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173-604: Savile Row (pronounced / ˌ s æ v ɪ l ˈ r oʊ / ) is a street in Mayfair , central London . Known principally for its traditional bespoke tailoring for men, the street has had a varied history that has included accommodating the headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society at 1 Savile Row, where significant British explorations to Africa and the South Pole were planned; and more recently,

346-531: A Regency Bill had been introduced and passed in the House of Commons. The general elections of 1790 resulted in a majority for the government, and Pitt continued as prime minister. In 1791, he proceeded to address one of the problems facing the growing British Empire : the future of British Canada . By the Constitutional Act of 1791 , the province of Quebec was divided into two separate provinces:

519-544: A 57.8% interest in the Pollen Estate from The Church Commissioners . This includes properties in Mayfair, among which is Savile Row. The first house in what would become Savile Row was "a fine House and Ground", built in 1674 on the site of what is now No. 1, and occupied by a series of nobles until it was demolished in 1730 in preparation for the laying out of the houses on the east of Savile Row in 1731. Savile Row

692-724: A company formed in 1974 by the merger of two separate businesses who both date from the late 19th century: Gieves, a Royal Navy tailor founded in Portsmouth; and Hawkes, a London-based cap-maker and tailor to the British Army . Hardy Amies Ltd further broadened the scope and appeal of tailoring in Savile Row: in 1961, he staged the first men's ready-to-wear catwalk shows, at the Ritz Hotel in London, he designed costumes for

865-489: A dramatic impression. Sir John Sinclair, member of Parliament for Lostwithiel, thought that Pitt's first speech was never surpassed and ‘rarely equalled by any ever delivered in that assembly.’ When Pitt resumed his seat after finishing speaking there was thunderous applause. Sinclair noted that there was ‘utter astonishment … by an audience accustomed to the most splendid efforts of eloquence.’ Pitt originally aligned himself with prominent Whigs such as Charles James Fox . With

1038-462: A fountain in its centre. In 1963, following the widening of Park Lane, it was rebuilt as the Joy of Life Fountain. Grosvenor Square was planned as the centrepiece of the Mayfair estate. It was laid out from 1725–31 with 51 individual plots for development. It is the second-largest square in London (after Lincoln's Inn Fields ) and housed numerous members of the aristocracy until the mid-20th century. By

1211-480: A friend that 'I do not wish to be thought inlisted [sic] in any party or to call myself anything but the Independent Whig, which in words is hardly a distinction, as every one alike pretends to it.' intent on entering Parliament, Pitt secured the patronage of James Lowther , later 1st Earl Lowther, with the help of his university friend, Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland . Lowther effectively controlled

1384-522: A hostile majority in Parliament, Pitt was able to solidify his position within a few months. Some historians argue that his success was inevitable given the decisive importance of monarchical power; others argue that the king gambled on Pitt and that both would have failed but for a run of good fortune. Pitt, at the age of 24, became Great Britain's youngest prime minister ever. The contemporary satire The Rolliad ridiculed him for his youth: Above

1557-441: A little-used privilege available only to the sons of noblemen, and chose to graduate without having to pass examinations. Pitt's father was said to have insisted that his son spontaneously translate passages of classical literature orally into English, and declaim impromptu upon unfamiliar topics in an effort to develop his oratorical skills. Pitt's father, who had by then been raised to the peerage as Earl of Chatham, died in 1778. As

1730-448: A massive swing to Pitt with the result that many Opposition Members who still had not faced election either defected, stood down, or made deals with their opponents to avoid expensive defeats. A notable exception came in Fox's own constituency of Westminster , which contained one of the largest electorates in the country. In a contest estimated to have cost a quarter of the total spending in

1903-636: A mutineer. In response to the 1797 mutinies, Pitt passed the Incitement to Mutiny Act 1797 making it unlawful to advocate breaking oaths to the Crown. In 1798, he passed the Defence of the Realm act, which further restricted civil liberties. Despite the major concerns to Britain's defences when the navy mutinied Pitt remained calm and in control. He was confident that the matter would be resolved. Lord Spencer,

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2076-696: A part of the Rockingham ministry, including Fox, now refused to serve under Lord Shelburne, the new prime minister. Pitt, however, was comfortable with Shelburne, and thus joined his government; he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer . Fox, who became Pitt's lifelong political rival, then joined a coalition with Lord North, with whom he collaborated to bring about the defeat of the Shelburne administration. When Lord Shelburne resigned in 1783, King George III , who despised Fox, offered to appoint Pitt to

