Download - Grosvenor Estate History
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grosvenor estate: past & present
Grosvenor Estate
Past & Present
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Foreword from Grosvenor’s Estate SurveyorWe are delighted to see this comprehensive
history of the estate and our thanks go to
Chesterton Humberts for their diligence
and efforts in putting it together. It is a
welcome addition to the records of
London’s development.
Grosvenor’s purpose in Britain & Ireland
is to create great places where people want
to live, work and relax. To do this we try to
achieve a balance of homes, offices and shops
which serve both the local community and
the many visitors to the areas in which we are
active.The experience gained over 300 years
in London has been put to use in other cities,
including Edinburgh, Cambridge and Liverpool,
as well as elsewhere in the world, but it is the
London estate, in Mayfair and Belgravia, that
remains at the heart of our business.
Our heritage is immensely important to us. It
provides a sense of continuity in the community
informed by our long-term approach, which
is something that we believe is important
in a fast-moving world. We are guided by
our history, but not constrained by it, and
are constantly looking for ways to improve
the quality of life on the estate; whether it
is by finding new ways to work with local
government to improve the public realm,
introducing innovative environmental
measures, or welcoming new businesses
to our retail and office portfolio.
It is, however, the people who live and work
here, who define the distinctive character of the
community and its place in London’s history,
as this remarkable roll-call of illustrious names
demonstrates. We see our role as being stewards
of this wonderful area of London. Our task at
Grosvenor is to ensure that the estate remains
an environment in which individuals, and the
communities that they live in, can continue
to make their mark on London’s history.
Nigel Hughes
the estate surveyorGrosvenor
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An introduction from Robert BartlettThe look, the feel and the essential character of
large parts of central London have been created
and shaped by a small number of estates, one of
the most prominent of which is the Grosvenor
Estate.
Stretching from Eaton Square to Grosvenor
Square and incorporating addresses which are
famous the world over, the Grosvenor Estate
has its roots in the 17th century, but its continual
contributions to areas such as Mayfair and
Belgravia have never stopped and are as clearly
visible today as I’m sure they will be in the years
ahead.
Chesterton Humberts has had the honour and
distinction of working closely with Grosvenor
over a number of years and, during this time,
has formed a relationship of which we are
very proud. I am therefore delighted to
introduce this history of the estate, which
gives a fascinating insight into how some of
London’s most prestigious addresses came into
being and a look at a few of the historical figures
and personalities that have called this part of
London home.
Robert Bartlett
chief executive officerChesterton Humberts
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IntroductionGrosvenor Estate
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The Grosvenor Estate in London covers some of the most prestigious streets and properties in the capital. Covering a large portion of Mayfair, along with Belgravia and formerly Pimlico, it has a history dating back to the 17th century and has seen the transformation of the early fields and gardens into some of the most valuable real estate in the world. Its architectural and social
history also places it firmly at the heart of the history of London over the last three centuries. The following pages give an overview of some of the highlights of the history of this extraordinary estate in London.
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Early history of the London Grosvenor EstateFor a time, during the reign of Edward the
Confessor, the manor of Eia or Eye was held
in the name of Harold, son of Ralph, Earl
of Hereford and nephew of the King. By the
time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, the
manor was held by William the Chamberlain,
at which time it was confiscated. William the
Conqueror then granted Eia to his close friend,
Geoffrey de Mandeville. At this time it covered
1,090 acres, from today’s Oxford Street and
Bayswater Road down to the Thames, and from
the River Westbourne (near today’s Lancaster
Gate) across to the River Tyburn (now flowing
underground). In the late 11th century, de
Mandeville granted the manor to the Abbey
of Westminster.
The manor of Eia continued with the Abbey
of Westminster until the Dissolution of the
Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1540. It was
at this time that Henry enclosed Hyde Park
to create a deer park. During the reign of
Elizabeth I, in 1585, Sir Thomas Knyvett, a
Groom of the Privy Chamber, obtained a lease
for the Manor of Ebury (a large section of the
manor of Eia) for 60 years. By 1623, James I
had sold the freehold to John Traylman and
Thomas Pearson for over £1000, who then
passed it to Sir Lionel Cranfield, Earl of
Middlesex. Cranfield was a London mercer
(a silk and fabric merchant) who became
Surveyor General of Customs in 1613 and
Lord Treasurer in 1621. However, but in 1624
he was charged with corruption and fined
£50,000, and spent two weeks in the Tower
of London. He sold the lands to Hugh Audley
in 1626 for £9,400.
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Hugh Audley &Alexander DaviesHugh Audley was the son of a prosperous
mercer. He became Clerk in the Court of Wards
and Liveries in 1619 and rose to become Keeper
of the Records of the Court in 1644. He was
also a clever businessman and money lender,
which greatly contributed to his wealth and
allowed him to buy up land across the country.
Audley changed his will many times and by the
time of his death in 1662, the final version left
most of his London estate to his great nephews,
two brothers, Thomas and Alexander Davies.
Thomas was a successful bookseller, who was
later knighted and became Lord Mayor of
London.
Alexander aimed to improve the estate with
building development. He purchased additional
land in Millbank from his brother and also built
himself a house, later named Peterborough
House, as well as planning a riverside terrace
of small houses, now known as Grosvenor Road.
However, he over-stretched himself and was
forced to borrow money in order to make the
scheme work. But in 1665,at the age of just 30,
Alexander suddenly died of the plague, leaving a
21 year-old wife and an 18 month-old baby girl,
Mary. Alexander died intestate, so his fortune
was divided, with his wife inheriting one third
for her lifetime and his daughter inheriting the
remaining two thirds.
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hugh lupus3rd Marquess of Westminstercreated Duke of Westminster
1825 - 1899
lady constance3rd Marquess of Westminstercreated Duke of Westminster
hugh richard arthur (bendor)2nd Duke of Westminster
Succeeded 18991879 - 1953
hon katherine cavendish
1857 - 1941
victor alexanderEarl of Grosvenor
1853 - 1884
lady sibell lumley1855 - 1929
constancecornwallis-west
1855 - 1929
edward george hugh
Earl Grosvenor1904 - 1909
william3rd Duke of Westminster
Succeeded 19531894 - 1963
robert george5th Duke of Westminster
1910 - 1979
gerald cavendish6th Duke of Westminster
hugh richard louis
Earl Grosvenor1991 -
gerald hugh4th Duke of Westminster
Succeeded 19631907 - 1967
lord henry1861 - 1929
doraerskine-wemyss
d.1894
lord hugh william1884 - 1914
lady mabel crichton
1882 - 1944
+
+
sally perry1910 - 1990 + hon viola
lyttelton1912 - 1987
+
natalia phillips1959 -
lady tamara1979 -
lady edwina1981 -
lady viola1992 -
+
+
+ +
+
The Dukes of WestminsterHugh Lupus Grosvenor was made the first
Duke of Westminster in 1874. This was the
only Dukedom bestowed by Queen Victoria
to a non family member during her reign.
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Mary Davies & Sir Thomas GrosvenorAfter her father’s death, Mary became a highly
sought-after bride with many a suitor after the
wealth that she would bring to a marriage. The
12 year old Mary eventually married 21 year
-old Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Baronet of Eaton
(1655 – 1700), in Chester in 1677, at which
time the London estate covered around 100
acres in Mayfair and around 400 acres in what
is now Belgravia and Pimlico. Mary continued
to live in London with her mother until she
was 15 years old, at which time she joined her
husband at Eaton Hall in Chester. By this time,
her mother had remarried Mr Tregonwell and
continued to live in Millbank.
After the death of her husband in 1700, Mary
Davies, Lady Grosvenor, became the subject
of unscrupulous gold-diggers. In 1701, she was
married off to her chaplain’s brother, Edward
Fenwick, who would have obtained her fortune,
had, the marriage not been proven bogus after
four years of legal disputes. The marriage was
eventually annulled in 1705, but not before the
mental state of Lady Mary had declined. She
was later declared insane and was cared for by
trustees until her death in 1730. Her eldest son,
Sir Richard, died in 1732 and was succeeded by
his brother, Sir Thomas, who died the following
year. The family estate then passed to the
youngest son of Sir Thomas and Lady Mary, Sir
Robert. It was these three brothers who were
responsible for the development of Mayfair, in
particular, Sir Richard who became known as the
‘great builder’.
This is the start of the Grosvenor Estate as we
know it today.
9Map of the Grosvenor Estate as in 1723 (Drawn by estate surveyor Thomas Cundy 1822) – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
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Mayfair
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Early building in Mayfair
Grosvenor Square elevation – Colen Campbell 1725 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
At the turn of the 18th century, the Mayfair
section of the Grosvenor family’s London estate
was known as ‘The Hundred Acres’. In the east
it stretched from the River Tyburn along South
Molton Lane and Avery Row, west along the top
of Berkeley Square to Park Lane, up to Oxford
Street and then east to the top of today’s Davies
Street. Prior to the start of development in
Mayfair, Sir Thomas Grosvenor was succeeded
by his eldest son, Richard, 4th Baronet, in 1700,
who, became Mayor of Chester and MP for
Chester in 1715.
Development across Mayfair was slow, primarily
due to the restrictions around the inheritance
of the estate from Hugh Audley. It was only
in 1711 that a private Act of Parliament
allowed for the granting of building leases.
By 1720, Sir Richard was putting in place the
grand plan for the Hundred Acres with the
centrepiece planned as the grandest square in
London, Grosvenor Square. He brought in
Colen Campbell, described as architect to the
Prince of Wales, to advise on the layout of the
square. In August 1720, Sir Richard appointed
Thomas Barlow as Estate Surveyor, recorded as
both a carpenter and master builder. Previously,
in 1715, Barlow had been agent for Lord
Scarborough and is believed to have laid out
Hanover Square and the surrounding area. He
is also known to have been responsible for some
of the buildings in New Bond Street and for
shaping the street map of Mayfair as we know
it. Along with the Grosvenors’ estate manager,
Richard Andrew, Barlow laid out the grid
pattern of streets.
Along with the wide avenues and the grand
Grosvenor Square, Sir Richard also made
allowances for services for his new wealthy
tenants, with smaller surrounding streets for
shops, taverns, coffee houses, and tradesmen’s
and servants’ houses. By 1747, most of the streets
had been laid out, except for the north- west
corner near the Tyburn gallows (near today’s
Marble Arch) which remained empty. Although
the streets were completed, many houses were
still to be built and building was ongoing from
the 1720s through the 1780s.
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Grosvenor Square
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Grosvenor Square lies at the heart of the
Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair and was pivotal
to the grand plans of Sir Richard Grosvenor.
Covering six acres, it is the second largest
London square (after Lincoln’s Inn Fields)
and ever since its completion, it has been one
of the most sought-after addresses in London.
The development was managed by Robert
Andrews, son of the previous estate manager
Richard Andrews. The aim was to create one of
the finest unified Palladian facades, in particular
the eastern side of the square, designed by
Colen Campbell, to appear as one grand palace
front. However, the man responsible for the
construction, John Simmons, did not fulfil these
original plans. The completed terrace was built
as one complete side, but not to the designs
of Campbell. On the northern side, builder
-developer, Edward Shepherd also attempted
a unified facade in 1728, but this too was
never quite fulfilled due to some houses being
constructed in a different design by Thomas
Barlow.
The structure of the lease agreements meant
that many houses were constructed according
to individual taste and many were only
completed when finance and tenants allowed.
Thirty different builders were involved and,
although the Grosvenor Estate monitored
construction, there was no imposed architectural
design. The completed houses were four-storeys,
constructed with red brick and stone details,
pedimented doorways and patterned fanlights,
and were described as having ‘overall similarity
in design which made for a pleasing harmony’.
