68 THE BATH ROAD 



" Sixteen-striDg Jack " of higliway romance, may 

 have taken a last drink with which to screw up 

 his courage just before setting out to rob Dr. Bell, 

 the chaplain to the Princess Amelia, in Gunnersbury 

 Lane, near by. " Sixteen-string Jack " was hanged 

 for that job in 1774. 



He was peculiarly unfortunate, for Turnham Grreen 

 and Gunnersbury were veritable Alsatias then, and 

 those who travelled here should not have mentioned 

 so ordinary a happening as having their jDurses taken. 

 Indeed, it was so usual an occurrence that Horace 

 Walpole tells us of a certain Lad}' Brow^n who, visit- 

 ing here, always w^ent provided with a purse full of 

 brass tokens for the highwaymen. Imagination, con- 

 juring up a picture of a Turpin or a Claude du Vail 

 riding away with a pocketful of guineas w^hich, on 

 arriving home, he discovers to be counterfeits, j^ro- 

 vokes a smile. 



XI 



There are changes impending not flir from here. 

 Who that knows Kew Brido-e has not an affection for 

 that hump-backed old structure, although it presents 

 many difficulties to the rider ? Kew^ Bridge is doomed, 

 and the powers that be are going to pull it down and 

 build another in its stead — and one, it is almost un- 

 necessary to add, not at all picturesque. Farew^ell, 

 then, to the suburban delights of Kew. They are 

 going to '■' improve" the river at Kew also — that river 