2249-654: A renewed bout of madness, with the consequence that Addington could not receive his formal appointment. Though he had resigned, Pitt temporarily continued to discharge his duties; on 18 February 1801, he brought forward the annual budget. Power was transferred from Pitt to Addington on 14 March, when the king recovered. Shortly after leaving office, Pitt supported the new administration under Addington, but with little enthusiasm; he frequently absented himself from Parliament, preferring to remain in his Lord Warden 's residence of Walmer Castle —before 1802 usually spending an annual late-summer holiday there, and later often present from

2422-502: A reputation retained to the present day. Gunter's Tea Shop was established in 1757 at Nos. 7–8 Berkeley Square by the Italian Domenico Negri. Robert Gunter took co-ownership of the shop in 1777, and full ownership in 1799. During the 19th century it became a fashionable place to buy cakes and ice cream, and was well-known for its range of multi-tiered wedding cakes . The shop moved to Curzon Street in 1936 when

2595-668: A result of the company's setting up of Penang with their own superintendent (governor), Captain Francis Light , in 1786. Convicts were originally transported to the Thirteen Colonies in North America, but after the American War of Independence ended in 1783, the newly formed United States refused to accept further convicts. Pitt's government took the decision to settle what is now Australia and found

2768-537: A rising of the United Irishmen) was only thwarted by bad weather . To crush the United Irishmen, Pitt sent General Lake to Ulster in 1797 to call out Protestant Irish militiamen and organised an intelligence network of spies and informers. In April 1797, the mutiny of the entire Spithead fleet shook the government (sailors demanded a pay increase to match inflation). This mutiny occurred at

2941-860: A shop in Conduit Street that was bombed during the Blitz. Grosvenor Chapel on South Audley Street was built by Benjamin Timbrell in 1730 for the Grosvenor Estate. It was used by American armed forces during the Second World War . The parents of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , are buried in the churchyard. The Mayfair Chapel on Curzon Street was a popular place for illegal marriages, including over 700 in 1742. James Hamilton, 6th Duke of Hamilton , married Elizabeth Gunning here in 1752. The Marriage Act 1753 stopped

3114-625: A sideshow. By 1795, 50% of the British Army was deployed in the West Indies (with the largest contingent in St. Domingue), whereas the rest of the British Army was divided among Britain, Europe, India, and North America. As the British death toll, largely caused by yellow fever, continued to climb, Pitt was criticised in the House of Commons. Several MPs suggested it might be better to abandon

3287-406: A successful protest in 2012. However, A&F were allowed to move in and set up a children's store in 2013, although it has since closed. Starting in 1946, 14 Savile Row was the home of Hardy Amies which changed ownership several times over the course of its history. In 2018, the company went into administration for a second time, and was attempting to sell its assets in 2019. The Savile Row store

3460-434: A third of the budget of £24 million went to pay interest. Pitt sought to reduce the national debt by imposing new taxes. In 1786, he instituted a sinking fund so that £1 million a year was added to a fund so that it could accumulate interest; eventually, the money in the fund was to be used to pay off the national debt. Pitt had learned of the idea of the 'Sinking Fund' from his father in 1772. Earl Chatham had been informed of

3633-471: A visit to Brown's. Theodore Roosevelt enjoyed staying at the hotel and married his fiancée Edith Roosevelt with a reception there in 1886. Now part of Rocco Forte Hotels , the Hotel maintains its popular tea room and has expanded to occupy 11 townhouses. Claridge's was founded in 1812 as Mivart's Hotel on Brook Street . It was acquired by William Claridge in 1855, who gave it its current name. The hotel

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3806-470: A year. In 1797, Pitt was forced to protect the kingdom's gold reserves by preventing individuals from exchanging banknotes for gold. Great Britain would continue to use paper money for over two decades. Pitt also introduced Great Britain's first-ever income tax . The new tax helped offset losses in indirect tax revenue, which had been caused by a decline in trade. Pitt's two policies of suspending cash payments and introducing Income Tax were later cited by

3979-424: Is Marylebone , to the east Soho , and to the southwest Knightsbridge and Belgravia . Mayfair is surrounded by parkland; Hyde Park and Green Park run along its boundary. The 8-acre (3.2 ha) Grosvenor Square is roughly in the centre of Mayfair, and its centrepiece, containing numerous expensive and desirable properties. Following analysis of the alignment of Roman roads, it has been speculated that

4152-496: Is a major shopping street in Mayfair running from north to south from Grosvenor Square to Curzon Street. Originally a residential street, it was redeveloped between 1875 and 1900. Retailers include china and silverware specialists Thomas Goode and gunsmiths James Purdey & Sons . Numerous galleries have given Mayfair a reputation as an international art hub. The Royal Academy of Arts , based in Burlington House,