The houses were also larger than any of those
constructed in other London squares and soon
became the centre of London society and
fashion.
By the early 1730s, all of the houses were
completed and Grosvenor Square was commonly
referred to as the grandest square in London.
From the very beginning, it was seen as one
of the best addresses and became home to
some of the wealthiest and most high-profile
names of the 18th century. In July 1725, The
Daily Journal said “Grosvenor Square, which
for its largeness and beauty will far exceed
any yet made in and about London” and in
London in Miniature (1755) it was called “the
most magnificent square in the whole Town”.
Records show that of the first 51 ratepayers, 16
were peers, 35 were titled and 19 were MPs, and
it was even rumoured that George II thought
of buying a house in the square for the Prince
of Wales.
Grosvenor Square west side (from North Audley Street) c.1931 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
A View of Grosvenor Square, London 1741 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estatepage 22-2314
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In Londonium Redivivum (1802) by J.P.
Malcolm Grosvenor Square was described
as “the very focus of feudal grandeur, fashion,
taste and hospitality”. Over the 300 years of
the history of Grosvenor Square it has been
home to an inordinate number of well-known
residents - too many to mention here - but
below is an overview of some of the notable
early residents.
In 1740, No.1 was the home of Charles
Colyear, 2nd Earl of Portmore, son of the
former mistress of James II, but by 1743 it
was occupied by the 2nd Duke of Buccleugh,
who later shocked society by marrying a
washerwoman. During the late 1790s and
early 1800s No.2 was occupied by William
Beckford, author of Vathek (1786) at which
time his guests included Sir William and Lady
Emma Hamilton, along with Admiral Lord
Nelson. No.4 Grosvenor Square was formerly
the largest of the original houses, complete by
1729, but ten years later the builder chose the
unusual method of raffling the house. For 200
years it was home to just two families, including
the former Prime Minister Charles Watson-
Wentworth, the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham.
In 1931 it became the Italian Embassy.
No.7 was formerly the home of Viscount
Weymouth and in 1827 it became the home
of Thomas Grosvenor, 2nd Earl of Wilton, the
second son of the 1st Marquess of Westminster.
In 1926 it became the home of Lady Cunard,
who, during World War II, gave up her house
and went to live in the Dorchester Hotel, which,
at that time was home to many of London’s
elite who would take shelter in the ladies
Turkish baths during bombing raids.
No.9 Grosvenor Square is the only Georgian
house remaining in the square today. In 1785,
after the American War of Independence, it
became the home of the First Minister to the
British Court, John Adams, making it the first
American Embassy in London. Adams returned
to America in 1788 and in 1797 he became
the second President of the United States.
Between 1729 and 1742, No.12 was the home
of John Aislabie, former Chancellor of the
Exchequer and the man many people blame
for the burst of the South Sea Bubble. In 1868
it became the home of politician and writer,
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, and
then later to bankers John Pierpont Morgan
( J.P. Morgan) senior and junior. These houses,
Nos.10-12, are now the site of the Marriott
Hotel on the corner of Duke Street. No.13 was
the home of Robert Grosvenor, 1st Marquess
of Westminster, followed by his brother, Thomas
Grosvenor, 2nd Earl of Wilton. The 1st
Marquess of Westminster also lived at Nos.15
and 16, originally built as one double-sized
house. It was later divided into two houses and
No.15 was the home of Captain Thistlethwaite
and his wife, who later, with the help of Prime
Minister William Gladstone, opened a mission
for fallen girls at her home until the 1880s.
The last resident of No.16 was the Dowager
Duchess of Westminster, widow of the 1st Duke,
who lived in the house until 1940 when it was
destroyed by bombing.
No.19 was the home of the Earls of Thanet
and it is believed that Mozart and his sister
performed here, and that part of the interior
was designed by Robert Adam. In 1926, it
became the home of conductor, Sir Thomas
and Lady Beecham. No.26 is notable because it
was remodelled by celebrated architect, Robert
Adam and was described as one of four of his
greatest London houses. In 1851, the house
passed to the 14th Earl of Derby, three times
Prime Minister, before being demolished in 1861.
Eighteenth century ‘feudal grandeur, fashion, taste and hospitality’
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No.35 was the home of radical politician John
Wilkes, who was held in the Tower of London
for his principles, expelled from parliament and
spent close to two years in prison. He later rose
to become Lord Mayor of London and today is
attributed as being the main proponent of the
freedom of the press. In 1781, No.37 became
the home of Mr and Mrs Thrale, good friends
of Samuel Johnson, who visited the Thrales
during this time. No.40 Grosvenor Square was
the home of former Prime Minister Charles
Grey, 2nd Earl Grey.
Two of the earliest residents of Grosvenor
Square were two notorious characters
of the early 18th century - George I’s
mistresses, created the Duchess of Kendal and
Countess of Darlington. They acquired rather
uncomplimentary nicknames: The Duchess,
who was rather skinny, was nicknamed ‘The
Maypole,’ and the Countess, who was rather fat,
was nicknamed ‘The Elephant and Castle’. The
Duchess of Kendal was one of the first residents,
moving to No.43 on the south side in 1728.
Other residents include: former prime ministers,
Lord North, 1st Earl of Guilford and Augustus
Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton; the
Dowager Duchess of Marlborough and her son
Lord Randolph Churchill, Chancellor of the
Exchequer and father of Winston Churchill; Sir
George Beaumont, 7th Baronet, amateur artist
and friend of Turner, who was instrumental in
the establishment of the National Gallery.
A number of ambassadors have also lived in
the square, including the 4th Earl of Rochford,
Ambassador to Spain, Sardinia and Paris and the
Secretary of State; Francis Seymour Conway,
1st Marquess of Hertford, who had been
the Ambassador in Paris and rose to become
Lord Chamberlain in 1766; and the 3rd Duke
of Dorset, Ambassador in Paris before the
Revolution between 1783 and 1789.
Derby House was Robert Adam’s great
masterpiece on Grosvenor Square. Built in
1728, it was later inherited by 19 year-old
Lord Stanley who engaged Adams to renovate
the building. Adams introduced a thoroughly
modern layout, including a central staircase,
circular and oval apartments and a sequence
of straightforward, symmetrical rooms.
By the 1770s, British architects were being
influenced by French design and Adams
designed the apartments to feel like a French
hotel. A contemporary noted his designs were
‘an attempt to arrange the apartments in the
French style, which is best calculated for the
convenience and elegance of life.” The house
was demolished by Sir Charles J Freake in
1861 and was completely rebuilt.
History of Derby House
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No.44 Grosvenor Square has a rather special
history in the life of the square. The house
was first occupied by Oliver St George in
1728, but by 1804 it had become the home
of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
and President of the Council, Dudley Ryder,
1st Earl of Harrowby. At that time it was
customary for members of the Cabinet to meet
together in members’ houses, and on the 21st
June 1815, the Cabinet, including the Prime
Minister Lord Liverpool, was having dinner
at No.44 and the Duke of Wellington’s aide-
de-camp, Major Henry Percy came running
into the dining room to announce the victory
at the Battle of Waterloo. From that time on
the house was commonly known as Waterloo
House.
Five years later, it was almost the site of another
dramatic episode. The plan, now known as The
Cato Street Conspiracy, was to overthrow the
government by killing the Prime Minister and
all of the members of the Cabinet gathered
for dinner at Lord Harrowby’s house on 28th
February 1820. The plot was led by Arthur
Thistlewood with a group of around 24 other
conspirators, and they met to plan their attack
in Cato Street, near Edgware Road. However,
the plan was foiled and the Bow Street Runners,
the early unofficial police force, were waiting for
the gang outside the house in Cato Street.
No.44 continued as the home of the Harrowby
family long after these two historic events, with
the last Dowager Countess of Harrowby the last
to leave in 1908. By the 1960s, when panelling
was being removed, a large early 18th century
mural was discovered, similar to one by William
Kent in Kensington Palace. However, despite
these historic connections and architectural
features, the house was demolished in 1968
and it became the site of the Britannia Hotel,
today’s Millennium Hotel.
Waterloo House – No.44 Grosvenor Square
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No.44 Grosvenor Square section and plan – Survey of London: Volume 40
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Architectural & social change
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Throughout the 19th century, Grosvenor Square
continued to be one of the most sought after
addresses in London. The houses continued
to be solely residential with records showing
that between 1855 and early 1880s, the average
household consisted of 13 or 14, of whom 10
or 11 were servants. However, one significant
change was the shift of residents to include
successful ‘tradesmen’ or businessmen rather
than solely aristocratic families. Some early
‘trade’ residents included the brewer Sir Henry
Meux; engineer Sir Charles Palmer; and ship
owner and inventor of the marine turbine,
Charles Wilson, later Lord Nunburnholme.
Other prominent residents coming from a
business background included South African
mining magnates, Jack Barnato Joel and Sir
Lionel Phillips.
The popularity of Grosvenor Square also led
many of its wealthy owners to transform their
houses with the changing tastes of the time,
making sure they were at the height of fashion.
This began during the 19th century, but it was
in the 1920s that the Duke of Westminster
decided on a grand redevelopment of Grosvenor
Square and started the rebuilding with a block
of flats in the south east corner, which was
completed in 1927. By the 1930s, a complete
transformation of the square was underway
and the large Georgian terraced houses were
demolished and replaced with neo-Georgian
flats. However, the rebuilding was designed
by the French architect Fernand Billerey to
architechtually unite all of the buildings on
the square.
Prior to the outbreak of war in 1939, Grosvenor
Square was still the home of many titled
residents, including Katherine, Duchess of
Westminster; Lord Illingworth, the Marquess
of Bath; Lord Charles Montagu and Viscountess
Tredegar. It was in Grosvenor Square during
the early 1930s that it is believed the Prince of
Wales, later Edward VIII, went to a party held
by Lady Furness and was introduced to Mrs
Wallis Simpson.
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The northern, western and southern sides of
the square were only partly rebuilt when war
was declared in 1939. The American Embassy
was already located at No.1, but when they
entered the war they moved to new buildings in
the square. General Eisenhower’s headquarters
were on the north side at 19-20, along with the
naval mission and many other military offices.
The heavy American occupation of Grosvenor
Square gained it the nickname of ‘Eisenhower
Platz’. Grosvenor Square was heavily bombed in
1941 when a number of houses were struck and
many burnt out. It became the worst affected
area across Mayfair. After the war, many of
the houses had fallen into disrepair or received
bomb damage. It was along the west side of the
square that the greatest redevelopment took
place: the Georgian houses were demolished in
1957 and the new American Embassy, designed
by the Finnish architect, Eero Saarinen, was
constructed in its place. The former American
Embassy, at Nos.1-3, became the Canadian
High Commission in 1960.
World War II & the American influence
The central gardens have been transformed
a few times since the construction of the
square. The earliest layout was planned as
a formal garden by John Alston and it was
originally enclosed by a low brick wall. The
most prominent early feature was a statue of
King George I, gilded and dressed as a Roman
Emperor on horseback, but this was removed
in the early 19th century. The central gardens
changed dramatically in the 20th century, with
a complete redesign. After World War II, they
were chosen as the site for a memorial to
former American president, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, which was unveiled by his wife
Eleanor Roosevelt in 1948, with management
passing from Grosvenor to what is now the
Department of Culture Media and Sport. At
this time the gardens were re-laid in a formal
pattern with pathways. During the late 20th
century the centre of Grosvenor Square
became the location for a number of memorials
connected to the United States, including the
Diplomatic Gates erected, in 1984 to celebrate
the 1783 Treaty of Paris; The Eagle Squadron
memorial, unveiled in 1986 to commemorate
the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain; a
statue of General Eisenhower, unveiled in 1989;
a statue of former president Ronald Regan,
unveiled in 2011; and, in September 2003, a
memorial garden for those who lost their lives
in the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001.
