Page 13 - Ian Marshall - London Coffe Houses - Standing Display January 2016

Baker's Coffee House
Exchange Alley, Cornhill

(1695 - 1896)
The origin and establishment of Baker's Coffee House is obscure.
According to some it was formerly the Swan and Rummer. The earliest
mention comes in 1702. The premises were "greatly damaged" by the
disastrous fire in Cornhill in March 1748. In a room above the coffee
house the London Missionary Society was founded in 1794. By 1798 the
proprietor is Richard Pugh and the establishment is described as "much
· frequented by Timber merchants and brokers in general concerned in
timber trade inland and foreign". The Office of Assessed Taxes and the
Receivers General of Taxes in London and Middlesex had offices in
Bakers Coffee House from 1804. Throughout the first half of the 19th
Century the place appears to have been a busy and well patronised coffee
house with a variety of traders using it as their business address
including: Brokers, merchants, Com-factors, Sworn-Brokers, Ship-
Brokers, Insurance-Brokers, Stock-Brokers, General Merchants and one
Coal Merchant. As time passed it became known as a Chop House and
left its coffee house origins behind.

A pre-paid wrapper posted in London on 11th May 1808 addressed to A. '
Nixon Esq at Baker's Coffee House, Change Alley, Cornhill charged at
2d.