4325-613: Is an area of London , England, in the City of Westminster . It is in Central London and part of the West End . It is between Oxford Street , Regent Street , Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts in the world. The area was originally part of the manor of Eia and remained largely rural until the early 18th century. It became well-known for the annual May Fair that took place from 1686 to 1764 in what

4498-416: Is at No. 4 Grosvenor Square. The district has become increasingly commercial, with many offices in converted houses and new buildings, though the trend has been reversed in places. The United States embassy announced in 2008 it would move from its long-established location at Grosvenor Square to Nine Elms , Wandsworth , owing to security concerns, despite constructing an £8m security upgrading after

4671-572: Is generally understood to mean "made to order", became associated with fine tailoring, with tailors claiming that the term has been in common use for tailoring since the 17th century. Savile Row tailors argue that "bespoke", in relation to tailoring, is understood to mean a suit cut and made by hand; however, after a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority in 2008, the term may now also be applied to machine sewed garments, provided they are made-to-measure. Customers of

4844-450: Is named after Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester . The first building here was erected by Joseph Damer in 1751, and renamed Dorchester House following the Earl's succession in 1792. The property was purchased by Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons and Gordon Hotels Ltd in 1928 to be converted into a hotel, which opened on 18 April 1931. It was General Dwight Eisenhower 's London headquarters in

5017-439: Is now Mount Street was known as Oliver's Mount by the 18th century. The May Fair was held every year at Great Brookfield (which is now part of Curzon Street and Shepherd Market) from 1 to 14 May. It was established during the reign of Edward I in open fields beyond St. James. The fair was recorded as "Saint James's fayer by Westminster" in 1560. It was postponed in 1603 because of plague , but otherwise continued throughout

5190-452: Is now Shepherd Market . Over the years, the fair grew increasingly downmarket and unpleasant, and it became a public nuisance. The Grosvenor family (who became Dukes of Westminster ) acquired the land through marriage and began to develop it under the direction of Thomas Barlow. The work included Hanover Square , Berkeley Square and Grosvenor Square , which were surrounded by high-quality houses, and St George's Hanover Square Church . By

5363-638: Is now the Indonesian Embassy . Berkeley House on Piccadilly was named after John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton , who had purchased its land, and that surrounding it, shortly after the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660. In 1696, the Berkeley family sold the house and grounds to William Cavendish , 1st Duke of Devonshire (who renamed it Devonshire House ), on condition that

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5536-409: Is one of the most prestigious and best-known hotels in the world. Mayfair has had a range of exclusive shops, hotels, restaurants and clubs since the 19th century. The district—especially the vicinity of Bond Street—is also the home of numerous commercial art galleries and international auction houses such as Bonhams , Christie's and Sotheby's . From the early 19th century, tailors, attracted by

5709-576: The Apple office of the Beatles at 3 Savile Row, where the band's final live performance was held on the roof of the building. Originally named Savile Street, it was built between 1731 and 1735 as part of the development of the Burlington Estate . It was designed under the influence of Burlington's interpretation of Palladian architecture , known as "Burlingtonian". Henry Flitcroft , under

5882-627: The British Empire and ensuring that the slaves in the British West Indies would not be inspired to revolt likewise. Many of those who owned slave plantations in the British West Indies had been greatly alarmed by the revolution, which began in 1791, and they were strongly pressing Pitt to restore slavery in St. Domingue, lest their own slaves be inspired to seek freedom. Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville , who

6055-548: The City of London was destroyed during the Blitz, and many corporate headquarters were established in the area. Several historically important houses were demolished, including Aldford House , Londonderry House and Chesterfield House . In 1961, the old US embassy at No. 1 Grosvenor Square became the Canadian High Commission , and the building was named Macdonald House , after the first Canadian Prime Minister John A. Macdonald . The Italian Embassy

6228-483: The City of London . When he returned from the ceremony to mark this, men of the City pulled Pitt's coach home themselves, as a sign of respect. When passing a Whig club, the coach came under attack from a group of men who tried to assault Pitt. When news of this spread, it was assumed Fox and his associates had tried to bring down Pitt by any means. Pitt gained great popularity with the public at large as "Honest Billy" who

6401-489: The East India Company to gain the patronage he so greatly lacked while the king refused to support him. Fox stated the bill was necessary to save the company from bankruptcy. Pitt responded that: "Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." The king was opposed to the bill; when it passed in the House of Commons, he secured its defeat in

