Along St Michael's Alley, Cornhill, you will find this wonderful building called the Jamaica Wine House. It stands on the site of London's first coffee house, which, it turns out, was more than just a coffee house.
On what was part of the Cornhill Glebe land, land owned by the church to support a parish priest, the Jamaica Coffee House was established, by Pasqua Rosée. Pasqua Rosée was the servant of a merchant, named Daniel Edwards, who traded in Ottoman goods that included coffee. Edwards assisted Rosée in setting up the establishment to sell coffee, in 1652. This coffee house was one of the first places, in London, for people to experience coffee.
Soon, the majority of its customers were concerned with trade in Jamaica, while financiers made up the rest. Not only was the coffee house used as a business address by traders, but also as a place where letters for Jamaica could be left and received.
The great Cornhill fire of 1748, which consumed over 100 houses, did 'but little damage' to the coffee house.
In 1793 it was stated, in 'Roach's London Pocket Pilot or Stranger's Guide Through the Metropolis', that the best rum could be obtained at the 'Jamaica', and that 'one sees nothing but aquatic captains in the trade of that island'.
In the middle of the 19th century the Jamaica Coffee House was still established as the place for information about the island, for shipping-lists, and was described as 'the best place, above all others, to ascertain any information relative to the mail packets on the West Indies station, or the merchant vessels making these voyages'.
The building that now stands on the site was built in 1885, and is a wonderful example of a Victorian public house, with brass fittings, gas-style lighting and wood panelling.
It is known locally as "The Jampot" and still draws in the financiers and traders, along with history buffs and tourists.
The building is Grade II listed.
Details (all details correct at time of publishing)
- Established - 1885
- Food - Yes
- Outside seating - No
- Riverside - No
- Location - St Michael's Alley, Cornhill, EC3V 9DS
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