By 1960, there were only a few original houses
remaining in the square, including Waterloo
House, although this was sadly demolished
in 1967. Today, Grosvenor Square continues
to be one of the most prestigious addresses
in London and although there are fewer
residential homes and more commercial
and diplomatic offices, the square maintains
the spirit of grand architectural and social
occupation that Sir Richard planned almost
300 years before.
The central gardens
Grosvenor Square today
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Grosvenor Street Grosvenor Street was laid out for building
between 1720 and 1725, at the same time as
Grosvenor Square. However, Sir Richard was
disappointed in his original scheme, where he
hoped Grosvenor Street, the broadest street
on his estate, would lead along a long vista
from Park Lane and Upper Grosvenor Street
to St George’s Hanover Square. Sadly, this
vista crossed over to the neighbouring Conduit
Mead Estate, with the Grosvenor estate ending
at the River Tyburn (just west of New Bond
Street). The building of St George’s Hanover
Square began in 1721 and was consecrated in
1725. However, Sir Richard had no control over
the layout and building on the Conduit Mead
Estate and Maddox Street at the far end of
Grosvenor Street. This was originally also part
of Maddox Street and was built narrower and
with a kink, blocking the view of the church
from the Grosvenor Estate.
In 1735, Grosvenor Street was described as
a ‘spacious well-built street, inhabited chiefly
by People of Distinction’. By 1736, 22 of the
74 houses were occupied by members of the
aristocracy. Along with most of Mayfair, many
houses along Grosvenor Street have been rebuilt
or re-fronted, but for almost 300 years, this
street has been a popular address and home
to a long list of notable characters from the
nobility, as well as high-ranking military,
churchmen and foreign ambassadors. Early
18th century residents included the Countess
of Hertford in 1740; Lord North in 1740;
Marquess Cornwallis in 1793 and Miss Vane,
the mistress of Frederick, Prince of Wales.
No.6 Grosvenor Street, close to Avery Row
on the eastern end, is believed to have once
been the site of a hospital for victims of the
plague. The first occupant of No.16 Grosvenor
Street, from 1725 to 1738, was the son of the
first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole, the
2nd Earl of Orford. From 1837 to 1859 No.16
was the headquarters of the Royal Institution
of British Architects and then, between 1912
and 1924, it was the home of Lieutenant-
Colonel George Keppel, whose wife Alice is
most remembered as the former mistress of
Edward VII. It was during this time that the
house became a temporary escape for the Prime
Minister, Herbert Asquith, and his wife Margot
after his resignation in 1916.
In 1909, Sir Edgar Speyer brought together
Nos.44 and 46 and hired the Grosvenor Estate’s
architect Detmar Blow along with Fernand
Billerey to merge the two houses beneath a
new Portland stone frontage. The Duke of
Westminster specified that the two houses
should be separable in the future, which meant
that the house was given two staircases, one in
a carved Gothic style and the other an oak copy
of the Scala dei Giganti in the Doge’s Palace
in Venice. During the early 20th century, the
house was the location for music recitals by
Strauss and Debussy at Lady Speyer’s famous
musical soirees. The house later became the
American Women’s Club and then the Japanese
Embassy until 2000.
No.50 was the home of generations of the
Earls of Radnor and the last private resident
was Lord Peel in 1928. No.58 was the home of
the Marquess of Aberdeen, Governor-General
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of Canada, who made extensive alterations
between 1900 and 1908 before selling it to the
Chairman of University College Hospital, Sir
Herbert Samuelson. No.59 was the home of
Admiral Earl St. Vincent, who fought in the
Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. It was
also the home of the Speaker of the House
of Commons, Lord Ullswater, and between
1909 and 1914 was the home of a banker,
Ralph Lambton, who built a racquet, court
in the mews behind.
In 1730, No.60 was the home of the actress,
Mrs Nance (Anne) Oldfield. Charles Churchill
is believed to have been her illegitimate son by
General Charles Churchill and Charles junior
later inherited the house and died there in 1812.
No.70 was the home of Prime Minister, the 3rd
Earl of Bute, in 1748-1752, and since 2000 has
been the home of Grosvenor’s office. No.75
Grosvenor Street was originally the home of
Sir Henry Hozier, whose daughter Clementine,
later to become the wife of Prime Minister
Winston Churchill, was born here in April
1875. The house was rebuilt in 1914. Robert
and James Adam, the famous architect brothers,
lived at No.76 Grosvenor Street between
1758 and 1772 and in 1825, the same house
was occupied by the founder of Singapore, Sir
Stamford Raffles.
A large amount of alterations were undertaken
in Grosvenor Street during the Victorian
period, but it was primarily at the turn of the
20th century that extensive rebuilding and
conversions took place. Many houses were
converted into office spaces or completely
rebuilt for commercial purposes. Having said
this, Grosvenor Street still retains a number
of Georgian buildings, including thirteen
Grade II and two Grade II* listed buildings.
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Upper Grosvenor Street - Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
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Upper Grosvenor Street was also laid out for
building at the time of Grosvenor Square, with
building leases granted to a total of 21 different
tradesmen between 1727 and 1735. One of the
early residents was the former Governor of New
York, William Tryon, who lived at No.8 from
1759 to 1764. Between 1903 and 1910, No.15
was the home of Admiral of the Fleet, David
Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty, who commanded the
Navy during the latter years of World War I
and between 1919 and 1927 served as First Sea
Lord. No.20 was the home of the son of Queen
Victoria, Prince Arthur of Connaught. After
World War II, the Duchess of Argyll moved
to No.48 and during the 1950s and 60s, she
continued to entertain lavishly and was one of
the last Mayfair socialites to maintain a private
house in Mayfair, departing in 1978.
Like other streets in Mayfair, Upper Grosvenor
Street began to be rebuilt and altered during
the 19th century and again in the 20th century,
especially with the development of the
Grosvenor House Hotel on the corner of Park
Lane. Today, Upper Grosvenor Street has 15
Grade II listed properties.
Upper Grosvenor Street
Upper Grosvenor Street - Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
Prince Arthur: first Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850–1942)
Named after his godfather, the Duke of
Wellington, Connaught was Queen Victoria’s
favourite son. In 1868 he was commissioned
into the Royal Engineers where he excelled
and was the last British prince to command
a significant formation in battle. In 1911
Connaught was made governor-general of
Canada, where he played an important role
in the recruiting of soldiers for the First World
War. Drawing on his own military experience,
he conflicted with the Canadian government
when he drew public attention to the fact that
the Canadian-made Ross rifle was prone to
jamming in battle conditions. Connaught spent
his retirement in Bagshot Park, Surrey and his
villa in France.
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Brook Street was laid out with Grosvenor
Square between 1720 and 1725 and refers
to the ‘brook’ of the River Tyburn. In 1735,
Robert Seymour, in Survey of the Cities
of London and Westminster, said Brook
Street was “for the most part nobly built and
inhabited by People of Quality”, and in 1807
it was said that it was a “calm retreat of nobility
and persons of great landed property”.
No.23 Brook Street is famously remembered
as the home of musician Jimi Hendrix in
1968/9. One of the earliest inhabitants of
Brook Street, at No.25, was George Frederick
Handel in 1723. Handel remained in the
house for 36 years and it was here that he
composed Messiah in 1741.
No.66 Brook Street, which was originally
built as one with No.53 Davies Street, was
built by Edward Shepherd for Sir Nathanial
Curzon who lived in the house from 1729
through to his death in 1758. The houses then
were once again reunited over 100 years later
by Detmar Blow and until 2000 formed part
of Grosvenor’s office. Today they are Grade I
listed.
No.68 was the home to another Prime
Minister, William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of
Chatham, in 1757. Today, No.69 is The Savile
Club, and when it was purchased in 1927, it was
still described as ‘one of the principal mansions
in Mayfair’.
Prominent Mayfair architect, Edward
Shepherd, whom ‘Shepherd Market’ is named
after, lived at No.72 from 1726 until 1729. Sir
Winton Churchill’s mother, Lady Randolph
Churchill, lived at No.72 from 1915 to 1917.
Large sections of Brook Street have been
converted into offices since the turn of the
20th century, but it still retains a number
of interesting architectural features.
Brook StreetJames Marshall ( Jimi) Hendrix (1942–1970)
Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix is
regarded by many as the greatest ever electric
guitar players. He was given his first guitar by
his father and being left-handed he would play
it upside down. After touring The States with
artists including Little Richard, he formed his
own band, Jimmy James and the Blue Flames.
In the mid 1960s he choose to come to London
where he reformed as The Jimi Hendrix
Experience.
On his return to the USA in 1969 he played at
the historic Woodstock, famously ending his set
with a version of the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’.
Hendrix died of a drugs overdose in London on
the 18th September 1960 and was buried in his
home town of Seattle.
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Claridge’s
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For a number of years the lower section of
Brook Street towards Bond Street was
populated with hotels. Today however, the
most significant survivor is the world-famous
Claridge’s on the corner of Davies Street.
Claridge’s was first opened as a hotel in 1815
by French chef Jacques Mivart and was known
as ‘Mivart’s’. From the very beginning, the aim
was to offer high-quality accommodation
for the Mayfair clientele, including foreign
royalty, and even the Prince Regent had a suite
of rooms reserved for him. Mivart continued
successfully for 40 years until he sold the hotel
to William Claridge.
The high quality of service and accommodation
at the hotel continued under the new
management, when it became known as
Claridge’s. It was sold in 1881 and again in
1895 to the Savoy Company, who set about
transforming and modernising the now classic
hotel. The old houses were pulled down and
the new red-brick Queen Anne style building
was built to the designs of C.W. Stephens, who
was also responsible for the Harrods building
in Knightsbridge. The interiors were also by
Stephens, along with Ernest George and Yates.
The new Claridge’s reopened in 1898 with a
staff organised by Cesar Ritz.
During the 1920s, the hotel was redecorated in
a distinct Art Deco style, with designs by Basil
Ionides, as well as a new entrance and extension
to the east, completed in the 1930s by Oswald
Milne. The hotel was updated once again in the
1990s.
World War II Claridge’sDuring World War II, Claridge’s became a
refuge for many exiled royal families, including
the Queen of the Netherlands and the Kings
of Greece, Norway and Yugoslavia. In 1941
Crown Prince Alexander was born in room
212 of Claridge’s, after Churchill ceded it to
Yugoslavia for the day. Legend has is that a
spadeful of Yugoslavian earth was placed under
the bed so that the heir to the throne could
literally be born on home soil. The hotel has
also been visited by many members of the British
Royal Family, including Queen Victoria and
Prince Albert, as well as Queen Elizabeth II.
Claridge’s was popular with celebrity guests,
including Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Bing
Crosby, and remains so today.
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Upper Brook Street was laid out between
1721 and 1725, although not all houses were
completed until 1759. Upper Brook Street has
maintained a high level of exclusivity and in
1760 there were 14 titled residents. Some of the
early residents included Lord George Gordon,
who is most famous for being the instigator
of the Gordon Riots in 1780, and George
Grenville, Prime Minister from 1763-1765.