6574-508: The French Revolution and its attendant wars temporarily united Britain and Russia in an ideological alliance against French republicanism. In 1788, Pitt faced a major crisis when the king fell victim to a mysterious illness, a form of mental disorder that incapacitated him. If the sovereign was incapable of fulfilling his constitutional duties, Parliament would need to appoint a regent to rule in his place. All factions agreed that

6747-601: The House of Lords by threatening to regard anyone who voted for it as his enemy. Following the bill's failure in the Upper House, George III dismissed the coalition government and finally entrusted the premiership to William Pitt, after having offered the position to him three times previously. A constitutional crisis arose when the king dismissed the Fox–North coalition government and named Pitt to replace it. Though faced with

6920-640: The Maybourne Hotel Group . St George's, Hanover Square , constructed between 1721 and 1724 by John James , was one of 50 churches built following the Commission for Building Fifty New Churches Act in 1711. Emma, Lady Hamilton , in 1791, poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1814, and Prime Ministers Benjamin Disraeli and H. H. Asquith in 1839 and 1894 respectively were all married in the church. The porch houses two cast-iron dogs rescued from

7093-537: The National Heritage List for England ; 1 Savile Row (6A Vigo Street) is listed Grade II, 3 Savile Row is listed II*, 12, 12A and 13 are listed II as a group, 14 is listed Grade II*, 17 is listed Grade II, 16 is listed Grade II, and 11 is listed II*. Savile Row's reputation is built on bespoke tailoring , where each suit is made to individually fit. The term "bespoke", which has an etymology developing from "to exclaim" through "discussed in advance" and

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7266-647: The Royal Navy also led to Pitt to introduce the Quota System in 1795 in addition to the existing system of impressment . The war with France was extremely expensive, straining Great Britain's finances. Unlike in the latter stages of the Napoleonic Wars , at this point Britain had only a very small standing army, and thus contributed to the war effort mainly through sea power and by supplying funds to other coalition members facing France. Throughout

7439-528: The September 11 attacks including 6 ft (1.8 m) high blast walls. Since the 1990s residential properties have become available again, though the rents are among the highest in London. Mayfair remains one of the most expensive places to live in London and the world, and it possesses some exclusive shopping, London's largest concentration of luxury hotels and many restaurants, particularly around Park Lane and Grosvenor Square. The Al-Thani family,

7612-828: The South Pole ; and, according to the society, the address "became associated with adventure and travel". David Livingstone was laid out in state at the society's headquarters, before being buried in Westminster Abbey . In 1871, shortly after the Royal Geographical Society moved into Savile Row, so did the Savile Club ; a gentlemen's club founded in 1868 as the New Club, occupying rooms overlooking Trafalgar Square; it changed to its current name during its residence at 12 Savile Row, retaining

7785-498: The pocket borough of Appleby ; a by-election in that constituency sent Pitt to the House of Commons in January 1781. Pitt's entry into parliament is somewhat ironic as he later railed against the very same pocket and rotten boroughs that had given him his seat. In Parliament, the youthful Pitt cast aside his tendency to be withdrawn in public, emerging as a noted debater right from his maiden speech . Pitt's first speech made

7958-654: The "golden mile of tailoring" have included Lord Nelson , Napoleon III , Winston Churchill , Charles III , and Jude Law . Muhammad Ali Jinnah , the founder of Pakistan , used to order his suits from Savile Row. Although it is sometimes reported that Ian Fleming and his character James Bond bought suits in Savile Row, there is no evidence for this in the novels; both Fleming and the Bond film character wore suits designed by non-Savile Row tailors, in particular Anthony Sinclair of nearby Conduit Street. Tailors, attracted by

8131-470: The "great push" in 1795, sending out an even larger British expedition. In November 1795, some 218 ships left Portsmouth for St. Domingue. After the failure of the Quiberon expedition earlier in 1795, when the British landed a force of French royalists on the coast of France who were annihilated by the forces of the republic, Pitt had decided it was crucial for Britain to have St. Domingue, no matter what

8304-712: The "new Toryism", which revived the Tory Party and enabled it to stay in power for the next quarter-century. The historian Asa Briggs argues that his personality did not endear itself to the British mind, for Pitt was too solitary and too colourless, and too often exuded an attitude of superiority. His greatness came in the war with France. Pitt reacted to become what Lord Minto called "the Atlas of our reeling globe". William Wilberforce said, "For personal purity, disinterestedness and love of this country, I have never known his equal." Historian Charles Petrie concludes that he

8477-472: The "village centre" of Mayfair. The current buildings date from around 1860, and house food and antique shops, pubs and restaurants. The market had a reputation for high-class prostitution. In the 1980s, Jeffrey Archer was alleged to frequent the area and was accused of visiting Monica Coghlan , a call girl in Shepherd Market, which eventually led to a libel trial and his imprisonment for perverting

