94-546: Great Marlborough Street is a thoroughfare in Soho , Central London. It runs east of Regent Street past Carnaby Street towards Noel Street. Originally part of the Millfield estate south of Tyburn Road (now Oxford Street ), the street was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough , and was laid out around 1704. It was a fashionable address in the 18th century, but its character changed to commercial and retail use by
188-419: A Mock Tudor facade. The road is about 0.2 miles (0.32 km) long. At its western end it joins Regent Street and runs east, crossing Kingly Street , Argyll Street , Carnaby Street , and Poland Street. At its eastern end, it becomes Noel Street. The nearest tube station is Oxford Circus to the northwest. No buses run along Great Marlborough Street but there are numerous services on Regent Street. In
282-490: A "nude entertainment" venue until 1981. The upstairs became known as the Boulevard Theatre and in 1980 was adopted as a comedy club called " The Comic Strip " by a small group of alternative comedians including Rik Mayall , Dawn French , Jennifer Saunders , Alexei Sayle and Adrian Edmondson , before they found wider recognition with the series The Comic Strip Presents on Channel 4 . The name and control of
376-531: A bazaar in the mid-19th century before being demolished in 1937. The site is now the main Oxford Street branch of Marks and Spencer which has a side entrance onto Great Marlborough Street. A number of pubs have been based on Great Marlborough Street for centuries. The Coach and Horses at No. 1 and the Marlborough Head at Nos. 37–38 were both established in the 1730s. However, most of
470-572: A drugs raid. The Harmony Inn was a hang-out for musicians on Archer Street operating during the 1940s and 1950s. The Ken Colyer Band's 51 Club, a venue for traditional jazz , opened on Great Newport Street in 1951. Blues guitarist and harmonica player Cyril Davies and guitarist Bob Watson launched the London Skiffle Centre, London's first skiffle club, on the first floor of the Roundhouse pub on Wardour Street in 1952. It
564-470: A façade of terracotta and coloured brick designed by Aston Webb . A significant event in the history of epidemiology and public health was John Snow 's study of an 1854 outbreak of cholera in Soho. He identified the cause of the outbreak as water from the public pump at the junction of Broad Street (now Broadwick Street ) and Cambridge Street (now Lexington Street), close to the rear wall of what
658-530: A letter written by the Duchess of Marlborough in December 1737, Mary was made a cornet by her father "in his regiment as soon as she was born … and she was paid many years after she was a maid of honour. She was extreme forward and pert, and my Lord Sunderland got her a pension of the late king George I , it being too ridiculous to continue her any longer an officer in the army." At court, Mary Lepell divided
752-523: A secret. Lady Mary Wortley Montagu records, in a letter written to the Countess of Mar, in July 1721, "the ardent affection" shown to her by Mrs Hervey and "her dear spouse". They had eight children: In spite of her husband's infidelity, she lived with him on very amicable terms, and was an admirable mother to a large family of troublesome children, who inherited those peculiar qualities which gave rise to
846-526: A small area around Berwick Street. Much of the business has been reported to have been run by Albanian gangs. By the end of 2014, gentrification and competition from the internet had reduced the number of flats in Soho used for prostitution (see Soho walk-up ), but the area remains a red-light district and a centre of the sex industry in London. The National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart and Paralysis
940-516: A small mosque on Berwick Street. The French Protestant Church of London , the only one of its kind in the city and constructed in the Flemish Gothic style, has been at Nos. 8–9 Soho Square since 1893. The music scene in Soho can be traced back to 1948 and Club Eleven , generally regarded as the first venue where modern jazz, or bebop , was performed in the UK. It closed in 1950 following
1034-424: A time, Thomas Onslow, 2nd Baron Onslow owned No. 11 while Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough at No. 12. For a time in the 18th century, the street was the main London residence of Lord Nelson . No. 13 was formed of two separate houses, both leased by John Richmond in 1710 and subsequently joined as a single property. It was bought by Lord Charles Cavendish in 1740 and later occupied by his son,
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#17327761572241128-432: Is about 1 square mile (2.6 km ) in area, and is usually considered to be bounded by Shaftesbury Avenue to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Charing Cross Road to the east. Apart from Oxford Street, all of these roads are 19th-century metropolitan improvements. The area to the west is known as Mayfair , to the north Fitzrovia , to the east St Giles and Covent Garden , and to
1222-519: Is an area of the City of Westminster in the West End of London . Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century. The area was developed from farmland by Henry VIII in 1536, when it became a royal park. It became a parish in its own right in the late 17th century, when buildings started to be developed for
