e north side of the Green, Emma,
afterwards Lady Hamilton, lived for four years under the protection of
the Hon. Charles Greville, to whom her mother was housekeeper. None of
the other houses now standing are old enough to merit comment.
Paddington House, "a handsome brick structure," built by Denis Chirac,
who had been jeweller to Queen Anne, formerly stood on the east side of
the Green, near to Harrow Road. He entered upon his residence here in
1753. At the corner of Church Street, on the Green, stands the
Children's Hospital, a large red-brick building. The origin of this was
a Free Dispensary for Sick Children, opened in 1862 in Lisson Grove by
two medical men. Relief was afforded to 20,000 children during the first
six years of the work, which was carried on under the management of a
medical committee. In 1869 a building fund was suggested. But it was in
1881, by the earnest work of Mr. George Hanbury, that practical steps
were taken for the establishment of a small hospital. In 1883 the
freehold of the land at the corner of Church Street was purchased, and
the buildings standing there were adapted for the purpose. Further
ground was bought at the back in 1885, and an out-patient department
established. In 1890, owing to the pressure of applications for
in-patients, it was decided to build a new wing. However, for sanitary
reasons, it was considered better to pull down the old building and
entirely rebuild the hospital. The children then in the hospital were
temporarily sent to Harrow, and the new building was commenced in 1894,
and was reopened in June, 1895. An interesting old shop at the corner
of Church Street was pulled down to make way for it. It contains all
modern improvements, including electric light and cooking by gas. There
is an isolation ward for any infectious illness which may break out, and
two large, bright wards for the ordinary patients. The walls of these
are lined with glazed bricks and tiles, and one of the wards contains
large tile-work pictures representing well-known fairy tales. Boys are
received up to the age of twelve, and girls to fourteen years. Babes of
even three and four days are admitted. The out-patients' department is
entirely free, no letter of any sort being required. The payment of a
nominal fee of a penny to insure genuine cases is all that is exacted.
Out-patients are selected by the medical staff to become in-patients.
The children look bright and well cared for; the wards a