Name/Title
The WissahickonEntry/Object ID
2013.34.7.55Description
The Edwin C. Jellett Series of Scrapbooks, Volume 7 -The Wissahickon
Page 55 contains Jellett's notes transcribed as follows:
Wissahickon or Springfield Avenue
"When 'Lamb- Tavern' or 'Township Line' Road was named Wissahickon Avenue, Wissahickon Avenue in Chestnut Hill was changed to Springfield Avenue."
Fee to E.C.J. 6.4.1904
Viola (?) Lake Hotel
"On Wissahickon Avenue above the bridge stood the hotel kept by George Locke, an Englishman."
Amberg to E.C.J. 5.28.1905
"George Locke, an Englishman, had a hotel on Wissahickon Avenue about 400 feet above the bridge. He called it 'Viola', or 'Villet Lake Hotel'. Locke was a contractor and did a great deal of work along the Wissahickon, building fences, painting bridges, etc.
One day while painting Wissahickion Avenue bridge, Gold, who was a half mile up the stream, heard a great uproar and, hastening down, found Locke and Abe Stone of Valley Green Hotel engaged in a loud and wordy war. Stone charged Locke with placing mortar beds in his front lawn. Gold quickly told Stone he had no front lawn; instructed Locke to go on with his work, and if there was any more trouble he would arrest both. Shortly after, Sergeant Stern came along and, when Gold reported, he waited upon Stone and told him if he interfered again he would see that he would be put out of the place.
George Locke at one time was a British Grenadier and was stationed at Windsor Castle and, while there on outer guard duty, arrested a high officer who had left his post and was endeavoring to reenter the castle secretly. For this offense Locke was court-marshalled and acquitted, while the high officer was degraded. Locke was appointed Sergeant. Locke, after serving in the Crimean War, but disliking the life, he deserted and came to America. Locke was a fine specimen of a man, tall and well-formed. He, however, was an ignorant man and knew neither 'reading, writing, or arithmetic'. He was shrewd and had a system of his own - and with a lead pencil and a shingle and peculiar characters he was unable to explain, he was able to arrive at satisfactory results and conducted his business intelligently.
He sold his Wissahickon Avenue property to H. H. Houston and after built the original Lotus Inn - a small building on Shur's Lane. While here, Gold made out bills for him and endeavored to teach him reading and writing, but he could not, or would not learn."
Gold to E.C.J. 6.4.1905Collection
GHS Scrapbook CollectionMade/Created
Date made
1890 - 1910Notes
Creation Date: 1904, 1905