good. Richly illustrated from a private collection of hundreds of images and maps, this book will inform and entertain the reader on the secret world of diamonds and gems. Many will feel compelled to read it from cover to cover and others will enjoy dipping in and out.

Leseprobe

First published 2022

The History Press

97 St George’s Place, Cheltenham,

Gloucestershire, GL50 3QB

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

© Vivian Watson FGA, 2022

The right of Vivian Watson FGA to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 8039 9143 6

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

Printed in Turkey by IMAK

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

HISTORY

THE FLEET RIVER

CHURCHES

RAGGED LONDON

FARRINGDON

HOLBORN

GARDEN PATHS

GROWN IN THE GARDEN

THE ‘CAROLE PARKER’ TAPES

CRIMES

THE GARDEN’S MARKET

STATISTICS

TIMELINE

STREET VIEW

A LEGEND OF BLEEDING HEART YARD

BIBLIOGRAPHY

THANKS

PICTURE CREDITS

INTRODUCTION

HOW DID OUR GARDEN GROW?

The ‘Garden’, as it is known by those who have worked there in the past or work there today, is a unique area of London. It has been associated with the diamond and gem trade, and the jewellery manufacturing industry for generations.

Originally the site of the garden of Ely Palace, Hatton Garden became known throughout the world as the ‘go-to’ place for all aspects of the jewellery trade. In a similar way to other London industrial hubs such as Billingsgate for fish, Covent Garden for fruit and vegetables, Smithfield for meat and Fleet Street for the press, Hatton Garden was something of a marketplace. It was also an arena where you could learn about what was going on in the world of diamonds and gems. Unlike the food markets though, with their sights, sounds and smells assaulting the visitor, the true Hatton Garden is a secret world. At a time before mobile phones and modern technology, it was essential to be in close proximity with others, both for trade and for information.

Local street names, such as Saffron Hill, Lily Place, Herbal Hill and Vine Hill, remind us that this area was once rich in horticulture. The palace garden was famed for its roses, fruit and herbs. With a little imagination you can picture the thousands of crocuses growing on the slopes of the River Fleet. A kilo of saffron requires 140,000 flowers and is more valuable than a kilo of gold.

A study of this part of London would not be complete without reference to some of the surrounding landmarks such as St Andrew’s Church, Holborn Viaduct, Farringdon Station, the Fleet River, Staple Inn and Furnival’s Inn. So, we will step outside the garden walls to explore their part in the local history.

The ‘Garden’ continues to evolve as one generation makes way for the next. It would not be recognisable, today, to some of those who worked there in years gone by. The strong emphasis on retail jewellery has grown out of its roots in manufacturing and the need to adapt to suit today’s market.

In compiling an accurate history of the jewellery and diamond trade in Hatton Garden, one is faced with the reality that in many cases there is very little in the way of a paper trail. Transactions were effected by word of mouth.

‘My word is my bond’ might well have been written for the diamond trade as much as ‘Dictum Meum Pactum’ was for the London Stock Exchange. Many deals were done in secrecy. Many were done illegally. Only inside knowledge can capture some of the remarkable stories of those who have in some way left their footprint in Hatton Garden.

The other major consideration is that of security. Those who work with high-value items need to keep their heads down and not make themselves potential targets for criminals. Many who have contributed to this work have opted for privacy and are not named in these pages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vivian Watson first came to Hatton Garden as a boy during his school holidays. He enjoyed watching the craftsmen in the workshop of the family’s manufacturing jewellery business and was fascinated by the allure of gold and diamonds. He joined his father, Peter Watson, in 1967 and spent over fifty years in the trade before formally retiring in 2017.

Although he is now retired, he continues to take a close interest in the trade and enjoys the freedom and privilege of knowing the ‘Garden’ better than most. The family business is now in the hands of the next generation and John Watson is now responsible for all operations of PJ Watson Ltd.

The Watson family have the unique claim to having four consecutive generations of qualified gemmologists each holding the coveted FGA diploma (Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain).

Vivian Watson has been a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths since 1995. He has served as Chairman of The Gemmological Association and is an avid collector of trade memorabilia.

His company library contains over 1,000 books on diamonds, gems, precious metals, jewellery and the history of the trade. He lectures on all aspects of the industry to private audiences and acts as a consultant to private clients. His passion beyond the trade is for charity work, which is fronted by The Diamond Trust.

HISTORY

BEFORE THE GARDEN

For many people throughout the world, the name ‘Hatton Garden’ immediately creates an image of diamonds, jewellery and precious metals or gemstones. For over 150 years, valuable items have been traded by its many dealers and merchants. Manufacturing jewellers and jewellery designers have established themselves here and become an important part of this interdependent neighbourhood. Hatton Garden became, within a generation, an international crossroads and meeting point for anyone connected to the diamond or jewellery trade. In our own time, we have seen a change of emphasis from a market that was almost exclusively trade-focused, to one that is now consumer-targeted. The ‘Garden’, as it is affectionately known to people in the trade, has evolved and adapted itself to suit the needs of those it serves and those who work there. Those who have known it a long time will tell you it is not what it was. We should, however, not be surprised. In an evolutionary way it has become what it is today and will become what tomorrow’s needs dictate.

If we could turn back the clock, we would see a very different place in each of the many generations who have come and gone. Those who remember the Garden in the 1950s and 1960s do so with mixed feelings. Although no one would choose to go back to the smoke-filled streets and the primitive facilities, there is a sense of loss, perhaps more for the people themselves who were once part of this thriving community.

Although significantly damaged by the two world wars, there were more people employed in the trade in the first half of the 20th century than there are today. Real growth began in the latter part of the 19th century, the period when diamonds were found in South Africa and started to become more accessible to a wider circle of people. In wealthy Victorian and Edwardian Britain, there was a healthy appetite for diamond jewellery.

Ely Palace, 18th century.

Plan of Ely Palace, 1776.