Holles Street runs north from
Oxford Street, on the east side of the John Lewis store.
John Holles, Duke of Newcastle, who bought much of the land of the area. In 1711 that land passed to his daughter Henrietta Cavendish Holles who later married Edward Harley, second Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. This meant that Henrietta Harley held the titles of Countess of Oxford and Countess Mortimer. As a family they were hardly ‘shrinking violets’ because, if you look at the surrounding land, the name of every family member is perpetrated by the streets and squares nearby.
The street was one of those laid out around 1729 when the area north of
Oxford Street was urbanised on a grid pattern.
Once the location of small shops and houses, the street is now almost entirely taken up the John Lewis department store on the western side and the former British Home Stores department store (1962-63) and other commercial units on the east, both of which have their main entrances on
Oxford Street. The John Lewis store was started in 1936 but damaged by bombing during the Second World War and rebuilt in 1958-60.
Barbara Hepworth’s sculpture Winged Figure (1963) is on the Holles Street side of the John Lewis department store.
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence
| CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY |
 
The Underground Map Added: 8 Dec 2020 00:24 GMT |
Othello takes a bow
On 1 November 1604, William Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello was presented for the first time, at The Palace of Whitehall. The palace was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698. Seven years to the day, Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Tempest was also presented for the first time, and also at the Palace of Whitehall.
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Emma Seif Added: 25 Jan 2022 19:06 GMT |
Birth of the Bluestocking Society
In about 1750, Elizabeth Montagu began hosting literary breakfasts in her home at 23 (now 31) Hill Street. These are considered the first meetings of the Bluestocking society.
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Fumblina Added: 21 Feb 2023 11:39 GMT |
Error on 1800 map numbering for John Street
The 1800 map of Whitfield Street (17 zoom) has an error in the numbering shown on the map. The houses are numbered up the right hand side of John Street and Upper John Street to #47 and then are numbered down the left hand side until #81 BUT then continue from 52-61 instead of 82-91.
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TUM Added: 27 Aug 2022 10:22 GMT |
The Underground Map
Michael Faraday successfully demonstrated the first electrical transformer at the Royal Institute, London.
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Reg Carr Added: 10 Feb 2021 12:11 GMT |
Campbellite Meeting
In 1848 the Campbellites (Disciples of Christ) met in Elstree Street, where their congregation was presided over by a pastor named John Black. Their appointed evangelist at the time was called David King, who later became the Editor of the British Millennial Harbinger. The meeting room was visited in July 1848 by Dr John Thomas, who spoke there twice on his two-year ’mission’ to Britain.
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Admin Added: 26 Aug 2022 12:41 GMT |
Baker Street
Baker Street station opened on the Metropolitan Railway - the world’s first underground line.
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www.violettrefusis.com Added: 17 Feb 2021 15:05 GMT |
Birth place
Violet Trefusis, writer, cosmopolitan intellectual and patron of the Arts was born at 2 Wilton Crescent SW1X.
Source: www.violettrefusis.com
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Ray Ashby Added: 14 Aug 2023 17:22 GMT |
Greengrocers in Enford street
Greengrocer under new ownership by Mr Stanley Ashby, married to Mrs Lily Ashby
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Scott Hatton Added: 30 Jan 2023 11:28 GMT |
The Beatles on a London rooftop
The Beatles’ rooftop concert took place on the rooftop of the Apple Corps building in London. It was their final public performance as a band and was unannounced, attracting a crowd of onlookers. The concert lasted for 42 minutes and included nine songs. The concert is remembered as a seminal moment in the history of rock music and remains one of the most famous rock performances of all time.
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Julian Added: 23 Mar 2021 10:11 GMT |
Dennis Potter
Author Dennis Potter lived in Collingwood House in the 1970’s
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Jessie Doring Added: 22 Feb 2021 04:33 GMT |
Tisbury Court Jazz Bar
Jazz Bar opened in Tisbury Court by 2 Australians. Situated in underground basement. Can not remember how long it opened for.
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Justin Russ Added: 15 Feb 2021 20:25 GMT |
Binney Street, W1K
Binney St was previously named Thomas Street before the 1950’s. Before the 1840’s (approx.) it was named Bird St both above and below Oxford St.
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Jude Allen Added: 29 Jul 2021 07:53 GMT |
Bra top
I jave a jewelled item of clothong worn by a revie girl.
