1169 (Vol. 1)

In the spring of 1769 he took a piece of ground of an old man

in Stangate St, who formerly kept a preserve for Pheasants there, –

but at that time, a timber yard, he advanced him 200 £ & had

the Timber &c. secured to him by way of mortgage, the old man

left England & was never heard of again  at the same time

he found [illegible] a Diamond Ring, worth £60, which was never

advertised – – He enclosed the Timber Yard, the pricise [precise] spot where

Astleys [Astley’s] Amphitheatre now stands, with a high paling, and built a

wooden House, in the situation of the present entrance, the lower

[^ part] he made into Stables & the upper, a Long Room for the gentry

[illegible] the three Rows of seats round the Ride had a sort of

penthouse covering, the centre was entirely open. he then adver-

-tised that slight showers would not prevent the performance,

and that proper music was provided – Long Room 2/ –

Riding School 1/-  open at 4. mount at 5 – & he now

for the first time introduced the Tailor riding to Brentford

in Character. The next year he added Tumbling & introduced

an additional Rider and at the conclusion [^ of his season] went to Paris, in the

foll^g [following] year 1771 he introduced tricks on the cards, by himself & [^ advertised] that

the performance would take place wet or dry

In 1772 he was opposed by Hughes who enclosed a peice [piece] of ground 

near where the Albion Mills stood [^ on the Surrey side of Black Friars Bridge] & called it, the British Horse

Academy, it lasted only two seasons, he was assisted by Breslau

& a variety of amusements, and Miss Romain a child of 4 years old

(the present Mrs Bland) sung there, being placed on a Table— astley

this year, 1772, brought out his son, then 5 years old, who rode on

two Horses, on 27 July announcd [announced] his last night but the audience

insisted on his continuing & cried out Encore une autre Fois – & Encore

une autre semaine — he replied - I will. and added [illegible] gentlemen

& Ladies, the generous encouragement I have met with in this 

my native country, for whom I have three times bled & am

ready to bleed again in its defence – and wherever I am I can but

do well, will therefore postpone my Journey, & exhibit tomorrow & every