8650-423: The 'independent Whig' he identified as. In domestic politics, Pitt concerned himself with the cause of parliamentary reform . In 1785, he introduced a bill to remove the representation of thirty-six rotten boroughs, and to extend, in a small way, the electoral franchise to more individuals. Pitt's support for the bill, however, was not strong enough to prevent its defeat in the House of Commons. The bill of 1785

8823-508: The 1790s, the war against France was presented as an ideological struggle between French republicanism vs. British monarchism with the British government seeking to mobilise public opinion in support of the war. The Pitt government waged a vigorous propaganda campaign contrasting the ordered society of Britain dominated by the aristocracy and the gentry vs. the "anarchy" of the French revolution and always sought to associate British "radicals" with

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8996-507: The 17th century. In 1686, the fair moved to what is now Mayfair. By the 18th century, it had attracted showmen, jugglers and fencers and numerous fairground attractions. Popular attractions included bare-knuckle fighting, semolina -eating contests and women's foot racing . By the reign of George I , the May Fair had fallen into disrepute and was regarded as a public scandal. The 6th Earl of Coventry , who lived on Piccadilly, considered

9169-536: The 18th century. Part of its success was its proximity to the Court of St James and the parks, and the well-designed layout. This led to it sustaining its popularity into the 21st century. The requirements of the aristocracy led to stables, coach houses and servants' accommodation being established along the mews running parallel to the streets. Some of the stables have since been converted into garages and offices. The Rothschild family owned several Mayfair properties in

9342-668: The 1966 England World Cup team, and for the 1968 film 2001: Space Odyssey , and dressed the Queen , designing the gown used for the Silver Jubilee portrait in 1977. Hardy Amies founded the company in 1946, converting the bombed out shell of No. 14. Amies sold the business to the Luxury Brands Group and retired in 2001, but it went into administration in 2008 when it was bought by Fung Capital. It went back into administration in 2018 but on this occasion no buyer

9515-493: The 19th century. Alfred de Rothschild lived at No. 1 Seamore Place and held numerous "adoration dinners" where the only guest was a female companion. The marriage of his brother Leopold to Marie Perugia took place here in 1881. The house was demolished after the First World War when Curzon Street was extended through the site to meet Park Lane. The future Prime Minister Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery ,

9688-696: The Act of Union. Throughout the 1790s, the popularity of the Society of United Irishmen grew. Influenced by the American and French revolutions, this movement demanded independence and republicanism for Ireland. The United Irishmen Society was very anti-clerical, being equally opposed to the "superstitions" promoted by both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic church, which caused the latter to support

9861-476: The American Embassy. The Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane is on the former site of Grosvenor House , the home of Robert Grosvenor, 2nd Earl Grosvenor (who later became the 1st Marquess of Westminster). It was built by Arthur Octavius Edwards in the 1920s and has over 450 bedrooms, with 150 luxury flats in the south wing. It was the first London hotel to have a swimming pool. The Dorchester

10034-715: The Beatles, Mick Jagger , Elton John , and Andrew Lloyd Webber . Nutter left the company in 1976 and went to work at Kilgour. He died in 1992. However, Terry Haste, cutter at Tommy Nutter, continues with John Kent (holder of the Royal Warrant for the Duke of Edinburgh) nearby at 7 Sackville Street. Modernisation had slowed by the early 1990s; Savile Row tailors were "struggling to find relevance with an audience that had grown increasingly disassociated". Three tailors, Ozwald Boateng , Timothy Everest (an apprentice of Nutter's), and Richard James , then became known for revitalising

10207-571: The British treasury a fortune and weakened British influence in Europe, making British power "fettered, numbered and paralysed", all for nothing. Pitt maintained close control over Ireland. The Lord Lieutenants were to follow his policy of Protestant control and very little reform for the Catholic majority. When the opposition Portland group joined Pitt's ministry, splitting the Foxite opposition, Pitt

10380-454: The Bute family backed off and ceased making their claims. He acquired his legal education at Lincoln's Inn and was called to the bar in the summer of 1780. During the general elections of September 1780, at the age of 21, Pitt contested the University of Cambridge seat , but lost, coming bottom of the poll of the five candidates. Pitt had campaigned on his own merit, not as part of any group or with prominent backers. He explained to