It is red with diamante straps. Inside it jas a label Bermans Revue 16 Orange Street but I cannot find any info online about the revue only that 16 Orange Street used to be a theatre. Does any one know about the revue. I would be intesrested to imagine the wearer of the article and her London life.
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BG Added: 20 Dec 2022 02:58 GMT |
Lancing Street, NW1
LANCING STREET
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Linda WEBB Added: 8 Jun 2023 23:16 GMT |
Craven Street, WC2N
James webb lived in Craven Street Westminster. He died in 1758 and his states he was of Craven Street.
FROM England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858 for James Webb PROB 11: Will Registers
1773-1776 Piece 1004: Alexander, Quire Numbers 1-45 (1775)
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| LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT |
Eileen Added: 10 Nov 2023 09:42 GMT |
Brecknock Road Pleating Company
My great grandparents ran the Brecknock Road pleating Company around 1910 to 1920 and my Grandmother worked there as a pleater until she was 16. I should like to know more about this. I know they had a beautiful Victorian house in Islington as I have photos of it & of them in their garden.
Source: Family history
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Added: 6 Nov 2023 16:59 GMT |
061123
Why do Thames Water not collect the 15 . Three meter lengths of blue plastic fencing, and old pipes etc. They left here for the last TWO Years, these cause an obstruction,as they halfway lying in the road,as no footpath down this road, and the cars going and exiting the park are getting damaged, also the public are in Grave Danger when trying to avoid your rubbish and the danger of your fences.
Source: Squirrels Lane. Buckhurst Hill, Essex. IG9. I want some action ,now, not Excuses.MK.
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Christian Added: 31 Oct 2023 10:34 GMT |
Cornwall Road, W11
Photo shows William Richard Hoare’s chemist shop at 121 Cornwall Road.
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Vik Added: 30 Oct 2023 18:48 GMT |
Old pub sign from the Rising Sun
Hi I have no connection to the area except that for the last 30+ years we’ve had an old pub sign hanging on our kitchen wall from the Rising Sun, Stanwell, which I believe was / is on the Oaks Rd. Happy to upload a photo if anyone can tell me how or where to do that!
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Phillip Martin Added: 16 Oct 2023 06:25 GMT |
16 Ashburnham Road
On 15 October 1874 George Frederick Martin was born in 16 Ashburnham Road Greenwich to George Henry Martin, a painter, and Mary Martin, formerly Southern.
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Christine Bithrey Added: 15 Oct 2023 15:20 GMT |
The Hollies (1860 - 1900)
I lived in Holly Park Estate from 1969 I was 8 years old when we moved in until I left to get married, my mother still lives there now 84. I am wondering if there was ever a cemetery within The Hollies? And if so where? Was it near to the Blythwood Road end or much nearer to the old Methodist Church which is still standing although rather old looking. We spent most of our childhood playing along the old dis-used railway that run directly along Blythwood Road and opposite Holly Park Estate - top end which is where we live/ed. We now walk my mothers dog there twice a day. An elderly gentleman once told me when I was a child that there used to be a cemetery but I am not sure if he was trying to scare us children! I only thought about this recently when walking past the old Methodist Church and seeing the flag stone in the side of the wall with the inscription of when it was built late 1880
If anyone has any answers please email me [email protected]
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Chris hutchison Added: 15 Oct 2023 03:04 GMT |
35 broadhurst gardens.
35 Broadhurst gardens was owned by famous opera singer Mr Herman “Simmy”Simberg. He had transformed it into a film and recording complex.
There was a film and animation studio on the ground floor. The recording facilities were on the next two floors.
I arrived in London from Australia in 1966 and worked in the studio as the tea boy and trainee recording engineer from Christmas 1966 for one year. The facility was leased by an American advertising company called Moreno Films. Mr Simbergs company Vox Humana used the studio for their own projects as well. I worked for both of them. I was so lucky. The manager was another wonderful gentleman called Jack Price who went on to create numerous songs for many famous singers of the day and also assisted the careers of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. “Simmy” let me live in the bedsit,upper right hand window. Jack was also busy with projects with The Troggs,Bill Wyman,Peter Frampton. We did some great sessions with Manfred Mann and Alan Price. The Cream did some demos but that was before my time. We did lots of voice over work. Warren Mitchell and Ronnie Corbett were favourites. I went back in 1978 and “Simmy “ had removed all of the studio and it was now his home. His lounge room was still our studio in my minds eye!!
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Sue L Added: 13 Oct 2023 17:21 GMT |
Duffield Street, Battersea
I’ve been looking for ages for a photo of Duffield Street without any luck.