1316-790: Is as a result of the square being named after Marlborough Street Magistrates Court; the other two orange property squares on the board are Bow Street (named after the Bow Street Runners ) and Vine Street (named after the Vine Street Police Station), completing a set based around police and law. Marlboro Cigarettes were given its name due to the first shop opening on the Great Marlborough Street. Citations Sources 51°30′52″N 0°08′19″W / 51.51447°N 0.13861°W / 51.51447; -0.13861 Soho Soho
1410-649: Is centred on Old Compton Street in Soho. Soho's reputation as a major entertainment district of London stems from theatres such as the Windmill Theatre on Great Windmill Street and the Raymond Revuebar owned by entrepreneur Paul Raymond , and music clubs such as the 2i's Coffee Bar and the Marquee Club . Trident Studios was based in Soho, and the nearby Denmark Street has hosted numerous music publishing houses and instrument shops from
1504-587: Is now Great Marlborough Street to John Steele. The land remained undeveloped, with building focusing on Tyburn Road (now Oxford Street ) to the north. The street began to be developed in the early 18th century, when Steele let five acres of land to Joseph Collens for property development. It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough , commander of the English Army who won the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, shortly before construction started. Initially
1598-404: Is on the corner of Great Marlborough Street and Regent Street. The founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty , was unable to expand or modernise the existing shop front due to Crown planning restrictions, so he bought numerous properties on Great Marlborough Street in 1925, and rebuilt them in a Mock Tudor design as an extension of the store. It was Grade II* listed in 1972. Palladium House was built on
1692-463: Is one of the few 18th century buildings to survive, significant alterations have taken place, including being extended to cover four storeys. Since the college relocated, the building has been occupied by the London College of Beauty Therapy , the largest publicly funded college of its kind. The street inspired the name of Philip Morris 's Marlboro cigarettes. The original factory opened on
1786-662: Is still in operation, but The Bridge was sold to Miloco Studios in 2009, and relocated to the Orinoco Studios Complex at 36 Leroy Street in Greater London. White Lightning also opened a third studio at 16 Dufours Place, named Space Facilities, in late 1995, but it closed in the same year The Bridge was sold. Twentieth Century House in Soho Square was built in 1937 for Twentieth Century Fox . The British Board of Film Classification , formerly known as
1880-577: Is today the John Snow public house . Snow mapped the addresses of the sick and noted that they were mostly people whose nearest access to water was the Broad Street pump. He persuaded the authorities to remove the handle of the pump, thus preventing any more of the infected water from being collected. The spring below the pump was later found to have been contaminated with sewage. This is an early example of epidemiology, public health medicine and
1974-669: The Countess of Suffolk are in the two volumes of Lady Suffolk's Letters , 1824. Two portraits of Lady Hervey are in the possession of the National Trust at Ickworth. Another, formerly belonging to the Strawberry Hill collection , painted by Allan Ramsay , was lent by Lord Lifford to the Exhibition of National Portraits at South Kensington in 1867. An engraving from a miniature, also formerly at Strawberry Hill,
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#17327761572242068-568: The Courthouse Hotel . The European Headquarters of Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) is at No. 10 Great Marlborough Street. London Studio and Guerrilla Games also have London offices at this address. Creative consultants Collective UK, now a subdivision of Time Inc. , have offices on Great Marlborough Street. Great Marlborough Street is shown on the British Monopoly board as "Marlborough Street". This
2162-541: The New Romantic movement in the early 1980s, originally met at Billy's. The club changed its name to Gossip's and became part of London's clubland heritage by spawning several weekly club-nights that influenced British music and fashion during the 1980s. Gerrard Street is the centre of London's Chinatown , and along with Lisle Street and Little Newport Street, house a mix of import companies, oriental food shops and restaurants. Street festivals are held throughout
2256-744: The Street Offences Act 1959 drove prostitution off the streets, many clubs such as the Blue Lagoon at No. 50 Carnaby Street became fronts for it. Gangs controlled the clubs and the prostitutes, and the police were bribed. In 1960 London's first sex cinema, the Compton Cinema Club (a members-only club to get around the law), opened at 56 Old Compton Street. It was owned by Michael Klinger and Tony Tenser who later produced two early Roman Polanski films, including Repulsion (1965). As post-war austerity relaxed into
