As noted elsewhere, MacPherson's listings were so inclusive that they encompassed an alley near Old Swede's Church in Southwark, which like its counterpart in the city proper (beside Christ Church) was called Church Alley. He solved the problem of differentiating between the two by referring to this latter alley as Christ Church Alley. It is still called Church Street today, though it now also encompasses the alley on the east side of Second Street, which was then called Pewter Platter Alley (q.v.) after its well-known tavern of that name. The following listings were all to the west of Second Street.
This alley seems to have been one of those in which Clement Biddle followed the same numbering system as MacPherson-- that is, up one side and down the other-- though as Biddle started from a different end of the street than MacPherson, the numbers are still different.
(1785) #3, Ispin, Thomas
(1785) #7, Garrigues, Benjamin
(1785) Garrigues, Beryn, grocer, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #28 Church Alley, Flowers, Essex, schoolmistress
(1785) #8, Hollowell, Israel
(1791) #27 Church Alley, Town, Benjamin, printer
(1785) #9, Trump, Daniel
(1791) #26 Church Alley, no listing
(1785) #15, Toland, Henry
(1791) #21 Church Alley, Lang, Thomas, printer
(1785) #16, Dagel, Jacob
(1785) Diegall, Jacob, painter, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #20 Church Alley, Thornton, Benjamin, house carpenter
(1785) #20, Martin, Meden
(1785) Meade and Martin, house carpenters, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #16 Church Alley, Martin, William, plane maker, also at 91 N. 3rd St.
(1785) #23, Sheridan, Abraham
(1785) Sheridan, Abraham, sign Darby Ram, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #14 Church Alley, Riffetts, Philip, innkeeper
(1785) #29, Brumstrom, John
This was probably the pewterer John Andrew Brunstrom. A tankard which may have been
made by him is in the Smithsonian and shown here.
(1791) #8 Church Alley, Turner, Joseph, merchant
(1785) #30, Frealy, Frederick
(1785) Friely, Frederick, baker, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #7 Church Alley, Frailey, Frederick, baker
(1785) #31, Coates, Josiah
(1785) Coates, Josiah, grocer, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #6 Church Alley, Coates, Josiah, grocer
(1785) #32, Shute, Thomas
(1785) Shute, Thomas, gentleman, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #5 Church Alley, Milnor, Isaac, grocer, also at 18 N. 2nd St.
(1785) #33, Howell, Joseph
(1785) Howell, Joseph, gentleman, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #4 Church Alley, Howell, Joseph, sen., tanner
(1785) #34, vacant or residents would not give name
(1785) #35, Roberts, Hugh
(1785) Roberts, Hugh, gentleman, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) #1 Church Alley, Cox, William, chair maker, also at 40 N. Front St.
CHURCH ALLEY, UNCERTAIN LOCATION:
(1785) Gordon, Elisha, cordwainer, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Gostellow, Jonathan, cabinetmaker, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
MacPherson’s omission of Gostellow (whose last name is variously spelled), today quite a well-known
cabinetmaker of 18th century Philadelphia, is curious. It is possible, of course, that he
lived at #34, which was vacant at the time MacPherson or his representative came around.
(1785) Jeans, Daniel, shopkeeper, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Lawrence, Thomas, cooper, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1785) Taylor, Ann, Church Alley between 2nd and 3rd
(1791) [No # given] Church Alley, Roberts, George, Esq.