My mother and grandfather lived there during the war. It was the first property he was able to buy but sadly after only a few months they were bombed out. My mother told the story that one night they were aware of a train stopping above them in the embankment. It was full of soldiers who threw out cigarettes and sweets at about four in the morning. They were returning from Dunkirk though of course my mother had no idea at the time. I have heard the same story from a different source too.
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All Souls Church All Souls Church is an evangelical Anglican church situated at the north end of Regent Street. Hanover Square Rooms The Hanover Square Rooms (also called the Queen’s Concert Rooms) were assembly rooms principally for musical performances. The Champion The Champion in Fitzrovia is a fine Grade II listed pub with Victorian-style fittings. All Souls Place, W1B All Souls Place is a short cul-de-sac in the shadow of All Souls Church, originating in the eighteenth century as a mews off Edward Street. Argyll Street, W1F Argyll Street was named after John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, owner of the land in the 18th century. Avery Row, W1K Avery Row was probably named after Henry Avery, an 18th century bricklayer who built this street over the Tyburn Brook. Balderton Street, W1K Balderton Street was named after local landowners the Grosvenors, who also owned land in Balderton, Cheshire Beak Street, W1B Beak Street runs roughly east-west between Regent Street and Lexington Street. Beak Street, W1F Beak Street is named after Thomas Beake, one of the Queen’s messengers. Berners Mews, W1T Berners Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1T postal area. Bird Street, W1U Bird Street is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. Boyle Street, W1S Boyle Street was built on a piece of land called the Ten Acres to discharge some Boyle family debts. Bridle Lane, W1F Bridle Lane is one of the streets of London in the W1F postal area. Brook Street, W1K Brook Street was named after the Tyburn Brook that formerly ran nearby, Brooks Mews, W1K Brooks Mews is a small road on the Grosvenor Estate, laid out in the 1720s. Bulstrode Street, W1U Bulstrode Street runs from Welbeck Street in the east to Thayer Street in the west. Bywell Place, W1W Bywell Place is one of the streets of London in the W1T postal area. Cavendish Square, W1G Cavendish Square was laid out in 1717–18 at the beginning of the transformation of Harley family lands in Marylebone. Davies Mews, W1K Davies Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1K postal area. Davis Street, W1K Davis Street is one of the streets of London in the W1K postal area. Duchess Mews, W1B Duchess Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1G postal area. Duchess Street, W1W Duchess Street runs from Mansfield Street to Hallam Street, across Portland Place. Duke Street, W1K Duke Street is one of the streets of London in the W1K postal area. Duke Street, W1U Duke Street is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. Dukes Mews, W1U Dukes Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. Eastcastle Street, W1T The portion of Eastcastle Street to the east of Wells Street originally belonged to the Berners Estate. Foubert’s Place, W1B Foubert’s Place is named after a Frenchman who had a riding school here in the reign of Charles II. Goodge Street, W1T Goodge Street was named after John Goodge a carpenter who along with his two nephews developed Crab Tree Fields to form Goodge Street in 1740. Hanover Square, W1S Hanover Square was created as the ’Whig’ square with Cavendish Square being the ’Tory’ square. Harley Place, W1G Harley Place is one of the streets of London in the W1G postal area. Hills Place, W1F Hills Place is one of the streets of London in the W1F postal area. Hinde Mews, W1U Hinde Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. Hinde Street, W1U Hinde Street was built from 1777 by Samuel Adams and named after Jacob Hinde who was the son-in-law of the landwoner Thomas Thayer. Holmes Place, W1U Holmes Place is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. James Street, W1U James Street is one of the streets of London in the W1U postal area. Kingly Court, W1B Kingly Court is one of the streets of London in the W1B postal area. Linen Hall, W1B Linen Hall is one of the streets of London in the W1B postal area. Market Place, W1W Market Place is one of the streets of London in the W1W postal area. Mill Street, W1S Mill Street is one of the streets of London in the W1S postal area. New Bond Street, W1J New Bond Street is the northernmost section of what is simply known as ’Bond Street’ in general use. Newburg Road, W1F Newburg Road is one of the streets of London in the W1F postal area. Palladium House, W1B Palladium House is a grade II listed (in 1981) Art Deco office building located on the corner of Great Marlborough Street and Argyll Street. Ramillies Place, W1D Ramillies Place is a short street situated off the southern side of Oxford Street. Ramillies Street, W1D Ramillies Street, which was previously known as Blenheim Street before 1885, was situated at a lower level than Oxford Street. Regent Place, W1B Regent Place is one of the streets of London in the W1B postal area. Regent Street, W1B Regent Street dates from the 1810s and was named after the Prince Regent, later George IV. Riding House Street, W1W Riding House Street commemorates a riding house and barracks of the First Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards. Sedley Place, W1S Sedley Place is one of the streets of London in the W1C postal area. Union Street, W1W The easternmost section of Riding House Street was previously known as Union Street. Vere Street, W1G Vere Street is one of the streets of London in the W1G postal area. Welbeck Street, W1G Welbeck Street has historically been associated with the medical profession. Welbeck Way, W1G Welbeck Way is one of the streets of London in the W1G postal area. Wells Mews, W1W Wells Mews is one of the streets of London in the W1T postal area. Coach And Horses The Coach and Horses pub has been on Great Marlborough Street since the mid-18th century. Cock Tavern The Cock Tavern is on Great Portland Street. Graphic Bar This bar used to be known as the Midas Touch. The Champion The Champion in Fitzrovia is a fine Grade II listed pub with Victorian-style fittings.