2350-458: The "swinging '60s", clip joints also surfaced; these unlicensed establishments sold coloured water as champagne with the promise of sex to follow, thus fleecing tourists looking for a "good time". Harrison Marks , a "glamour photographer" and girlie magazine publisher, had a photographic gallery on Gerrard Street and published several magazines in the 1950s and '60s. The model Pamela Green prompted him to take up nude photography, and she remained
2444-421: The 1660s, ownership of Soho Fields passed to Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans , who leased 19 out of the 22 acres (89,000 m ) of land to Joseph Girle. He was granted permission to develop property and quickly passed the lease and development to bricklayer Richard Frith. Much of the land was granted freehold in 1698 by William III to William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland , while the southern part of Soho
2538-466: The 16th century, what is now Great Marlborough Street was land belonging to the Mercer's Company. It was surrendered to Henry VIII in 1536. The land was subsequently owned by local brewer Thomas Wilson. His son, Richard, inherited this in 1622 who sold it to William Maddox, who called the estate Millfield. In 1670, Maddox's son, Benjamin, let the land to James Kendrick for 72 years, who in turn sub-let what
2632-443: The 17th century. The name is derived from a former hunting cry. James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth , used "soho" as a rallying call for his men at the Battle of Sedgemoor on 6 July 1685, half a century after the name was first used for this area of London. The Soho name has been reused by other entertainment and restaurant districts such as SoHo, Hong Kong , which derives its name from being located south of Hollywood Road , and
2726-464: The 18th century buildings on Great Marlborough Street were later demolished, which led to the decline of its reputation as a fashionable street. During the 19th century, various professionals such as architects and scientists were living in Great Marlborough Street. Thomas Hardwick lived here between 1815 and 1825, as did Charles Darwin between 1837 and 1838. A police station was established at No. 21 Great Marlborough Street in 1793. This led to
2820-469: The 18th century. It initially opened as the Palais de Luxe in 1910 as a small cinema, but was unable to compete with larger venues and was converted into a theatre by Howard Jones. It re-opened in December 1931, but was still unsuccessful. In 1932, the general manager Vivian Van Damm introduced a non-stop variety show throughout the afternoon and evening. It was famous for its nude tableaux vivants , in which
2914-402: The 20th century Soho had a reputation as a base for the sex industry in addition to its night life and its location for the headquarters of leading film companies. Since the 1980s, the area has undergone considerable gentrification . It is now predominantly a fashionable district of upmarket restaurants and media offices, with only a small remnant of sex industry venues. London's gay community
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3008-616: The 20th century onwards. The independent British film industry is centred around Soho, including the British headquarters of Twentieth Century Fox and the British Board of Film Classification offices. The area has been popular for restaurants since the 19th century, including the long-standing Kettner's which was visited by numerous celebrities. Near to Soho is London's Chinatown , centred on Gerrard Street and containing several restaurants and shops. The name "Soho" first appears in
3102-538: The 21st century, it had acquired around 400 flats. St Anne's Church in Dean Street was refurbished after decades of neglect, and a Museum of Soho was established. On 30 April 1999, the Admiral Duncan pub on Old Compton Street, which serves the gay community, was damaged by a nail bomb that left three dead and 30 injured. The bomb was the third that had been planted by David Copeland , a neo-Nazi who
3196-497: The 21st century. Though the Earls of Leicester and Portland had intended Soho to be an upper-class estate comparable to Bloomsbury , Marylebone and Mayfair , it never developed as such. Immigrants began to settle in the area from around 1680 onwards, particularly French Huguenots after 1688. The area became known as London's French quarter. The French church in Soho Square was founded by Huguenots and opened on 25 March 1893, with
3290-462: The 3rd and 4th of February 2020. All road junctions connecting to the streets closed during retrieval of the bomb fragments as well. Soho is near the heart of London's theatre area . It is home to the Soho Theatre , built in 2000 to present new plays and comedy. The Windmill Theatre was based on Great Windmill Street, and was named after a windmill at this location that was demolished in
3384-555: The Baptist was built on the site of the former Nos. 49–50 in 1885, and was consecrated on 23 November. The building cost £5,100 (now £695,826) and catered for services in the local parish that had previously been held in rooms or temporary buildings. The church covered a district between Oxford Street, Poland Street, Brewer Street, Bridle Lane, Carnaby Market and Argyll Street. The London College of Music were based at No. 47 Great Marlborough Street from 1896 to 1990. Although it