10553-458: The Christmas season, it survived for seventeen years. So as to reduce the power of the Opposition , Pitt offered Charles James Fox and his allies posts in the Cabinet; Pitt's refusal to include Lord North, however, thwarted his efforts. The new government was immediately on the defensive and in January 1784 was defeated on a motion of no confidence . Pitt, however, took the unprecedented step of refusing to resign, despite this defeat. He retained

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10726-480: The Crown. Realising that the Catholic church was an ally in the struggle against the French Revolution, Pitt had tried fruitlessly to persuade the Dublin parliament to loosen the anti-Catholic laws to "keep things quiet in Ireland". Pitt's efforts to soften the anti-Catholic laws failed in the face of determined resistance from the families of the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland, who forced Pitt to recall Earl Fitzwilliam as Chief Secretary for Ireland in 1795, when

10899-403: The First Lord of the Admiralty recalled how calm Pitt was. Very late one evening after visiting the Minister with desperate news of the fleet, as Spencer proceeded away from Downing Street he remembered he had some more information to give to Pitt. He immediately returned to Number 10 only to be infomred that Pitt was fast asleep. Henry Dundas, who was President of the Board of Control, Treasurer of

11072-537: The French Minister of Finance as being 'genius'. As they had stopped the French from destroying Britain's economy. Pitt sought European alliances to restrict French influence, forming the Triple Alliance with Prussia and Holland in 1788. During the Nootka Sound Controversy in 1790, Pitt took advantage of the alliance to force Spain to give up its claim to exclusive control over the western coast of North and South America. The Alliance, however, failed to produce any other important benefits for Great Britain. Pitt

11245-459: The Grenvilles. Suffering from occasional poor health as a boy, he was educated at home by the Reverend Edward Wilson. An intelligent child, Pitt quickly became proficient in Latin and Greek . He was admitted to Pembroke College, Cambridge , on 26 April 1773, a month before turning fourteen, going up to Cambridge in October 1773. He studied political philosophy, classics , mathematics, trigonometry , chemistry and history. At Cambridge, Pitt

11418-438: The Grosvenor. Of the original properties constructed in Mayfair, only the Grosvenor estate survives intact and owned by the same family, who became the Dukes of Westminster in 1874. Chesterfield Street is one of the few streets that has 18th-century properties on both sides, with a single exception, and is probably the least altered road in the area. Hanover Square was the first of three great squares to be constructed. It

11591-404: The Navy, Secretary at War and a close friend of Pitt, envied the First Minister for his ability to sleep well in all crcumstances. Despite Pitt's efforts, the French continued to defeat the First Coalition , which collapsed in 1798. A Second Coalition , consisting of Great Britain, Austria , Russia , and the Ottoman Empire , was formed, but it, too, failed to overcome the French. The fall of

11764-409: The Pollen Estate. When initially laid out – under the name Saville Street – Savile Row ran from Burlington Gardens (then Vigo Lane) to Boyle Street, with houses only on the east side, but in the 19th century, houses were built on the west side. Initially, the street was occupied by military officers and their wives, along with politicians: William Pitt the Younger wrote letters from the street when it

11937-473: The Queen, as well as supplying several high-profile restaurants. After accruing spiralling debts, it was sold to Rare Butchers of Distinction in 2006. The Mayfair premises closed in 2015, but the company retains an online presence. Scott's restaurant moved from Coventry Street to Nos. 20–22 Mount Street in 1967. In 1975, the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) bombed the restaurant twice, killing one and injuring 15 people. South Audley Street

12110-453: The Romans settled in the area before establishing Londinium . Whitaker's Almanack suggested that Aulus Plautius built a fort here during the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43 while waiting for Claudius . The theory was developed in 1993, with a proposal that a town grew outside the fort but was later abandoned as it was too far from the River Thames. The proposal has been disputed because of lack of archaeological evidence. If there

12283-487: The Second Coalition with the defeat of the Austrians at the Battle of Marengo (14 June 1800) and at the Battle of Hohenlinden (3 December 1800) left Great Britain facing France alone. Following the Acts of Union 1800 , Pitt sought to inaugurate the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland by granting concessions to Roman Catholics, who formed a 75% majority of the population in Ireland, by abolishing various political restrictions under which they suffered. The king

12456-613: The Second World War. The Duke of Edinburgh held his stag night at the hotel prior to his marriage to Princess Elizabeth . The May Fair Hotel opened in 1927 on the site of Devonshire House in Stratton Street . It also accommodates the May Fair Theatre, which opened in 1963. The Ritz opened on Piccadilly on 24 May 1906. It was the first steel-framed building to be constructed in London, and it