Oxford Circus, designed by John Nash in 1811.Oxford Circus, the busy intersection of
Oxford Street and
Regent Street, was constructed in the beginning of the 19th century, and was designed by John Nash.
Regent Street had been commissioned by Prince Regent, who was later to become King George IV, as a grand scheme to connect the Princes home at Carlton House with his newly acquired property at Regents Park. Nash designed a wide boulevard with a sweeping curve that became a clear dividing line between the less respectable Soho and the fashionable squares and streets of Mayfair. Born from the concept of Nash’s layout of the New Street in 1812, frontage alignments remain, with the rebuilt listed architecture of 1920s buildings.
The surrounding area contains important elements of the Nash heritage. All frontages on the Circus are Grade II Listed. The entire of
Regent Street is also listed and sits within a conservation area.
The circus is served by
Oxford Circus tube station, which is directly beneath the junction itself.
Oxford Circus station has entrances on all four corners of the intersection. The station is an interchange between the Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines. It is the fourth busiest station on the network and the busiest without connection to the National Rail service. It opened on the Central London Railway on 30 July 1900, with the Baker Street and Waterloo Railway’s platforms opening on 10 March 1906. The two companies had separate surface buildings and lift shafts. The station buildings, which remain today as exits from the station, were constructed on very confined plots on either side of
Argyll Street on the south side of
Oxford Street, just to the east of the circus itself. The stations were originally built as entirely separate, but connecting passages were swiftly provided at platform level. The surviving Central London Railway building to the east of
Argyll Street is the best surviving example of the stations designed by Harry Bell Measures, and the Bakerloo line building to the west is a classic Leslie Green structure. Both station buildings are Grade II listed.
Almost from the outset, overcrowding has been a constant problem at the station and it has seen numerous improvements to its facilities and below-ground arrangements to deal with this difficulty. After much discussion between the then two separate operators, a major reconstruction began in 1912. This saw a new ticket hall, dealing with both lines, built in the basement of the Bakerloo station, the Bakerloo lifts removed, and new deep-level escalators opened down to the Bakerloo line level. Access to the Central line was by way of existing deep-level subways. The new works came into use on 9 May 1914 with the CLR lifts still available for passengers. By 1923 even this rearrangement was unable to cope, so a second rebuilding commenced. This saw a second set of escalators built directly down to the Central line, the CLR station building becoming an exit only. Then, on 2 October 1928, a third escalator leading to the Bakerloo platforms was opened. Unusually, lifts came back into prominence at an Underground station when, in 1942, a set of high-speed lifts came into use, largely used as an exit route from the Central line platforms directly to the
Argyll Street exit building.
The Victoria line opened on 7 March 1969. To handle the additional passenger loads, a new ticket hall was constructed directly under the road junction. To excavate the new ticket hall below the roadway, traffic was diverted for five years (August 1963 to Easter 1968) on to a temporary bridge-like structure known as the ’umbrella’ covering the
Regent Street/
Oxford Street intersection. Services tunnels were constructed to carry water mains and telecom cables past the new ticket hall. Construction of the Victoria line station tunnels with their platforms, the new escalator shafts and the linking passages to the Central line platforms was carried out from access shafts sunk from nearby
Cavendish Square, Upper
Regent Street and
Argyll Street. To this day, traffic passing through the
Oxford Circus intersection literally travels over the roof of the ticket office.