3478-508: The British Board of Film Censors, has been based in Soho Square since 1950. Soho's key fibre communications network has been managed by Sohonet since 1995, which connects the Soho media and post-production community to British film studios such as Pinewood and Shepperton , along with other locations worldwide include HBO and Warner Brothers . In the 2010s, research commissioned by Westminster City Council showed 23 per cent of
3572-770: The Hon David Tennant as a place where writers, artists and musicians could mingle with the upper crust and eat and drink at affordable prices for the next three decades. In May 1979 the Gargoyle's uppermost room started hosting a weekly club-night on Saturdays called the Comedy Store , which made the reputations of many of the UK's upcoming " alternative comedians ". Among the original lineup here were Alexei Sayle , Rik Mayall and Adrian Edmondson who broke away in 1980 to establish The Comic Strip team at Raymond's Revue Bar, before they found wider recognition with
3666-589: The House of Commons lives in No. 41 (now No. 46) from 1747 to 1752. The first floor of the property was later occupied by the painter Benjamin Haydon from 1808 to 1817; Gilbert Stuart Newton is believed to have taken over his lodgings. The French instrument builder Sébastien Érard moved into No. 18 in 1794. He stayed there until his death in 1831, after which his nephew, Pierre Erard took ownership of it and
3760-524: The Sheffields, and recorded their first four albums and filmed the video for Bohemian Rhapsody at Trident. Other artists who recorded at Trident include David Bowie , Elton John , Free and Thin Lizzy . It closed as a general-purpose recording studio in 1981, but has since reopened in various guises, including providing sound and mixing services for television. Although technically not part of Soho,
3854-464: The Soho Society and new and tighter licensing controls by the City of Westminster led to a crackdown on illegal premises. The number of sex industry premises dropped from 185 in 1982 to around 30 in 1991. By 2000, substantial relaxation of general censorship , the ready availability of non-commercial sex, and the licensing or closing of unlicensed sex shops had reduced the red-light area to just
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3948-481: The Windmill. It closed on 31 October 1964 and was again turned into a cinema. The Raymond Revuebar at No. 11 Walker's Court was a small theatre specialising in striptease and nude dancing. It was owned by Paul Raymond and opened in 1958. The facade supported a brightly lit sign declaring it to be the "World Centre of Erotic Entertainment". Raymond subsequently bought the lease of the Windmill and ran it as
4042-571: The adjacent Denmark Street is known for its connections with British popular music , and is nicknamed the British Tin Pan Alley due to its large concentration of shops selling musical instruments. The Sex Pistols lived beneath No. 6 and recorded their first demos there. Jimi Hendrix , the Rolling Stones and David Bowie have all recorded at studios on Denmark Street and Elton John wrote his hit " Your Song " in
4136-411: The adjoining No. 18, and rebuilt the two properties to have a uniform facade. The Pantheon was based at the far eastern end of Great Marlborough Street. It was built on what had previously been gardens in 1772, becoming a popular place of entertainment during the late 18th century. The building burned down in 1792 and was rebuilt; it ceased to be an entertainment venue in 1818. It was later used as
4230-412: The application of science—the germ theory of disease —in a real-life crisis. Science writer Steven Johnson has written about the changes related to the cholera outbreak, and notes that almost every building on the street that existed in 1854 has since been replaced. A replica of the pump, with a memorial plaque and without a handle (to signify Snow's action to halt the outbreak) was erected in 1992 near
4324-539: The centre of the fledgling rock scene in London. Clubs included the Flamingo Club , a regular gig for Georgie Fame , Ronan O'Rahilly 's The Scene , which opened in 1963 and catered for the Mod movement with regular attendees including Steve Marriot and Andrew Loog Oldham , and jazz clubs like Ronnie Scott's , which opened in 1959 at 39 Gerrard Street and moved to 47 Frith Street in 1965. Soho's Wardour Street
4418-480: The corner of Great Marlborough Street and Argyll Street in 1928 by Raymond Hood and Gordon Jeeves. It featured an Art Deco design inspired by the Paris Exhibition of 1925 and was extended in 1935. It is now a Grade II listed building. The magistrates court continued to cover significant trials that were widely reported by the media. In 1963, Christine Keeler was tried here for attempting to obstruct
4512-490: The course of justice . In the late 1960s, a number of rock stars, including the Rolling Stones ' Mick Jagger , Keith Richards and Brian Jones , stood trial on drugs offences at the magistrates court. Richards was tried here again in 1973 for possession of heroin and owning unlicensed firearms, but was only fined £205 (now £3,131). John Lennon and Yoko Ono were tried for obscenity here in 1970. The building became Grade II listed in 1970. The courts closed in 1998, and are now
