[3]
Streatham Park featured a summer house loved by Samuel Johnson [4], who did much of his writing here.
On Queeney's [5] 16th birthday in 1780, Hester Thrale wrote in Thraliana [6]…
It is this day given me by God to see my first born offspring, my dear Hester,—sixteen Years old— virtuous in Heart, prudent in Behaviour, pleasing in Person, & accomplished in Knowledge……
We always have a Dance on her Birthday for the Servants, and they shall have it this Year too—in spite of past Sorrows. Mr Johnson's Birthday is the next day to hers, & we keep them together, &. fill the Summer House with Food, Fiddles &c, today being Sunday, the Balls must be tomorrow & Tuesday. Sure nothing will ever happen that will keep me from rejoycing on the 17: & 18: of September, the Birthdays of my Daughter & my Friend.,—.
The summer house was moved to Ashgrove in Knockholt, Kent in 1826 by Susannah Arabella Thrale [8], who died on 5 November 1858 aged 88 and was buried in Knockholt Church. In 1962 it was bought in a tumbledown condition by Mr. W.H. Wells who presented it to London County Council1.
After restoration, the summer house was relocated to Kenwood House [9] in 1968.
The summer house was destroyed by fire sometime after 1984.
A similar copy of the summerhouse has since been rebuilt by a Johnson enthusiast [11].
Links
[1] http://thrale.com/user/login?destination=comment/reply/328%23comment-form
[2] http://thrale.com/user/register?destination=comment/reply/328%23comment-form
[3] http://www.thrale.com/sites/all/libraries/tng/photos/streatham_park_summer_house_stanfield.png
[4] http://thrale.com/samuel_johnson
[5] http://thrale.com/hester_maria_thrale
[6] http://thrale.com/thraliana_diary_mrs_hester_lynch_thrale
[7] http://www.thrale.com/sites/default/files/pictures/streatham_place_summer_house_george_frederick_prosser.png
[8] http://thrale.com/susannah_arabella_thrale
[9] http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/filestore/VisitsEvents/asp/visits/Details.asp?Property_Id=107&js=yes
[10] http://www.thrale.com/sites/default/files/pictures/the_times_sep_25_1968_pg12_issue57365_col_d.png
[11] http://www.johnsonsocietyoflondon.org/Dr-Johnson-summerhouse-photos-and-narrative