12629-452: The United Irishmen with the Crown executing about 1,500 United Irishmen after the revolt. The revolt of 1798 destroyed Pitt's faith in the governing competence of the Dublin parliament (dominated by Protestant Ascendancy families). Thinking a less sectarian and more conciliatory approach would have avoided the uprising, Pitt sought an Act of Union that would make Ireland an official part of

12802-579: The United Kingdom and end the " Irish Question ". The French expeditions to Ireland in 1796 and 1798 (to support the United Irishmen) were regarded by Pitt as near-misses that might have provided an Irish base for French attacks on Britain, thus making the "Irish Question" a national security matter. As the Dublin parliament did not wish to disband, Pitt made generous use of what would now be called " pork barrel politics " to bribe Irish MPs to vote for

12975-533: The Welshman, Sir Richard Price's idea, Pitt approved of the idea and adopted it when he was in office. By 1792, the debt had fallen to £170 million. Pitt always paid careful attention to financial issues. A fifth of Britain's imports were smuggled in without paying taxes. He made it easier for honest merchants to import goods by lowering tariffs on easily smuggled items such as tea, wine, spirits, and tobacco. This policy raised customs revenues by nearly £2 million

13148-492: The Whigs, Pitt denounced the continuation of the American War of Independence , as his father strongly had. Instead he proposed that the prime minister, Lord North , make peace with the rebellious American colonies. Pitt also supported parliamentary reform measures, including a proposal that would have checked electoral corruption. He renewed his friendship with William Wilberforce, now MP for Hull , with whom he frequently met in

13321-460: The Younger Pitt's prime ministerial tenure, which came during the reign of King George III , was dominated by major political events in Europe, including the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars . Pitt, although often referred to as a Tory , or "new Tory", called himself an "independent Whig " and was generally opposed to the development of a strict partisan political system. Pitt

13494-460: The Younger is sited at the southern end of the square. In 1725, Mayfair became part of the new parish of St George Hanover Square , which stretched as far east as Bond Street and to Regent Street north of Conduit Street . It ran as far north as Oxford Street and south near to Piccadilly. The parish continued into Hyde Park to the west and extended southwest to St George's Hospital . Most of

13667-462: The affluent and influential nature of the residents of Savile Row, started to open businesses in the area in the late 18th century, first in Cork Street , about 1790, then by 1803 in Savile Row itself. None of those original tailors survive today, though Henry Poole & Co , who through Edward VII 's patronage, helped make the street fashionable, still have a presence in Savile Row. Poole moved

13840-400: The affluent and influential residents, began to take up premises on Savile Row in south-eastern Mayfair, beginning in 1803. The earliest extant tailor to move to Savile Row was Henry Poole & Co in 1846. The street's reputation steadily grew throughout the late 19th and early-20th centuries, under the patronage of monarchs, moguls and movie stars, into the global home of men's tailoring ;

14013-714: The already poor Irish peasantry, and a sectarian war with many atrocities on both sides had begun in 1793 between Catholic " Defenders " versus Protestant " Peep o' Day Boys ". A section of the Peep o'Day Boys who had renamed themselves the Loyal Orange Order in September 1795 were fanatically committed to upholding Protestant supremacy in Ireland at "almost any cost". In December 1796, a French invasion of Ireland led by General Lazare Hoche (scheduled to coordinate with

14186-643: The area belonged to (and continues to be owned by) the Grosvenor family, though the freehold of some parts belongs to the Crown Estate . A water supply to the area was built by the Chelsea Water Works , and a royal warrant was issued in 1725 for a reservoir in Hyde Park that could supply water at what is now Grosvenor Gate. In 1835, the reservoir was decorated with an ornamental basin and

14359-501: The area could lead to the death of the business locally, as tailors, many of whom traditionally manufacture their suits in their premises, in basement studios, could be priced out of the local property market. The Savile Row Bespoke Association was founded in 2004 to protect and develop bespoke tailoring as practised in Savile Row and the surrounding streets. The member tailors are typically required to put at least 50 hours of hand labour into each two-piece suit. The Association, along with

14532-440: The area. Tailors started to take premises around Savile Row in the late 18th century, first in Cork Street , about 1790, then by 1803 in Savile Row itself. In 1846, Henry Poole , credited as creator of the dinner jacket or tuxedo, opened an entrance at 37 Savile Row from his late father's tailoring premises at 4 Old Burlington Street. As tailoring moved into the street, the house frontages were altered to bring natural light into

14705-517: The bespoke style for the modern market - having each broken away independently from the Savile Row mould. Public relations professional Alison Hargreaves coined the term "New Bespoke Movement" to describe collectively the work of this "new generation" of tailors. Interest reached a peak in 1997 when the three were featured together in Vanity Fair . The newcomers altered their shop fronts and used marketing and publicity to their advantage; challenging