Between 1930 and 1932, No.9a was the home
of three times Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin,
but in 1937, it was replaced with a new
building. No.18 was the home of the sculptress,
Anne Seymour Damer, between 1799 and
1828, who later inherited Strawberry Hill
from Horace Walpole.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many of
the homes were re-fronted or rebuilt and, like
other streets in Mayfair, were converted to
offices, several of which are Grade II listed.
Upper Brook Street
Park Lane was not always the prestigious
address that we know it to be today. Originally
called ‘Tyburn Lane’, prior to the removal of
the Tyburn Gallows in 1783, it was infamous
for the rabble that headed to the executions.
This meant that people did not want their
houses associated with the unruly crowd and
early houses turned their back on Park Lane
and faced Park Street or Dunraven (formerly
Norfolk) Street. There was also not much of a
view towards Hyde Park as it was surrounded
by a high brick wall. The removal of the
gallows made way for new development in
the north west corner of the estate, as well as
for a transformation of the houses along Park
Lane which were redesigned with the popular
Regency balconies and bay windows, making
the most of the view of Hyde Park.
Park Lane
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Park Lane - Palatial homesAlong with the transformation of individual
houses, Park Lane became established as a
prime location for aristocratic mansions, firmly
establishing its reputation as a desirable address.
One of the first houses, built in 1769 while
the gallows still sat close by, was Somerset
House. The house was constructed for Viscount
Bateman by John Philips. From 1789 to 1797,
it was the home of Warren Hastings, former
Governor-General of India, and then up until
1808, was the home of Lord Rosebury. At this
time, it was sold to the 11th Duke of Somerset,
who renamed it ‘Somerset House’, and it stayed
in the Somerset family until 1890 when it was
sold to publisher, George Murray Smith. The
house was demolished in 1915 and today is
the site of the London Marriott Hotel on the
corner of Oxford Street.
In 1773, Camelford House was built next to
Somerset House, near today’s North Row, for
Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford, MP and
elder brother of William Pitt the Elder. For
a time the house was occupied by the Prince
Regent’s daughter, Princess Charlotte, and
her husband Prince Leopold, later King of the
Belgians. It later passed to Lord Grenville and
then to Sir Charles Mills. It continued in the
Mills family until the early 20th century before
being demolished in 1913 and is now also part
of the site of the London Marriott Hotel.
Between North Row and Green Street is a
row of six surviving early houses, much altered
since they were built. No.138, to the north, was
originally two smaller houses and was rebuilt
as one house in 1831. The neighbouring houses,
now recorded as Nos.20-23 Dunraven Street,
have also been altered. No.22 (also No.131
Park Lane) was first built in 1758 and later
remodelled by Sir John Soane in 1801. On
the southern corner of Green Street, No.128
Park Lane is another survivor, overshadowed
by the neighbouring Avenfield House, built in
1960. On the other side of Avenfield House is
No.117, believed to have been rebuilt in around
1822 and again, after war damage, in 1949.
On the corner of Upper Brook Street and
Park Lane, Brook House was constructed
relatively late in 1867. It was constructed for
Lord Tweedmouth, banker and MP, by Thomas
Henry Wyatt. In the early 20th century it
became the home of Sir Ernest Cassel, who
redecorated the house to create a grand staircase
in Italian marble and a dining room to seat 100
guests. It passed to Sir Ernest’s granddaughter,
Lady Mountbatten, in 1925 but was demolished
in 1931 to make way for a block of flats where
Lord and Lady Mountbatten had a penthouse
flat. This 1930s building was replaced with a
new Brook House in 1993-8.
Dudley House, No.100 Park Lane, is the only
surviving aristocratic house remaining along the
northern stretch of Park Lane. It was completed
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in 1829 for Viscount Dudley and Ward, later
first Earl of Dudley, to the designs of William
Atkinson. It was later enlarged and altered by
Sir Charles Barry and continued in the Ward
family for close to 200 years. It was severely
bomb damaged during World War II but it
managed to survive. In the late 1960s, Sir Basil
Spence converted the house, along with the
mews behind, linking it to the main building
by a cast iron bridge. From 1970 it was used as
offices, but in the early years of the 21st century
it returned to residential use.
Nos.93-99, in-between Upper Brook Street
and Upper Grosvenor Street is a rare pre-20th
century section of Park Lane. First constructed
in 1727-1733, the houses were first known as
‘King’s Row’ and later ‘Grosvenor Gate’, and
originally had a pub at either end. In the 19th
century, the houses were rebuilt creating the
unique bow shaped frontages looking towards
Hyde Park. Of particular note is No.93, rebuilt
with No.94 in 1823-5 by builder Samuel
Baxter and the home of Prime Minister
Benjamin Disraeli. In 1827, the house was
the home of MP Wyndham Lewis and his
wife Mary Anne. Lewis died suddenly in 1838,
leaving the house to his wife, who, the following
year, married Benjamin Disraeli. It was here
that Disraeli wrote a number of his books and
the couple lived happily. Disraeli became Prime
Minister in 1868 and moved to Downing Street,
but they retained their house on Park Lane
until Mary died in 1872.
Breadalbane House was built in 1766 for
Robert Petre, 9th Baron Petre, by James Paine
and survived until 1877. It was famous for its
medieval-style ‘baronial hall’, complete with
gilded hammerbeam roof, believed to have
been built to entertain Queen Victoria and the
King of Portugal. The house later became the
home of successive Marquesses of Breadalbane,
and acquired the name Breadalbane House.
The baronial hall was demolished in 1863 and
the remainder of the house became the home
of author and politician, Sir Edward Bulwer-
Lytton, and shortly before its demolition it
was the home of Lady Palmerston.
The last 19th century house on the Grosvenor
Estate along Park Lane, Aldford House, was
built in 1894 for Alfred Beit, a South African
gold magnate. The house was designed by
Eustace Balfour and Thackeray Turner, but
the house lasted less than 40 years as it was
demolished in 1929 to make way for a block
of flats, also named Aldford House.
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Grosvenor HouseThe most prominent house on the Grosvenor
Estate part of Park Lane was Grosvenor House.
However, it was not built for the Grosvenor
family, but was originally constructed in 1732
for Walter Chetwynd, Viscount Chetwynd. The
house was situated away from Park Lane with
the entrance facing towards Upper Grosvenor
Street, gardens down towards Mount Street
and stables along Park Lane. In 1763, the house
became the home of the Duke of Cumberland,
younger son of George II, who is most
remembered for his involvement in the Battle
of Culloden where he gained the name ‘Butcher
of Culloden’. After Cumberland died in 1765,
the house became the home of the Prince
William, Duke of Gloucester and brother of
George III, and became known as Gloucester
House. The Duke continued to live in the
house until his death in 1805.
After the death of the Duke of Gloucester,
Lord Grosvenor bought Gloucester House in
1806 for £20,000 and, after alterations were
made, the Grosvenor family moved to the new
‘Grosvenor House’ in April 1808. The house
was altered and redecorated a number of times
during the 19th century, most particularly by
Thomas Cundy and his son in the 1820s and
1840s, including the grand entrance with a
stone screen of eight columns, lamp posts and
metal gates topped with pediments bearing the
family crest. New galleries were added to house
the renowned Grosvenor art collection, which
included paintings by Rembrandt and Rubens,
as well as works by Reynolds, Velazquez and
Gainsborough. During the late 19th century,
the house was the location for many garden
parties, balls and dinners.
The house continued in the Grosvenor family
until the early years of World War I, when
the 2nd Duke of Westminster offered the
house to the government for war time use
as a hospital for officers, while he moved to
Bourdon House in Davies Street. After the
war the Duke continued at Bourdon House
where he remained until he died in 1953.
Grosvenor House was becoming too large
and expensive to maintain and by 1925 it was
decided to redevelop the site as a hotel with
former Grosvenor Estate surveyor, Edward
Wimperis, along with renowned architect, Sir
Edwin Lutyens.
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Grosvenor House Hotel
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In 1926, the grand Grosvenor House was pulled
down and the Grosvenor House Hotel and flats
appeared in its place. In the basement of the
hotel was the unique novelty attraction of a
large ice-rink, which soon became one of the
most popular attractions for young socialites
and was where Queen Elizabeth II had skating
lessons. However, by the late 1930s it was
dismantled and became ‘The Great Room’
(although the pipes for the ice rink are still
underneath the floor).
During World War II, The Grosvenor House
Hotel played a key role as a home for exiled
leaders of occupied Europe. The Dutch Cabinet
made the hotel its wartime headquarters and on
Bastille Day in 1941, General de Gaulle gave
a speech from the hotel. The Great Room was
transformed into a large dormitory for Air Raid
Precaution (ARP) wardens. In the summer
of 1940 it became a special annexe to the US
immigration department and in 1943 became
the main mess for American officers in London.
A Home Guard platoon was formed by 38 of
the hotel’s reduced staff, which often had drills
on the roof, where a miniature rifle range had
been installed for firing practice.
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64 Park Street – The White Bear 1890s – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
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Park StreetPark Street is the longest street on the
Grosvenor Estate and, for a short time, was
known as Hyde Park Street. It was built over
a period of almost 50 years, from the 1720s
through to the 1770s, but was largely rebuilt
between 1890 and 1930. Large sections of the
western side of Park Street were demolished
with the redevelopment of Park Lane and
replaced with large apartment blocks. Much
of the eastern side was rebuilt in the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. Many of these houses
were built in Queen Anne Style, along with
influences from the Arts and Craft movement.
These are typified by the use of red brick,
terracotta, stone detailing and steep roofs.
Some early house examples survive on the
eastern side, most notably Nos.66-78, between
Upper Grosvenor Street and Upper Brook
Street, constructed in 1729. Some early 19th
century houses also survive at Nos.84-90
and Nos.58-62. The result of this mixture of
rebuilding is a great variety of architectural styles
stretching from the 1720s through to the 1930s.
Park Street has been the home of a many
well-known residents. In fact, every house was
at one time or another occupied by a notable
member of government, the military, the arts
or nobility. Statesman and historian, George
Otto Trevelyan lived at No.31 between 1870 and
1872; Thomas Hughes, MP and author of Tom
Brown’s School Days, lived at No.33 (where
the Grosvenor House Hotel is now situated)
between 1861 and 1870 and then at No.80 from
1871 to 1885. In 1785, No.62 was the home of
the catholic widow, Mrs Fitzherbert, and was
where she secretly married the Prince of Wales
(later George IV).
64 Park Street – The White Bear 1890s – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
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South StreetSouth Street was first laid out for building
between 1730 and 1739, although most of
these early houses have now disappeared and
been redeveloped. Since it was constructed,
South Street has been the home of many
famous names, including the Duke of Orleans
at No.2 from 1788 to 1793. He voted in favour
of the execution of his cousin, Louis XVI but
was himself guillotined in November 1793.
Much later, from 1902 to 1927, the same house
was the home of the widow of the 1st Duke of
Westminster, Katherine. No.8 was the home of
the 1st Marquess Cornwalllis, who was forced
to surrender to George Washington after the
Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
No.10 South Street was the home of the
celebrated Florence Nightingale for 45 years,
from 1865 until 1910. She had also rented at
No.8 for a year previously, and spent time in
houses in Chesterfield Street and Park Street.
In 1860 on doctors’ orders she took to her bed
and was to spend the next 20 years as an invalid.
This did not prevent her continuing her mission
and she worked relentlessly until her death.
No.10 was demolished in 1929, but a plaque is
placed on the building that replaced her house.
In 1880, next door at No.12 was Earl Lucan
– the commander of the disastrous Charge of
the Light Brigade at Balaclava, the survivors of
which were attended by Florence Nightingale.