4606-423: The creative force in their business. By the 1970s, the sex shops had grown from the handful opened by Carl Slack in the early 1960s. From 1976 to 1982, Soho had 54 sex shops, 39 sex cinemas and cinema clubs, 16 strip and peep shows, 11 sex-oriented clubs and 12 licensed massage parlours. The proliferation of sex shops dissuaded some people from visiting Soho. The growth of the sex industry in Soho during this time
4700-559: The cultural and commercial area of Soho in Málaga , Spain. The New York City neighbourhood of SoHo, Manhattan , gets its name from its location south of Houston Street , but is also a reference to London's Soho. The Pittsburgh neighbourhood of Uptown was also formerly called Soho, most likely having been named by its founder James Tustin after the London district, though it may refer to Soho, West Midlands . Soho has never been an administrative unit with formally defined boundaries; it
4794-457: The culture of Soho through our vibrant and diverse content". There is no playlist policy, and presenters are allowed to play any music they like. In 2016, it was voted the world's best radio station at Mixcloud 's Online Radio Awards. Soho is home to numerous religious and spiritual groups. St Anne's Church on Wardour Street was built between 1677 and 1686, possibly to the design of Sir Christopher Wren or William Talman . An additional tower
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#17327761572244888-399: The end of the 19th. Most of the street's original buildings have since been demolished. Great Marlborough Street has had an association with the law since the late-18th century; Marlborough Street Magistrates Court subsequently became one of the most important magistrates courts in London. The department store Liberty is on the corner of Great Marlborough Street with Regent Street and sports
4982-525: The ensuing neglect by rich and fashionable London, and the lack of the redevelopment that characterised the neighbouring areas. The aristocracy had mostly disappeared from Soho by the 19th century, to be replaced by prostitutes , music halls and small theatres. The population increased significantly, reaching 327 inhabitants per acre by 1851, making the area one of the most densely populated areas of London. Houses became divided into tenements with chronic overcrowding and disease. The 1854 cholera outbreak caused
5076-651: The establishment of Marlborough Street Magistrates Court at No. 20–21 in the early 19th century, which had become one of the most important magistrates courts in England by the end of the century. William Ewart Gladstone gave evidence in the court against a blackmailer who claimed Gladstone had frequented prostitutes in Leicester Square , while the Marquess of Queensbury 's libel trial against Oscar Wilde took place here in 1895. The Church of St John
5170-535: The following year obtained an act of naturalisation . On 3 April 1705, he received a Commission to raise a new regiment of foot, and on 1 January 1710 was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general, before being appointed Supreme Commander of the British Forces in Spain, which position he held until 1712. In 1715, through family connections, she was appointed a maid of honour to Queen Caroline . According to
5264-470: The greatest respect and admiration. Her good sense and good nature won for her the esteem of the ladies as well as the flatteries of the wits. Her marriage with John Hervey , afterwards 2nd Baron Hervey of Ickworth, was announced to have taken place on 25 October 1720. It must, however, have occurred several months earlier (21 April 1720), as in a letter preserved at Ickworth, and dated 20 May 1720, Lord Bristol congratulates her on her marriage, which he calls
5358-518: The honours for wit and beauty with her friend Mary Bellenden, subsequently the wife of Colonel John Campbell , who became the fourth Duke of Argyll . Pope and Gay sang her praises. William Pulteney, first Earl of Bath , and Philip Dormer Stanhope, fourth Earl of Chesterfield wrote a joint ballad in her honour to the tune of " Molly Mogg ". Even Horace Walpole , who became a correspondent of hers later in life, and in 1762 dedicated to her his Anecdotes of Painting in England , always spoke of her with
5452-465: The location of the original. By the mid-18th century, the aristocrats who had been living in Soho Square or Gerrard Street had moved away, as more fashionable areas such as Mayfair became available. The historian and topographer William Maitland wrote that the parish "so greatly abound with French that is an easy Matter for a Stranger to imagine himself in France." Soho's character stems partly from
5546-796: The master of Burton St Lazar Hospital in Leicestershire , who managed a leper hospital in St Giles in the Fields . In 1536, the land was taken by Henry VIII as a royal park for the Palace of Whitehall . The area south of what is now Shaftesbury Avenue did not stay in the Crown possession for long; Queen Mary sold around 7 acres (2.8 ha) in 1554, and most of the remainder was sold between 1590 and 1623. A small 2-acre (0.81 ha) section of land remained, until sold by Charles II in 1676. In
5640-482: The models had to remain motionless to avoid the censorship laws then in place. The theatre claimed that, aside from a compulsory closure between 4 and 16 September 1939, it was the only theatre in London which did not close during the Second World War; this led it to use the slogan "We never closed". Several prominent comedians including Harry Secombe , Jimmy Edwards and Tony Hancock began their careers at
