Page 46 - Ian Marshall - London Coffe Houses - Standing Display January 2016

George's Coffee House
Without Temple Bar, 213 Strand

(1723 -1842)
The earliest references to George's Coffee House date from 1723 and
many celebrated and other characters frequented the place in the 17th
Century. In 1751 Mr. Winkley, "His Majesty's Perfumer", used George's
Coffee House for the sale of his "Delescot's Conserve of Myrtle Opiate".
Horace Walpole and Sir James Lowther both frequented the property. In
1793 it is described as "A house of the most respectable kind". Various
proprietors ran the premises: David Thomas (1805-11 ); M. Sterling
(1822-4); and Jonathan Norman (1833-38), and the last of these changed
its name to George's Hotel in 1838. It ceased to be a coffee house in 1842
but continued as The George Hotel until 1891.

A letter written by L. Lewis on 14th March 1795 addressed to Mr. Edward
Jones at George's Coffee House, Temple Barr, London where it arrived
on the 18th. The letter about there being "opposition to the passing of our ,
Act. I sincerely hope it is groundless". Enclosed with the letter were
halves of several Bank Bills - this being the usual practice at the time to
avoid theft. The letter laments the arrival of deep snow although "I have
provision enough to hold out for several days". There is a black
LANGADOCK UDC and the letter was charged at 6d.