Across the road at No.15 lived Catherine
Walters, ‘the last great Victorian courtesan’.
She moved to South Street in 1872 (although
one source states 1883) where Gladstone and
Bertie, the Prince of Wales, were still regular
visitors. She remained in the house until she
passed away in 1920.
From 1830 to 1848, No.18 South Street was
the home of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount
Melbourne, Prime Minister in 1834 and again
from 1835 to 1841; Beau Brummell lived at
No.22; in 1903, Sir Alex Douglas-Home, who
became Prime Minister in 1963, was born at
No.28; and No.30 was the home of Joan Collins
during her first marriage to Ron Kass.
South Street c.1890 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
page 44-45 South Audley Street – Courtesy of the City of Westminster Archives Centre
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North Audley Street
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North Audley Street was laid out between
1724 and 1725 and named after Mary Davies’
ancestor, Hugh Audley, who originally owned
the manor of Eia in the 17th century. Unlike
the other streets surrounding Grosvenor Square,
most of the early houses were occupied by
tradesmen. The close proximity to Oxford
Street meant that in the 19th and 20th centuries,
most of these early houses were swept away and
replaced with blocks of flats, as well as offices,
with shops below.
The former No.1 North Audley Street, on the
corner of Grosvenor Square, was the home of
Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, in 1807.
One of the first residents of No.12 was Field
Marshal and MP Jean Louis Ligonier, who
lived in the house from 1730 until his death
in 1770. He joined Nos.11 and 12 together
in 1744. The renowned art collector and
industrialist, Samuel Courtauld, lived at
Nos.11-12 between 1932 and 1947.
On the eastern side is St Mark’s Church,
constructed in 1825 as a Chapel of Ease to St
George’s, Hanover Square. Designed in classical
style by Sir John Deering, it was later internally
redesigned by Sir Arthur Blomfield, while
retaining the exterior with the large stone Ionic
pillars. It ceased to be a parish church in 1974
and today is an events centre, ‘One Mayfair’.
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South Audley StreetSouth Audley Street is one of the prime
shopping streets on the Grosvenor Estate in
Mayfair. It was laid out for building between
1725 and 1736 but, along with Mount Street,
was largely rebuilt during the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. However, some early
Georgian houses do survive on the southern
stretch between South Street and Hill Street.
Nos.71-75, along the west side, were designed
by Edward Shepherd. No.71, on the corner of
South Street, features a grand Georgian exterior
that has changed very little since it was first
built in 1736, and neighbouring No.72 was the
home of the Comte d’Artois, later King Charles
X of France, from 1805 until 1814.
No.75, on the corner of Deanery Street, marks
the southernmost point of the Grosvenor estate.
In 1754 it became the home of John Stuart,
3rd Earl of Bute, who extended the house to
the north. At this time the house also became
known as ‘Bute House’. Bute rose to become
tutor to George III and was appointed Prime
Minister in 1762, but stayed in the role for less
than a year. In 1768, rioters in support of John
Wilkes attacked Bute’s home, breaking the
windows of Lady Bute’s room where she was
sleeping. Lord Bute continued to live in the
house until he passed away in 1792.
The lower eastern side of South Audley Street
also features surviving 18th century houses,
Nos.9-16; most notably No.9, on the corner of
Hill Street, built in 1736. In 1931, the Duke of
Westminster arranged for this house to be the
home of the world-famous French designer,
Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel.
Today, South Audley Street is dominated by
the red brick rebuilding of the late 19th century
and is synonymous with a number of prestigious
retailers. On the western side is James Purdey
& Sons, founded in 1814 and renowned as the
gunmakers to kings and the aristocracy for
generations. They moved to the newly built
No.57-60 South Audley Street in 1881. On
the other side of the street, at No.19, are china
and glass merchants, Thomas Goode & Co.
Founded in 1827 they moved to South Audley
Street in 1844. The shop was rebuilt across
the site of Nos.17-21 in 1875 and has been
described as probably the best commercial
example of the Queen Anne revival on the
Grosvenor Estate.
The other prominent building along South
Audley Street is the Grosvenor Chapel facing
Aldford Street. Built in 1730 it was originally
known as Audley Chapel. A number of famous
people were buried in the chapel vaults and the
burial grounds behind (now the Mount Street
Gardens), including MP John Wilkes; the 4th
Earl of Chesterfield; poets, Ambrose Phillips,
David Mallet and William Whitehead; Lady
Mary Wortley Montague; and Greek scholar
and poet, Elizabeth Carter. The cemetery was
closed in 1854 and transformed into a public
garden in 1889. During World War II, the
Grosvenor Chapel was a popular refuge for
American servicemen based nearby.
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Mount StreetThe name Mount Street originates from the
name of ‘Mount Field’ where the Civil War
earthwork known as ‘Oliver’s Mount’ was
constructed. The street was laid out for building
during the 1720s but, unlike the prestigious
street we see today, it was originally dominated
by small, narrow houses populated primarily
by tradesmen, as well as taverns and coffee
houses. The parish workhouse was situated
where No.103 is today, meaning that, combined
with the location of St George’s burial ground,
Mount Street had rather more humble origins.
The parish workhouse was built in 1725 for 200
people, but was enlarged twice and housed 600
‘paupers’ by the 1880s. It was demolished in
1886 to make way for new development.
In 1811, the poet Shelley eloped with the 16
year old Harriet Westbrook from one of the
Mount Street coffee houses. However, five years
later Harriet, now married to Shelley, drowned
herself in the Serpentine in Hyde Park after he
left her for Mary Wollstonecraft.
Towards the end of the 19th century, Mount
Street was completely transformed. The 1st
Duke of Westminster instigated a large
rebuilding programme and the coffee houses,
taverns and tradesmen were replaced with
antique dealers and high quality retailers and,
to the west of South Audley Street, only private
houses were built. It was not only the alteration
in the residents, but the transformation of
the architectural appearance from the simple
Georgian brick houses to the bold red brick
and terracotta Queen Anne and Neo-French
Renaissance styles favoured by the Duke. In
2011, Grosvenor re-created the public realm
in Mount Street centred on the water feature,
‘Silence’, by the Japanese architect philosopher
Tadao Ando.
Carlos PlaceCarlos Place was originally named Charles
Street and ran directly south from Grosvenor
Square through to Mount Street. It was first
laid out in 1727 but was later rebuilt in 1892
curving between Grosvenor Square and
Berkeley Square, when it was renamed Carlos
Place. Carlos Place has been the home of a
number of famous residents, including Josiah
Wedgwood, the founder of the world-famous
Wedgwood porcelain firm; art critic and author,
John Ruskin; and in 1884, No.9 was the home
of Oscar Wilde before he moved to Chelsea
with his wife.
Carlos Place is most noted as the location of
the Connaught Hotel on the corner of Mount
Street. It was first built as the Coburg Hotel
in 1815 by Francis Grillon and the name
originates from the family of Queen Victoria’s
consort, Prince Albert. The hotel was rebuilt
between 1894-6 and during World War I was
renamed The Connaught after Queen Victoria’s
son, the Duke of Connaught, in response to the
prejudice against Germanic names.
Carlos Street before redevelopment 1910 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
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Bourdon HouseMuch rebuilding has taken place along Davies
Street, both in the 19th and 20th centuries, but
it still retains one the finest Georgian buildings,
and one of the first built on the Grosvenor estate
in Mayfair. Situated on the corner of Bourdon
Street to the north of Berkeley Square, Bourdon
House was built in around 1723 for Justice
of the Peace for Middlesex and vestryman,
William Bourdon. It is also unique as being
built as a detached house rather than a terraced
row, and when it was being constructed it would
have been surrounded by fields and market
gardens, giving it the impression of a country
house. However, when completed it was smaller
than we see today, having been extended during
the 1900s. Much of the facade facing Davies
Street is the original building.
At the turn of the 20th century the house was
occupied by the Earl and Countess of Essex,
but during World War I, when the 2nd Duke
of Westminster had loaned Grosvenor House
to the government for the war effort, it became
the home of the Duke. After the war, the Duke
chose to remain at Bourdon House, and after
the demolition of Grosvenor House it became
his permanent home. The Duke remained in
the house until he passed away in 1953 and the
Duchess continued on until 1957. It was, for a
while, the London home of the current Duke,
before becoming the home of Mallett’s antique
dealers. The house was built in the Palladian
style and features a carved stone pediment,
sash windows and a prominent brick wall
surrounding a paved court yard, with a wrought
iron gateway. The interior retains original 18th
century features, including wood panelling and
the staircase. Today, it is the location of Alfred
Dunhill and is Grade II* listed.
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Duke StreetDuke Street was laid out during 1724 but, along
with other parts of the estate, was largely rebuilt
during the late 19th century. On the corner of
Weighhouse Street is the King’s Weighhouse
Church, designed by Alfred Waterhouse in
1888. Constructed in red brick with terracotta
dressings, along with a tripartite entrance, the
church was completed in 1891. In 1965 it
became the Cathedral of the Ukranian Catholic
Church.
Between Duke Street and Balderton Street
is the Duke Street Electricity Substation,
featuring the imposing Baroque style pavilions
in Portland stone at either end. Built on the site
of the Duke Street Gardens, the substation was
designed by C. Stanley Peach and opened in
1905. To compensate for the loss of the gardens,
the paved area on top was laid out as an Italian
garden and opened in 1906. After closing to
the public in the early 1980’s, the area was re-
opened by Grosvenor in 2007 and is now the
subject of a major public realm improvement
scheme.
Davies StreetDavies Street was named after Mary Davies,
heiress to the manor who married Sir Thomas
Grosvenor. When first laid out, the northern
stretch of Davies Street was originally narrower
and bent to be parallel to South Molton Row,
following an old pathway known as Shug Lane.
The first lease was granted in July 1721 to
Thomas Barlow. Much of the area was a mixture
of small houses and trade, including food shops
and pubs.
At the top of Davies Street, where today’s
Gray’s Antique Market is situated, was
Grosvenor Market, built in 1785. However,
it was competing with the already established
St George’s Market (on the corner of Gilbert
and Davies Street) and never really succeeded,
and was demolished in 1860. Davies Street was
extended straight through to Oxford Street and
the site of the old market was replaced in 1889
by John Bolding & Sons, sanitary engineers and
manufacturers. The new red brick and terracotta
building, in a Renaissance style, was designed by
Wimperis & Arber.
No.53, joined with No.66 Brook Street, was
the Grosvenor Estate Office, until 2000. Three
Kings Yard, between Grosvenor and Brook
Streets on the west side of Davies Street, is
named after the former Three Kings Tavern,
which formerly sat at the entrance to the
yard from the 1720s until it was demolished
in 1818. It is noted for its archway with a low
pyramidal roof and ornate cupola with a clock.
It is understood that the estate surveyor only
allowed the clock on the condition that it did
not strike. Nos.24-25 Davies Street, between
Mount Street and Mount Row, was the former
location for the gunsmith, Joseph Manton,
who ran a shooting gallery regularly attended
by exclusive gentlemen clients, including the
poet Byron.
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Aldford, Dunraven & Green StreetsAldford Street was laid out for building between
1730 and 1739. It was originally named Chapel
Street but renamed in 1886 after the village of
Aldford on the Grosvenors’ estate in Cheshire.
It is most renowned as being the former home
of celebrated wit, man of fashion and friend of
the Prince Regent, Beau Brummel. He lived at
No.13 in 1816, but in 1818 was forced to flee
to France because of unpaid debts. It is believed
the poet Shelley also lived at No.23 in 1813.
