Change Alley

A Dictionary of London by Henry A Harben.

South out of Cornhill at Nos. 23 and 28 to Lombard Street, with a passage east to Birchin Lane (P.O. Directory). In Cornhill and Langbourne Wards.


First mention: Lockie, 1810.

Former name : "Exchange Alley" (1666, Leake).

Garaway's, Jonathan's, and other celebrated coffee houses were in this Alley.

After the Fire, it was enlarged and rebuilt out of a house belonging to Alderman Backwell.

The Canal Office was at No. 9 in 1810 (Lockie).

So called, being opposite to the Royal Exchange. The present name is of course merely an abbreviation of the original name "Exchange."

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