5734-596: The most admiring terms of her good breeding, and says that she knows more than is necessary for any woman, "for she understands Latin perfectly well, though she wisely conceals it". She died on 2 September 1768, aged 68, and was buried at Ickworth , Suffolk. The epitaph on her tombstone was written by Horace Walpole. Lady Hervey was a lively and intelligent letter writer . Her letters to the Rev. Edmund Morris, formerly tutor to her sons, written between 1742 and 1768, were published in 1821. Several earlier letters of hers written to
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#17327761572245828-540: The neighbouring No. 16. Sir Lambert Blackwell, 1st Baronet bought No. 16 in September 1709 and stayed there until his death in 1727. His son, Sir Charles Blackwell, 2nd Baronet subsequently lived in the house until he died in 1741. Mary Lepell , maid of honour to Caroline, Princess of Wales (and future wife of John Hervey, 2nd Baron Hervey ) lived in part of a house which is now part of No. 34 from around 1716–1724. Sir John Cust, 3rd Baronet , Speaker of
5922-431: The other by Eddie Manning, controlled drugs and prostitution in Soho. Both were eventually arrested and imprisoned; Manning died midway through a three-year sentence in 1933. Following World War II, gangs set up rings of prostitutes in the area, concentrated around Brewer Street and Rupert Street. Photographers also visited Soho in the hope of being able to blackmail people caught in the act of visiting prostitutes. When
6016-415: The remaining upper-class families to leave the area. Numerous hospitals were built to cope with the health problem; six were constructed between 1851 and 1874. Businesses catering to household essentials were established at the same time. The restaurant trade in Soho improved dramatically in the early 20th century. The construction of new theatres along Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road improved
6110-409: The reputation of the area, and a meal for theatre-goers became common. Public houses in Soho increased in popularity during the 1930s and were frequented by struggling authors, poets and artists. Since the decline of the sex industry in Soho in the 1980s, the area has returned to being more residential. The Soho Housing Association was established in 1976 to provide reasonable rented accommodation. By
6204-476: The scientist Henry Cavendish . Sir John Cust, 3rd Baronet lived at No. 14 from 1754 to 1762. The Byron family were listed as ratepayers of No. 15 during the early 18th century. William Byron, 4th Baron Byron lived here from 1727 until his death in 1736; his widow remained there until 1740. The Baron's son, William Byron, 5th Baron Byron lived here from 1745 to 1774. The Scottish sculptor Thomas Campbell worked here from 1833 to 1843, also taking over
6298-497: The series The Comic Strip Presents on Channel 4 . The Gargoyle's success and Bohemian clientele led to other restaurants being founded around Soho, including the Eiffel Tower and Bellotti's. During the 1970s the building at 69 Dean Street housed another nightspot in its cellars, initially known as Billy's, and run by Soho's only Jamaican club owner, Vince Howard. The Blitz Kids , a group of London clubgoers who spearheaded
6392-400: The sex industry in the area and improve it with a comprehensive redevelopment plan. This led to a series of corruption trials in 1975, following which several senior police officers were imprisoned. This caused a small recession in Soho which depressed property values at the time Paul Raymond had started buying freeholds there. By the 1980s, purges of the police force along with pressure from
6486-517: The south St James's . Soho is part of the West End electoral ward which elects three councillors to Westminster City Council . The nearest London Underground stations are Oxford Circus , Piccadilly Circus , Tottenham Court Road , Leicester Square and Covent Garden . During the Middle Ages , the area that is now Soho was farmland that belonged to the Abbot and Convent of Abingdon and
6580-655: The south and from what is now Charing Cross Road in the east to Wardour Street in the west; it therefore included all of contemporary eastern Soho, including the Chinatown area. The western portion of modern Soho, around Carnaby Street, was part of the parish of St James , which was split off from St Martin in 1686. Building progressed rapidly in the late 17th century, with large properties such as Monmouth House (built for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, Charles II's eldest illegitimate son), Leicester House , Fauconberg House, Carlisle House and Newport House. Soho Square
6674-522: The staging points of the Dean Street shuffle, with occasional forays into other joints such as The Gargoyle or the Mandrake ;... The Groucho or Blacks". Christopher Howse notes of the coterie of bohemian heavy drinkers that "There was no worry about pensions in Soho. People didn't live that long." The Gargoyle Club opened at 69 Dean Street in 1925. It was founded by the socialite