Dunraven Street was formerly known as
Norfolk Street, but was renamed in 1939 after
a former resident, the 4th Earl of Dunraven
and Mount-Earl. It was first developed during
the 1750s, but was rebuilt during the 1870s and
1880s. It has been home to a number of famous
names, including the actress Lillie Langtry,
who lived at No.19, and was where the artist
James McNeill Whistler decorated part of the
house. No.17 Dunraven Street was the home
of celebrated author P.G. Wodehouse between
1924 and 1934.
Green Street was built between 1725 and
1757 and named after the builder, John Green,
who in 1737 died by falling down a well in
Upper Grosvenor Street. The early houses
were predominately home to tradespeople but
during the 1820s, large parts were redeveloped
with new, larger houses to attract new tenants.
Since that time, there has been a number of
prominent residents, including the Canon of St
Paul’s Cathedral and founder of the Edinburgh
Review, the Reverend Sydney Smith at No.59;
and from 1931 until the late 1940s, the
Princess Royal and her husband, the 6th Earl
of Harewood, at No.32.
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George Bryan (Beau) Brummell 1778 – 1840
Brummell, a friend of George IV, was the most
famous of the Dandies and rumours about his
flamboyant lifestyle were rife. It was claimed
that he took five hours to get dressed and that
his boots were cleaned with Champagne. His
extravagant lifestyle would eventually catch up
with him and he was forced to flee to France to
escape his massive gambling debts. He continued
to live the highlife and was nicknamed the “King
of Calais”, but eventually found himself living on
handouts in Caen, where he died in March 1840
aged 62.
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Nineteenth century redevelopmentDuring the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
many houses on the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair
were rebuilt or re-fronted to bring them up
-to-date with the latest architectural styles.
This period also brought in new owners and
occupants who were keen to demonstrate their
success, as well as impress their neighbours with
new balconies, balustrades, external decorations
and porticos.
During the late 19th century, the 1st Duke
of Westminster began a large rebuilding
programme across the estate. Over a period
of 30 years from 1869, Mount Street, Duke
Street, Aldford Street, large sections of South
and North Audley Streets, as well as Park
Street, Carlos Place and most of South Street
and Green Street, were all rebuilt. The Duke
favoured the bold red brick Queen Anne Style
which dominates these streets today. He also
worked extensively on philanthropic efforts,
including animal welfare and temperance
– between 1869 and 1891 he reduced the
number of pubs in Mayfair from 47 to eight
(only five remain today) and specified that
they be built to look like private residences. He
also promoted better housing for the poor and
built a number of flats for artisans in Mayfair,
in particular to the north near Oxford Street.
Artisans development
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Belgravia
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Early Belgravia: Five FieldsToday, Belgravia is known for its exclusivity,
fashionable shopping and luxurious houses, but
the early history of the area couldn’t have been
more different. In the 16th century, Belgravia
was simply known as Ebury Farm and covered
430 acres of meadows and pastureland and
was primarily marshy ground unsuitable for
building.
The area formed part of Mary Davies’
substantial inheritance from her father,
Alexander Davies, and became part of the
Grosvenor Estate upon her marriage to Sir
Thomas Grosvenor in 1677. Although some
buildings began to appear on the outskirts of
the area in the 18th century, with the oldest
houses in Ebury Street constructed in 1720, it
remained undeveloped until 1825, when more
houses were built along Knightsbridge to the
north and Grosvenor Place to the east.
Up until the early 19th century, the land behind
Knightsbridge, Sloane Street and Grosvenor
Place was still open fields and marsh land
known as ‘Five Fields’. The name originated
from the way tracks and paths divided the
area into separate sections. During the day,
the fields were used for market gardening,
apparently well-known for asparagus, as well
as watercress from the banks of Westbourne
River, and grazing animals and hanging out
washing. However, at night, Five Fields became
a notoriously dangerous area, frequented by
thieves and criminals. The lack of lighting and
buildings meant it was a popular haunt for
highwaymen and footpads (thieves on foot),
with many stories recorded about robberies and
murders. The open fields were also a popular
destination for duels. The only road to cross the
area was the King’s private road and where the
road crossed the river was a bridge known as
‘Bloody Bridge’ due to the number of attacks and
murders that took place there. The infamous
fields were also used for cock-fighting, as well
as bull and bear-baiting.
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CubbitopolisThe name Belgrave originates from Belgrave
in Cheshire, the family seat of the Grosvenor
family. However, the name ‘Belgravia’ was
invented from the fact that Belgrave Square
sat within the heart of the new grand building
scheme by Cubitt. The area has also been called
‘Cubittopolis’ and to this day, it is seen as one
of Thomas Cubitt’s greatest achievements.
However, this does distract from the fact
that many other architects and builders were
involved in the development of Belgravia.
Of course, Thomas Cubitt held a lot of
responsibility for the building of Belgravia,
but estate surveyors from the Cundy family
were also heavily involved, as were architects,
Seth Smith and George Basevi. In fact, the first
plans for building on the Grosvenor Estate in
Five Fields date from around 1812 when the
estate surveyor, James Wyatt, drew up plans for
the area, but the first building agreements were
only made in 1821, which was well-timed with
the recently renovated Buckingham House for
George IV by John Nash.
On 18th March 1825, an agreement was made
between Lord Grosvenor and Thomas Cubitt
for the development of most of the estate, apart
from a few specific areas which were given to
Seth Smith, Joseph Cundy and a few other
smaller builders. In 1826 it was Cubitt, with the
approval of the Grosvenor Estate, who obtained
the Grosvenor Place and District Improvement
Act, with 36 Trustees responsible for paving,
lighting, policing, drainage etc.
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Thomas Cubitt - Master Builder Thomas Cubitt was born in 1788 in Buxton,
near Norwich, to William, a carpenter, and
Agnes Scarlett. Cubitt followed in his father’s
footsteps and trained as a carpenter, after which
he undertook a year long voyage to India as
a ship’s carpenter. Upon his return, at the age
of 21, he made his way to London in order
to seek his fortune and, with his brother, set
up a building business on Grey’s Inn Road
that was able to supply all of the building
trades, as well as the architectural designs for
a house. Along with his brothers, William and
Lewis, the Cubitts took care of land drainage,
sewerage, roads, lighting and gardens, as well
as the construction of the houses and mews.
The Cubitts employed their own tradesmen –
bricklayers, masons, carpenters, plumbers and
painters and decorators – and became well
known for good workmanship and efficiency,
further establishing them as the high quality
builders of the age.
Cubitt’s first big venture was the development
of Bloomsbury for the Duke of Bedford but it
is the work resulting from the 1825 agreement
made with Lord Grosvenor for which he is best
remembered.
One other key feature of Cubitt’s legacy in
Belgravia was his ingenious way of overcoming
the problems with the swampy ground. Firstly,
Cubitt dug up the top layer of clay and used it
to make bricks and, secondly, used earth taken
from the recently excavated St Katherine’s
Dock to level the ground and allow for the
foundations of houses to be built on gravel.
In 1819 Cubitt married Mary Anne Warner
with whom he had 12 children. He was often
referred to as an architect, but insisted on
being called a builder. He became known
as ‘the emperor of the building trade’, but
continued living a modest lifestyle, refusing a
title from Queen Victoria. He was well liked and
respected: “Mr Cubitt has done so much for the
improvement of London, he has ever shown so
much solicitude for the large body of operatives
employed by him, and he is so estimable in
every relation of life ..” (The Builder 1851).
Thomas Cubitt died at Denbies House near
Dorking in 1855, leaving an estate worth £1
million in one of the longest wills on record.
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Belgrave SquareBelgrave Square is the centrepiece of Cubitt’s
development and where the name of ‘Belgravia’
originated. Lord Grosvenor, 1st Marquess of
Westminster, commissioned Thomas Cubitt to
oversee the development of his estate, but in
Belgrave Square the development was handled
by the Haldimand Syndicate. George and
William Haldimand, along with Alexander
Louis Prevost took over much of the building
of the terraces of Belgrave Square with architect
George Basevi. Basevi is remembered as being
Sir John Soane’s finest pupil, as well as the
cousin of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli,
and for his untimely death, falling from
scaffolding at Ely Cathedral in 1845.
The building of the terraces took place from
1825 until 1828, although building in the
square was still ongoing into the 1830s. At
the time of completion, Basevi’s designs were
the largest terraced houses in London: four
storeyed, stuccoed and featuring Corinthian
pillars or pilasters and elaborate stucco
decoration in the course above the attic.
However, while giving the impression of a
grand uniform appearance, the facades are not
identical and there are slight variations in each.
57View of the East Side of Belgrave Square 1827 – Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
Four CornersThe four corners of Belgrave Square were
uniquely laid out for separate large villas.
Three of the plots were leased to tenants who
employed their own architects, although the
fourth villa, in the north east, was abandoned
with the building of Grosvenor Crescent.
However, No.49, on the angle of Grosvenor
Crescent, slightly compensates for the loss. It
was designed by Cubitt for Sidney Herbert,
1st Baron Herbert of Lea, and completed in
the late 1840s. It later became the home of the
Duke of Richmond, and today is the residence
of the Argentine Ambassador.
In the north western corner, No.12 was leased
to Earl Brownlow, who employed Sir Robert
Smirke to design the house. It later became
the home of the Earl of Ancaster and today
is the home of the Portuguese Ambassador.
No.24, in the south western corner, was leased
to a Brighton developer, Thomas Kemp, who
employed H.E. Kendall to design his house.
The house, later known as Downshire House,
was completed in 1834 but Kemp was forced
to let it rather than live in it himself, and in
1837 it became the home of Viscount Hill,
Commander-in-Chief of the British Army.
It has since been altered a number of times
and is now the home of the Spanish Ambassador.
In the south eastern corner, No.37, known as
Seaford House, was leased to the 3rd Earl of
Sefton, who employed Philip Hardwicke to
design his house. It was constructed by Cubitt
and completed in 1846. It later became the
home of Lord de Walden, who renamed it
Sefton House after an ancestor. Today it is
the Royal College of Defence Studies.
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Distinguished residents of Belgrave Square
Since its completion, Belgrave Square has
been a highly sought-after address in London.
Almost immediately, houses were taken by
high-ranking politicians, military men and
aristocrats. In fact, there were so many notable
residents it is difficult to record them all here,
but below is a selection of illustrious names
who have lived in Belgrave Square.
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Charles Grey Little is known of Charles Grey’s early history.
He attended school in Marylebone and Eton,
before attending Cambridge. Grey went on
to have a distinguished political career and
was a member of the Whig Party. As Prime
Minister he oversaw the reformation of the
British government and was among the primary
architects of the 1832 Reform Act. He is perhaps
now better known for his personal life. In 1794
he married Mary Elizabeth, daughter of the
1st Baron Ponsonby, who bore him 11 children.
Grey had a serious of affairs throughout his
lifetime and most famously with Georgiana,
Duchess of Devonshire, with whom he had an
illegitimate daughter, Eliza Courtney. She was
raised by his parents, as his sister.
Kitty StephensKitty Stephens was one of the most famous and
popular singers of her generation. She was born
at 85 Park Street where her talent was spotted
at an early age. She trained under Gesualdo
Lanza for five years before becoming a pupil
of Thomas Welsh. She started her career on
£12 per week and at her pinnacle commanded
£2500 over the winter season. Kitty had a
number of famous suitors, including Lord
Milton and the Duke of Devonshire. At the age
of 34, in 1838, she married the octogenarian 5th
Earl of Essex. He died in 1839, but the countess
lived for a further 43 years and continued to live
on Belgrave Square until her death in 1882.
Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-SaalfeldDuchess of Kent (1786 – 1861)
Born in Coburg in 1786, she married Edward,
Duke of Kent, the 4th son of George III in
1818. Her daughter (Queen) Victoria was
born in 1819 at Kensington Palace and soon
after, the Duke died of pneumonia, leaving
the Duchess in dire straits and in fear that her
daughter would be kidnapped by her royal
relatives. The mother and daughter had a
strained relationship and Victoria was forced
to sleep in her mother’s chamber until her
ascension to the throne. However, the last twenty
years of her life were spent harmoniously at
court and she is buried in a mausoleum at
Windsor Home Park.
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Eaton Terrace 1928-30 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
Twenty-first century Belgrave SquareAlong with many large houses and villas in
central London, the effect of two World Wars,
higher taxes and death duties meant that few
could afford to live in these large houses any
longer. In the late 20th century, many of the
houses were converted for institutional and
commercial use; in particular Belgrave Square
is an extremely popular location for embassies.
In fact, there are said to be over 20 embassies
in this area alone. Belgrave Square is also the
home of many Societies and Associations,
including the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
There are still some residential homes, including
three buildings that were divided into flats, and
the number of buildings being converted back
into houses has increased in recent years – there
are now 10 in addition to the ambassadorial
residences.
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Eaton SquareThe name ‘Eaton’ originates from the
Grosvenors’ country seat, Eaton Hall in
Cheshire. Eaton Square has a slightly unusual
layout, being divided by the King’s Road. The
King’s private road, formerly a small footpath,
was created by Charles II for the sole use of
the King and his family travelling to Hampton
Court Palace. Anyone else wishing to use the
road required a token, which was presented to
the toll booth at the junction with Grosvenor
Place. The entire stretch of the King’s Road,
from Grosvenor Place to Fulham, was opened
to the public in 1830.
Building in Eaton Square began in 1826 but
was not completed until the 1850s. The variation
in architectural detail on some of the homes is
due to the length of time in construction and
the changing tastes in architecture from the
1820s to the 1850s.The three northern terraces
are by Thomas Cubitt and his brother Lewis,
with the earlier sections constructed closest to
St Peter’s Church between 1826 and 1830 in a
simplified late Georgian style, with the exterior
in stock brick and stucco only on the ground
and basement levels. The central terrace is in the
more familiar stucco with a continuous line of
porches with fluted Doric columns. The terrace
took a little longer to complete, with building
starting in 1830 and not finishing until 1847.
The third terrace, also by Cubitt, was different
again and constructed in an Italianate style.
The southern terraces were built by Seth Smith
and George Sutton. Seth started work in 1825,
but in 1840 he passed the development to
Charles James Freake, who is remembered
for his building in South Kensington. He
completed the western section, as well as
several sites in the central block.
St Peter’s Church
On the eastern edge of Eaton Square is
St Peter’s Church, the location for many
fashionable Belgravia weddings. It was
designed by Henry Hakewill and part of the
early development, with Lord Grosvenor laying
the foundation stone in 1824. It was completed
three years later and consecrated by the Bishop
of London in June 1827. However, within a
few years it was devastated by fire and was
completely rebuilt in 1837. It was later enlarged
and remodelled by Sir Arthur Blomfield during
the 1870s. Misfortune struck again in 1988
when St Peter’s was once again almost entirely
destroyed by fire. It was restored by architects
John and Nicki Braithwaite in 1991 with the
original facade retained.
Eaton Terrace 1928-30 – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
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Distinguished residents of Eaton Square
Like Belgrave Square, Eaton Square has been
the home of many distinguished residents. The
first tenant to move in was William Whitbread
of the brewing family, who was followed by
others such as Lord Truro, who was Lord
Chancellor, and Sir George Gray, a devoted
servant and friend of Queen Victoria.
Former British Prime Minister, Neville
Chamberlain, lived at No.37 Eaton Square
from 1923 until 1935; while No.44 was home
to Austrian statesman, Prince Klemens
Metternich, Prince of Metternich-Winneburg-
Beilstein. When Foreign Minister, he was one
of the principal organisers of the Congress of
Vienna at the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
He was forced to resign from the Austrian
government during the revolutions of 1848
and took temporary refuge in London.
Other notable residents have included the
official residence of the Speaker of the House
of Commons during the rebuilding of the
Houses of Parliament; and No.93 was the
home of Stanley Baldwin, later Earl Baldwin
of Bewdley, between 1920-3. Baldwin was three
times Prime Minister and also the cousin of
Rudyard Kipling; No.114 was the home of
Lady Baden-Powell. Eaton Square was also
the home of renowned American philanthropist,
George Peabody, who is remembered for his
social housing across London.
The 20th century brought great change to Eaton
Square, particularly after the two World Wars.
Under the 1939 Defence Regulations, many
houses in Eaton Square were requisitioned by
the government during the war and for some
time afterward. After the end of World War II,
in 1946 and 1947, plans were then put in place
to redevelop the square by converting most of
the houses into flats and maisonettes.
Eaton Square – Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
Vivien Leigh (1913-1967) Leigh was born in Darjeeling and moved to
England in 1920 where she attended school
in Roehampton with fellow actress Maureen
O’Sullivan. In 1932 she married barrister,
Herbert Leigh Holman, with whom she had
a daughter. She was cast in Fire over England
in 1937, where she met and fell in love with
the actor Laurence Olivier and in 1939 she was
cast in her most famous role, Scarlett O’Hara,
for which she won an Oscar, and became an
international star. Leigh and Olivier were
married in 1940, however, by the mid 1950s
Leigh began to suffer the manic episodes which
lead to the breakup of her second marriage.
Although she continued to perform, she was
plagued by ill health and died from tuberculosis
in her flat in 54 Eaton Square in July 1967. That
night the exterior lights of London’s West End
theatres were darkened for an hour.
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Upper Belgrave Street & Belgrave PlaceThe streets off Belgrave Square have been
highly sought-after and were a vital part of
Cubitt’s design for the Grosvenor Estate. Upper
Belgrave Street, first known simply as Belgrave
Street, was laid out by Thomas Cubitt in 1826,
with No.1 Belgrave Street said to have been
the first completed house in Belgravia. People
began to move in during the late 1820s, but
it wasn’t until 1835 that the entire street was
occupied. In 1827, Thomas Cubitt himself
lived at No.12 Belgrave Street and the poet
Alfred Lord Tennyson, lived at No.9 in 1880.
No.13 was the home of George Fitzclarence,
eldest son of the ten children presented to King
William IV by his mistress, the actress, Mrs
Jordan. Fitzclarence became a Lieutenant of
the Tower of London and later became Earl of
Munster in 1831, before committing suicide
in 1842. No.13 later became the home of Lord
Harewood. Belgrave Place was originally known
as Upper Eccleston Street, but was renamed
in 1870. No.3 was the home of Lord Charles
Wellesley and is also believed to have been the
home of the Duke of Wellington.
Eaton Square – Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
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Eaton Place
Ebury Street
Eaton Place was constructed to accompany
nearby Eaton Square and has been
immortalised by the television programme
Upstairs Downstairs, which clearly illustrates
the type of household that would have existed
in Belgravia during the 19th and early 20th
centuries. Building development took place
over a number of years, between 1828 and the
1840s. Thomas Cubitt used a number of the
houses in Eaton Place as his offices throughout
the development of Belgravia. It has also been
the home of scientist, Lord Kelvin, who lived
at No.15. In 1848 the composer Chopin gave
his first musical recital in London at No.99
Eaton Place and in 1922, No.36 was the site
of the assassination of Field-Marshal Sir
Henry Wilson who was shot by two Irishmen
as he was getting out of his car. Eaton Place
continued to be the home of many notable
residents, with many retired military leaders,
aristocracy and politicians.
Ebury Street sits on the southern border of
Belgravia, close to Victoria Station, and was
built across the former Ebury Farm in 1820.
The street has seen many historic characters
walking its pavements, including George III
and his family, who walked along Ebury Street
to the famous Chelsea Bun House. No.180
Ebury Street was the home of Mozart when
he was a child and was where he wrote his first
symphony at the age of eight in 1764. The Irish
writer, George Moore, lived at No.121, where
he wrote Conversations in Ebury Street and
Alfred Lord Tennyson lived at No.42 in 1847.
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Eaton Square – Courtesy of City of Westminster Archives Centre
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Motcomb & Kinnerton StreetsToday, Motcomb Street is a small enclave of
shops in Belgravia. It was originally named
Kinnerton Mews, but the name changed shortly
after completion in 1830. The north side of
Motcomb Street features the stucco front of
the ‘Pantechnicon’, built by Seth Smith to
designs by Joseph Jopling in 1830. It formerly
housed carriage showrooms, shops and extensive
warehousing, with a bazaar in the block opposite.
The supposedly fire-proof warehouse behind
burnt down in 1874 and was replaced by a
shopping arcade and garden.
The Kinnerton Street area was developed from
1824 by Seth Smith and named after a village in
Cheshire on The Grosvenors’ estates. The street
was built as a service road, including coach
houses with accommodation above, artisans’
houses, small businesses and pubs. Today, it
still retains a feeling of a small village. Earl
Mountbatten of Burma, who was assassinated
by the IRA in 1979, maintained a house at No.2
Kinnerton Street from 1968 until his death.
Studio Place, renamed in 1931, was built as
College Place in 1844. It contains Bradbrook
House which, until 1890, was a series of schools
of anatomy. It was then converted into artists’
studios, renamed Kinnerton Studios in 1893
and then Bradbrook House in 1948. During
World War I it was used as a hospital.
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Living in BelgraviaIn the design for Belgravia, landowners did
not want shops to be seen, but rather, along
with pubs, they were banished to the mews and
smaller streets on the outskirts. Cubitt planned
for the area to be exclusively private houses but,
unusually, Seth Smith deliberately created the
Pantechnicon in Motcomb Street, as well as
Halkin Arcade, which is now Waitrose. Still
today, the majority of the pubs in Belgravia are
tucked away in the mews. Through traffic was
also banned from the estate, which was enforced
by bars across Pont Street and the King’s Road,
attended by barkeepers in top-hats, who were
given strict instructions to turn back commercial
vehicles and unauthorised private carriages.
The WiltonsWilton Crescent and Wilton Place were
both built by Seth Smith between 1824 and
1828. The name Wilton originated from Lady
Eleanor Egerton, daughter of the 1st Earl of
Wilton, who married Robert Grosvenor.
Wilton Place was built on the site of an old
cow yard from 1827. St Paul’s Church in
Wilton Place was built in 1840-43 by
Thomas Cundy, junior.
Today, Wilton Row is renowned for the
Grenadier pub, believed to be one of the most
haunted pubs in London and named for its
close association with the former Foot-Guards
Barracks. Wilton Row, built by Thomas Cubitt,
was first known as Wilton Crescent Mews and
completed in the early 1830s.
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Kinnerton Street – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
Chester SquareChester Square is one of the key squares of
Belgravia. It was originally laid out as streets but
in 1828, Joseph Cundy, Seth Smith and another
developer, Watkins, proposed a new layout as
an oblong square. The name ‘Chester’ originates
from the city of Chester, where the Grosvenors’
country seat, Eaton Hall, is located. Building
began in around 1832, but was not completed
until the 1840s. The south east and north east
terraces were built by Thomas Cundy, probably
to the designs of his brother Thomas Cundy II.
The north west side was built by Seth Smith,
with a mixture of plain stucco and more ornate
Italianate designs. The square is dominated by
St Michael’s Church, built by Thomas Cundy
in a decorative gothic style. It was completed in
1846, but altered again in 1874.
