DON'T BANK ON IT

63, Bank Street

Bank Street in Greenwich Village is named after a branch of the Bank of New York, which has an office on Wall Street. In 1798 a clerk in the office was stricken with yellow fever, and, to avoid being quarantined and closed in the future, the bank bought eight lots in Greenwich Village and erected a branch there for use in emergencies. The urbanisation of Greenwich Village, which had hitherto been primarily farmland, was brought about by a mass exodus of concerned residents from lower Manhattan fleeing from the dangers of yellow fever.

Yellow fever (also called yellow jack, or sometimes black vomit or American Plague) is an acute viral disease, with mosquito's being a prime spreader of the disease. The yellow refers to the jaundice symptoms that affect some patients. In the late 1700's and early 1800's yellow fever reeked havoc in lower Manhattan causing thousands of deaths.

Sid Vicious performing

After the 'bloody' and violent death of his girlfriend Nancy Spungen in the Chelsea Hotel, charges were not brought against Sid Vicious of the infamous Sex Pistols, but his life spiraled yet further into violence and drugs. On the evening of 1st February 1979, after being released from prison from serving a term for smashing a beer mug into the face of Patti Smith's brother, he joined a small celebratory gathering at his new girlfriend, Michele Robinson's home at 63, Bank Street. There he overdosed on heroin and was discovered dead late the next morning. It is understood that his mother, Anne Beverley was responsible for arranging for the delivery of the heroin that killed her son. You bring 'em in and you take 'em out...........