6768-424: The street in 1881. In the early 20th century, a number of prominent automobile companies had showrooms on Great Marlborough Street. De Dion-Bouton , the largest automobile manufacturer in the world at the time, opened a London showroom at No. 10 in 1919. Charles Jarrott & Letts, Ltd (concessionaires for de Dietrich ; Oldsmobile and Napier cars) was based at No. 45. The department store Liberty
6862-481: The street was a fashionable address; in 1714, John Macky said it "surpasses anything that is called a street" and praised its architecture. A 1734 report agreed it was popular but added "the buildings on each side being trifling and inconsiderable, and the vista ended neither way with any thing great or extraordinary". Out of one hundred peers summoned before the King in 1716, five lived in Great Marlborough Street. For
6956-515: The street. Led Zeppelin 's first rehearsal in 1968 was in a basement studio on Gerrard Street. The Soho area has been at the heart of London's sex industry for more than 200 years; between 1778 and 1801, 21 Soho Square was location of the White House, a brothel described by the magistrate Henry Mayhew as "a notorious place of ill-fame". Shortly before World War I, two rival gangs, one led by Chan Nan (also called " Brilliant Chang ") and
7050-423: The theatre (but not the property itself) were bought by Raymond's business associate Gérard Simi in 1996. The theatre suffered financial difficulties owing to increasing rent, leading to its closure in 2004. It became a gay bar and cabaret venue called Too2Much; in 2005, Elton John staged a joint bachelor party there with his longtime partner David Furnish in anticipation of their civil partnership . The venue
7144-558: The upper class, including the laying out of Soho Square in the 1680s. St Anne's Church was established during the late 17th century, and remains a significant local landmark; other churches are the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory and St Patrick's Church in Soho Square. The aristocracy had mostly moved away by the mid-19th century, when Soho was particularly badly hit by an outbreak of cholera in 1854. For much of
7238-541: The well-known saying, ascribed to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu among others, "that this world consisted of men, women, and Herveys". She appears to have been always a warm partisan of the Stuarts . Though she suffered greatly from severe attacks of the gout , she retained many of the attractions of her youth long after her husband's death. In a letter to his son dated 22 October 1750, Chesterfield directed him to "trust, consult, and to apply" to Lady Hervey at Paris. He speaks in
7332-638: The workforce in Soho worked in the creative industries. Many small and easily affordable restaurants and cafes were established in Soho during the 19th century, particularly as a result of Greek and Italian immigration. The restaurants were not looked upon favourably at first, but their reputation changed at the start of the 20th century. In 1924, a guide reported "of late years, the inexpensive restaurants of Soho have enjoyed an extraordinary vogue." Arthur Ransome 's Bohemia in London (1907) mentions Old and New Soho, including details about Soho coffee-houses including The Moorish Café and The Algerian. Kettner's
7426-514: The year, particularly on the Chinese New Year . In March 2022, Cadbury opened a temporary vegan chocolate shop at 15 Bateman Street. Soho Radio is an internet radio station on Great Windmill Street, next to the Windmill Theatre . Since May 2014 it has been streaming live and pre-recorded programming from its premises, which also function as a retail space and coffee shop. The station states on its website that it aims "to reflect
7520-502: Was a Sunday afternoon club organised by the beat poet Pete Brown , active in the mid-1960s. For the rest of the week, it operated as an illegal gambling den . Pink Floyd played at the club at the beginning of their career. The 2i's Coffee Bar was one of the first rock clubs in Europe. It initially opened on No. 44 Gerard Street in 1956, but soon moved to its more famous venue of No. 59 Old Compton Street. Soho quickly became
7614-672: Was a restaurant on Romilly Street, established in 1867 by Napoleon III 's chef Auguste Kettner. It was frequently visited by Albert, Prince of Wales (where he is alleged to have dined with his mistress, Lillie Langtry ) and Oscar Wilde . The restaurant survived both World Wars without incident, and was regularly visited by Agatha Christie and Bing Crosby . In the 20th century, several Soho pubs and private members clubs gained notoriety for both their proprietors and clientele. Clive Jennings says of regular clientele such as Jeffrey Barnard and Francis Bacon that "the lethal triangle of The French , The Coach & Horses and The Colony were
7708-490: Was attempting to stir up ethnic and homophobic tensions by carrying out a series of bombings. In early February 2020, parts of an unexploded Second World War bomb was discovered by construction workers developing a new mixed residential building in Richmond Mews, near Dean Street . Residents, employees, and pedestrians on Richmond Mews, Dean Street , Meard Street and St Anne's Court were evacuated on both
7802-423: Was based at 17 St Anne's Court , Soho and was a major London recording studio. It was established by Norman and Barry Sheffield in 1968, who wanted to expand from the small studio they had above their music shop. It became immediately successful after The Beatles decided to record several tracks on The White Album there, as the facilities were better than Abbey Road studios . Queen were originally managed by