Chester Square has also been home to
many illustrious residents including Mary
Wollstonecraft, author of Frankenstein and
wife of poet, Shelley, in No.24. No.26 was the
home of John St Loe Strachey, son of Sir John
Strachey who rose to become a successful
journalist and editor of The Spectator from
1898 to 1925. During World War II, No.77
was the location for the Secretariat of Queen
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and it is also
believed that the spy, Guy Burgess, lived in
the square, staying with a friend.
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St George’s Hospital – Lanesborough HotelOn the corner of Knightsbridge and Hyde
Park Corner is the grand Lanesborough Hotel,
formerly St George’s Hospital, which is on the
site of the former ‘country house’ of James Lane,
Viscount Lanesborough. The original house was
built on the outskirts of London in 1719 when
this area was still countryside. Lanesborough
was most notably responsible for the gilding
of the upper gallery around the dome of St
Paul’s Cathedral, at his own expense. He passed
away in 1724 and by 1733 the house had been
acquired by the governors of the Westminster
Infirmary to convert into a hospital. Over time,
the old house was converted and extended, but
by the 1880s it was clear that a new building
was required.
It was designed by William Wilkins, who was
also responsible for the designs of the National
Gallery in Trafalgar Square. The new hospital,
built in a neo-Greek style with projecting wings
and a large portico of four pillars facing Green
Park, was built in 1827-29. The new building
not only included hospital wards, but also a
chapel, a museum, lecture room and private
apartments. The museum held curiosities such
as a half-sovereign taken from Mr. Brunel’s
windpipe and money and knives taken from
patients’ stomachs.
St George’s Hospital continued at Hyde Park
Corner until 1980, when it relocated to Tooting.
The Grosvenor Estate then bought back the site
and in 1988 it was agreed the hospital would
be converted into a new high class hotel, now
known as the Lanesborough Hotel.
TattersallsBehind St George’s Hospital, today’s
Lanesborough Hotel, was the famous Tattersall’s
horse market, “so renowned through all the
breadth and length of horse-loving, horse-
breeding, horse-racing Europe”. Tattersalls was
the destination point for buying and selling
horses across the country, as well as those for
Europe seeking out the best breeds for the
nobility and gentry and was popularly known
as ‘the corner’. It was founded in 1773 by
Richard Tattersall, former training groom to
the Duke of Kingston. By 1864, Tattersalls had
become completely surrounded by buildings
and streets and it was decided to relocate it
further west to Knightsbridge Green, where the
Tattersall Tavern is the only real reminder of
the former horse auctioneers in Knightsbridge.
Ordnance Survey map showing Belgrave Square and surrounding areas 1869
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Grosvenor Crescent & Grosvenor PlaceGrosvenor Crescent was laid out from 1837
over the corner of Belgrave Square through the
grounds of the old Tattersalls horse auction mart
but was not completed until 1860. The houses
in the northern terrace were completed by Seth
Smith and those on the south were by Cubitt.
Grosvenor Place was one of the earliest parts of
Belgravia to be built on, with the first building
to the south, the Lock Hospital, built in 1746
when much of the surrounding area was covered
in fields. It was originally built as an isolation
hospital, in particular to cure females “suffering
from diseases contracted by a vicious way of life”.
Grosvenor Place was laid out with houses
from 1767, shortly after George III made
Buckingham House a royal residence. The
original 18th century houses were large detached
villas, with a number of notable residents.
However, by the 1860s and after Belgravia had
become the centre of fashionable London, it
was decided to redevelop Grosvenor Place.
Thomas Cundy the younger was responsible for
much of the building between 1865 and 1871
in a 17th century French Renaissance style.
The new houses along Grosvenor Place were
soon taken up by wealthy residents, including
Baron Sir Anthony de Rothschild of the
banking family. No.17, built in 1875 by R.J.
Waller became the Irish Embassy.
Since the turn of the 20th century, many of
the houses along Grosvenor Place have been
converted for commercial or institutional use,
with large sections entirely rebuilt.
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Halkin, Chapel & Wilton StreetsHalkin Street is dominated by Forbes House,
formerly known as Mortimer House, a nine
bay house built with yellow brick and hidden
behind a walled forecourt with trees. The
original part of the house was built in around
1810 by Sir Robert Smirke for the 5th Earl of
Oxford, but it was later extended in 1824 for
the future 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam and again in
around 1912 for the 8th Earl of Granard, who
was responsible for the name of ‘Forbes’. The
Caledonian Club was built in 1913 on the site
of the Belgrave Chapel, which had been built
by Sir Robert Smirke in 1811.
Chapel Street was named after the former
chapel attached to the Lock Hospital, which
was located here. It was first built up in the late
18th century, but only partly completed at the
turn of the 19th century. Most notably, it has
been the former home of Richard Jones, teacher
of elocution, who became known as ‘Gentleman
Jones’. He was a highly sought after teacher for
politicians, preachers and lawyers who needed
assistance with their speech.
Wilton Street was built between 1819 and
1825. No.8 was the home of Henry Gray, who
worked at St George’s Hospital and wrote the
anatomy textbook, Gray’s Anatomy that is
still used by medical students today. The house
was also home to actress and stage performer
Miss Ruth Draper during 1936. Wilton Street
was also the home of former Prime Minister
Edward Heath who moved to No.17 after
losing the 1974 election.
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PimlicoSouth Belgravia
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Pimlico – Millbank
Grosvenor House
Grosvenor House, also known as Peterborough
House, formerly sat to the south of today’s
Horseferry Road, very close to MI5
headquarters, Thames House. The house was
first constructed by Alexander Davies after he
inherited the Manor of Ebury and it was leased
to the Earls of Peterborough by Sir Robert
Grosvenor in the 1730s. In 1735 the 3rd Earl
of Peterborough married his second wife, the
celebrated singer Mrs Anastasia Robinson, in
the house. A short time later, the Grosvenor
family set about rebuilding the house, and it
remained on the bank of the Thames until the
early 19th century when it was demolished to
make way for new streets and houses.
During the 13th century, the southern area of
Pimlico, part of the manor of Eia, was the site
of a moated manor house known as ‘La Neyte’,
home of the Abbot Berking, which formerly
stood near today’s Warwick Place. To the north
was the home of the bailiff, Ebury Farm, near
today’s Chester Square and Ebury Square. After
a severe storm in 1362, La Neyte was rebuilt
by the ‘building Abbot’, Nicholas Littlington.
It was also during this period that the convent
attached to the Abbey of Westminster increased
its income by building additional houses to
create a small community of farmers and
gardeners. Much of the area became market
gardens, providing fruit and vegetables for the
London markets.
The manor house was still recorded in 1614
but by the 1630s, the whole area had begun to
change, with further houses constructed and the
name of the area changing to ‘the Neathouses’.
It became a popular area of entertainment, with
gardens and food and drink and Samuel Pepys
was a regular visitor. However, by the end of the
18th century, the area had become disreputable
and with the increasing urban development and
the building of Victoria Station in the 19th
century, the gardens and entertainments were
swept away.
It was not until the 1840s that the full scale
development of “Mr Cubitt’s District” began.
Cubitt referred to the area as “South Belgravia”,
but it would later be called Pimlico.
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Pimlico Wharf & the Grosvenor CanalIn the 18th century, a large part of the southern
section of the estate was taken up by Pimlico
Wharf, created in 1725 to provide access
from the Thames to the Chelsea Waterworks
Company, which formerly supplied water to
much of London. It was transformed into the
Grosvenor Canal by Thomas Cubitt in 1823.
However, only a few years later in 1852, the
Chelsea Waterworks Company relocated to
Surbiton and Pimlico Wharf was used as the
site for Victoria Railway Station. Today, the
remnants of the canal have been included as
part of a new housing development, Grosvenor
Waterside, and only the old lock gates remain
along the embankment. The old waterworks
pumping station can still be seen along
Grosvenor Road.
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Thomas Cubitt in Pimlico
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Map of the Grosvenor Estate as in 1723 (Drawn by estate surveyor Thomas Cundy 1822) – Courtesy of The Grosvenor Estate
During the early 19th century, Pimlico was
largely industrial. To the east was the Hunter
and Bramah steelworks, near today’s Denbigh
Street, and to the west was Smith’s distillery.
The original road to the distillery was known
as Baker’s Lane, but was later renamed
Distillery Lane, with the northern stretch
becoming Sutherland Street.
By the 1820s things were about to drastically
change in Pimlico. Up until this time, much of
the riverside land was marshy (which was why
it was so good for market gardening), making
it unfit for building. However, its proximity to
Westminster, along with the remodelling of
Buckingham House in 1821 for George IV,
created a new interest in the riverside area.
The development of Belgravia to the north
also changed attitudes to Millbank and Pimlico,
and the renowned builder Thomas Cubitt began
to plant new developments. Cubitt purchased
the remainder of the leases across the stretch
of land south of today’s Lupus Street and also
acquired land on neighbouring estates, enabling
him to plan road layouts that made the most
of the site rather than being limited by estate
boundaries.
Cubitt brought in huge amounts of soil to level
out the ground and balance the wet marshy
soil for building, as he did with neighbouring
Belgravia. Along with building around a quarter
of the houses, Cubitt also monitored the designs
and building of other contractors, including
the 2nd Marquess of Westminster, to create the
uniform appearance that Pimlico is still famous
for today. Cubitt would approve designs, or even
provide them from his own drawing office.
This control over the development also meant
there were often strict covenants on the use of
properties, which still exist.
The immense quantity of new streets and
houses meant that in 1839, Cubitt actually
created a factory and building works on site,
near today’s Dolphin Square. The site had a
joinery and glass works, plaster and steel works,
and facilities for making bricks and cement.
Cubitt also used the latest steam-driven
technology but unfortunately, fire broke out
in 1854 and vast sections of the works were
completely destroyed.
Pimlico is not only famous for the long stucco
terraced houses, but also for the layout of
streets in grids and diagonals, which made the
maximum use of space for building in-between
ancient tracks and rights of way. Cubitt was well
known for his high standards, but he also aimed
to offer the latest in house designs and as early
as the 1820s, even the smaller houses were built
with inside toilets and bathrooms. Building
across Pimlico continued throughout the mid
19th century and by the 1870s, there was very
little open land left. This part of the Grosvenor
Estate, comprising some 66 acres, was sold by
the family in 1952. The funds supported a new
investment in Vancouver, the beginnings of
Grosvenor’s international property business.
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The Grosvenor Estate todayThe extent of the Grosvenor Estate in London
has changed from its original form in the 17th
century, but today it continues to be home to
some of the most sought after addresses in
London. The architectural legacy, along with
the stories of former residents, means that it is
one of the most fascinating parts of London,
and its history is essentially a history of London.
The Grosvenor Estate aims to retain its heritage
while also creating ‘great places to live, work and
visit’. Their recent work on regeneration and
improvements, as well as preservation, means
it is maintaining the quality of the estate as Sir
Richard Grosvenor envisaged 300 years ago.
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Chesterton Humberts: appreciating heritageWith our own history dating back to 1805,
Chesterton Humberts understands the
importance of heritage. We appreciate the extent
to which history can have an effect on an area
and greatly value the history of individual
houses and, as property experts, know that by
understanding the history of a house or area,
we can bring properties to life and better
explain the context that they sit within.
This history of the Grosvenor Estate was researched and compiled by specialist house historian and author of ‘The Secrets Behind Your Front Door’, Melanie Backe-Hansen. Additional support and research was provided by Rebecca Howe of our Westminster & Pimlico branch.
melanie backe-hansen
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