98 
XATURE XOTES 
a record was made by the Bishop of London in li8o. In the fourteenth century 
the church was altered, and much of it remained until the great fire of London, 
when, with the exception of the Tower, all perished. Parts of the Tower are 
Norman; and undoubtedly Wren, who rebuilt the church, added a new face to it. 
The vestry minutes and churchwardens’ accounts date from 1538, and the parish 
registers also from the time of Henry VIII. to the present time. 
Many eminent names are connected with the Church, notably those of Sir 
Nicholas Bacon, Geoffrey Boleyn (Grandfather of Anne Boleyn), the Dormers 
and the Greshams. 
There is a monument erected in the Church to the memory of Dr. John 
Tillotson, a very great preacher and lecturer, afterwards Archbishop of Canter- 
bury, who was married and his children christened in this church. Most of the 
carving is by Grinling Gibbons. On the small side panels of the organ-case may 
be seen the distinctive signs of the great craftsman, i.e . , carvings of the pea pod 
and barley head. The carving on the pulpit by the same master hand is extremely 
beautiful. 
The altar, though in a much smaller form, was saved from the fire of London, 
and enlarged fifty years ago. The carving is Elizabethan. 
The organ was built by Harris, who probably designed it for the Temple 
Church, for the contract for which he was competing with another famous builder 
of the Stuart period. 
The stained glass windows in the Church were all added during the Victorian 
Era. In the vestry there is a table made of carvings by Grinling Gibbons. 
Over the fire-place is a picture representing the martyrdom of St. Laurence. It 
is probable it was formerly an altar-piece in one of the chapels supported by the 
Worshipful Company of Girdlers. 
The ceiling was painted in 1678 by Mr. Fuller, known as “the younger,” son 
of Mr. Isaac Fuller, who painted the organ-case at Wadham College, Oxford. 
Both father and son studied in the School of Verrio, in Paris, their work closely 
resembling that of their master. The ceiling is composed of handmade plaster. 
The clock, which was made on Old London Bridge by one Cornelius Herbert, 
was purchased in 1721. 
The plate, which is that of the combined parishes of St. Mary Magdalen, 
Milk .Street, St. Michael's, Bassishaw. and St. Laurence Jewry, consists of a silver- 
gilt cup dated 1542, from St. Mary Magdalen’s ; a paten, probably' of much older 
date, from the same parish ; a second cup to match the first, dated 1682 ; from 
the parish of St. Laurence Jewry two cups, one of the period of Elizabeth and 
one of that of Edward VI., or Mary, four alms dishes, 1680; three great silver 
flagons and a silver gilt Augsburg cup. 
A special service is held in St. Laurence Jewry on Michaelmas day every 
year in preparation for the election of the Lord Mayor. It was instituted in 1406 
on the occasion of the second Mayoralty of Sir Richard Whittington, and has 
continued ever since. The ceremony terminates with the sword-bearer proceed- 
ing to the altar and inviting the Rector to dine with the Lord Mayor. 
Satzirday, April ii. — On this afternoon a party of sixty-two Selbornians 
were, by the courtesy of the Managers of the Orient-Royal Mail .Steamship Line, 
privileged to visit the twin-screw' S.S. “ Orontes ” in Tilbury Docks. 
At the gangway the party was met by Mr. Astley, who was in charge of all 
the arrangements, and conducted to the first class dining room. Here a little 
book descriptive of the ship was given to each and the party was split up into 
groups of ten, each in charge of a steward. Every part of the ship was visited, 
from the captain’s bridge to the shaft tunnels, from the forecastle to the stern. 
This fine ship was launched in 1902, and is 530 feet in length with a breadth of 
58 feet, 10,000 horse power and 15,450 tons displacement. There is accommoda- 
tion for over 320 first and second saloon passengers, besides third class, and the 
comfort and liberal space provided in the saloon cabins is particularly striking. 
Some of the inside cabins are on the Bibby system, whereby they have access to 
a porthole giving them direct light and air. The ship is fitted throughout with 
electric light and bells, electric fans for ventilation, and steam pipes for warming. 
The first class dining room is a large and lofty apartment 43 feet square, carried 
out in mahogany with ebony panels and coromandel-wood pilasters inlaid with 
mother-of-pearl and green shell. The smoking room is fitted in grey fumigated 