7896-412: Was built between 1687 and 1703, and is probably named after James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick , the illegitimate son of James II of England . It has held a street market since the early 18th century, which has been formally organised since 1892. Mary Hervey Mary Hervey, Lady Hervey ( née Lepell ; c. 1700 – 2 September 1768) was an English courtier . Born around 1700, Mary Lepell
7990-464: Was built in 1717 by Talman and reconstructed in 1803. The church was damaged by a V1 flying bomb during World War II in 1940, but the tower survived. In 1976, John Betjeman campaigned to save the building. The church was fully restored in the late 1980s and formally re-opened by the Princess Royal on 12 March 1990. The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and St Gregory on Warwick Street
8084-656: Was built in 1788 and is the only remaining 18th-century Roman Catholic embassy chapel in London and principal church of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham . St Patrick's Church in Soho Square was built in 1792 to accommodate Irish immigrants who had moved to the area. Other religious buildings in Soho include the Hare Krishna Temple off Soho Square, which was part-funded by George Harrison and opened in 1979. There exists
8178-660: Was established at No. 32 Soho Square in 1874. The property had previously been owned by the naturalist and botanist Sir Joseph Banks . It moved to Westmoreland Street in 1914, and then to Fulham Road in 1991. In July 2019, Soho was reported to be the unhealthiest place to live in Britain. Researchers from the University of Liverpool found that the area had the greatest access to takeaways, pubs and off-licences and these were combined with high levels of air pollution and low levels of parks and green spaces. Berwick Street
8272-538: Was first laid out in the 1680s on the former Soho Fields; by 1691, 41 houses had been completed there. It was originally called King Square in honour of Charles II, and a statue of him was based in the centre. Several upper-class families moved into the area, including those of Richard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston , and Edward Howard, 2nd Earl of Carlisle . The square had become known as Soho Square by 1720, at which point it had fashionable houses on all sides. Only No 10 and No 15 from this period have survived into
8366-553: Was partly caused by corruption in the Metropolitan Police . The vice squad at the time suffered from police officers enforcing against organised crime in the area, while simultaneously accepting bribes. This changed following the appointment of Robert Mark as chief constable, who began to crack down on corruption. In 1972 local residents started the Soho Society in order to control the increasing expansion of
8460-676: Was renamed the London Blues and Barrelhouse Club in the late 1950s, and closed in 1964. In the early 1950s, Soho became the centre of the beatnik culture in London. The first coffee bar to open was Moka at No. 29 Frith Street. It was formally opened in 1953 by the film star Gina Lollobrigida , and the frothed coffee produced from stainless steel machines was pioneering in British culture. Le Macabre on Wardour Street, had coffin-shaped tables, fostered beat poetry, jive dance and political debate. The Goings On, in Archer Street,
8554-465: Was sold piecemeal in the 16th and 17th centuries, partly to Robert Sidney, Earl of Leicester . Soho was part of the ancient parish of St Martin in the Fields , forming part of the Liberty of Westminster . As the population started to grow, a new church was provided, and in 1687 a new parish of St Anne was established for it. The parish stretched from Oxford Street in the north to Leicester Square in
8648-512: Was subsequently renamed to the Soho Revue Bar, but closed in 2009. Soho is a centre of the independent film and video industry as well as the television and film post-production industry. Audio post duo White Lightning (Robbie Weston and Rick Dzendzera) opened two audio post-production facilities in different parts of Soho in 1986: Silk Sound at 13 Berwick Street , and The Bridge Facilities at 55-57 Great Marlborough Street . Silk Sound
8742-511: Was the daughter of Brigadier-general Nicholas Wedig Lepell and his wife, Mary Brooke, daughter and co-heiress of John Brooke of Rendlesham , Suffolk . Her tombstone states that she was born on 26 September 1700; there is, however, some uncertainty about the date of her birth and the baptism registers state it was 16 September 1699. Her father was born in Germany. While a page of honour to Prince George of Denmark , he married in 1698, and in
8836-526: Was the home of the Marquee Club , which opened in 1958. In the 1960s, numerous major rock bands played at the venue, including early performances from the Rolling Stones in July 1962 and The Who in late 1964, Jimi Hendrix , David Bowie , Led Zeppelin , Pink Floyd , Jethro Tull , AC/DC and Iron Maiden . Eric Clapton and Brian Jones both lived for a time in Soho, sharing a flat with future rock publicist, Tony Brainsby . Trident Studios
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