14878-486: The board would be appointed by the king. Pitt was appointed, along with Lord Sydney , who was appointed president . The act centralised British rule in India by reducing the power of the governors of Bombay and Madras and by increasing that of Governor-General Charles Cornwallis . Further augmentations and clarifications of the governor-general's authority were made in 1786, presumably by Lord Sydney, and presumably as

15051-404: The building, on 30 January 1969, and was recorded for the documentary film Let It Be ; the last words of the band, spoken by John Lennon as the police stopped the performance, were "I hope we passed the audition." In 1969, Nutters of Savile Row modernised the style and approach of the traditional tailors; a modernisation which continued in the 1990s with the "New Bespoke Movement", involving

15224-479: The company into 32 Savile Row in 1846, following the death of his father James Poole, and the company is now at No. 15. Henry Poole is credited as creator of the dinner jacket , when he made a smoking jacket for the young Edward VII in 1860. Tailoring was softened in the early 20th century by Dutch tailor Frederick Scholte when he developed the English drape for the Duke of Windsor. Scholte's "dress soft" style

15397-488: The cost in lives and money, to improve Britain's negotiating hand when it came time to make peace with the French republic. The British historian Michael Duffy argued that since Pitt committed far more manpower and money to the Caribbean expeditions, especially the one to St. Domingue, than he ever did to Europe in the years 1793–1798, it is proper to view the West Indies as Britain's main theatre of war and Europe as more of

15570-536: The course of justice . Alongside Burlington House is one of London's most luxurious shopping areas, the Burlington Arcade . It was designed by Samuel Ware for George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington , in 1819. The arcade was designed with tall walls on either side to prevent passers-by throwing litter into the Earl's garden. Ownership of the arcade passed to the Chesham family . In 1911, another storey

15743-543: The creator of the dinner jacket , opened an entrance to Savile Row from his tailoring premises in Old Burlington Street. Founded in 1849 by Henry Huntsman, H. Huntsman & Sons moved to No. 11 Savile Row with the ending of the war in 1919. During the First World War, Huntsman's was a tailor to the military, producing dress uniforms for British officers. In 1969, Nutters of Savile Row modernised

15916-520: The designers Richard James , Ozwald Boateng , and Timothy Everest . With increasing rents and criticisms from Giorgio Armani of falling behind the times, the number of tailors in Savile Row had declined to 19 in 2006, from approximately 40 in the 1950s. However, tailoring businesses have increased since 2006; as of October 2014, a local online directory listed 44 tailoring and clothing businesses on and around Savile Row. Some tailors had expressed concern in 2005 that an increase in commercial development in

16089-473: The eastern side of Berkeley Square was demolished, until closing in 1956. The business as a whole survived until the late 1970s. Mount Street has been a popular shopping street since Mayfair was developed in the 18th century. It was largely rebuilt between 1880 and 1900 under the direction of the 1st Duke of Westminster, when the nearby workhouse was relocated to Pimlico. It now houses a number of shops dealing with luxury trades. Shepherd Market has been called

16262-649: The end of the 18th century, most of Mayfair had been rebuilt with high-value housing for the upper class; unlike some nearby areas of London, it has never lost its affluent status. The decline of the British aristocracy in the early 20th century led to the area becoming more commercial, with many houses converted into offices for corporate headquarters and various embassies . Mayfair retains a substantial quantity of high-end residential property, upmarket shops and restaurants, and luxury hotels along Piccadilly and Park Lane . Its prestigious status has been commemorated by being

16435-434: The end of the 19th century, the Grosvenor family were described as "the wealthiest family in Europe" and annual rents for their Mayfair properties reached around £135,000 (equivalent to £18,558,000 in 2023). The square has never declined in popularity and continues to be a prestigious London address into the 21st century. Only two original houses have survived; No. 9, once the home of John Adams , and No. 38 which

16608-528: The entire country, Fox bitterly fought against two Pittite candidates to secure one of the two seats for the constituency. Great legal wranglings ensued, including the examination of every single vote cast, which dragged on for more than a year. Meanwhile, Fox sat for the Scottish pocket borough of Tain Burghs . Many saw the dragging out of the result as being unduly vindictive on the part of Pitt and eventually

16781-549: The examinations were abandoned with Fox declared elected. Elsewhere, Pitt won a personal triumph when he was elected a Member for the University of Cambridge , a constituency he had long coveted and which he would continue to represent for the remainder of his life. Pitt's new constituency suited him perfectly as he was able to act independently. Sir James Lowther's pocket borough of Appleby, which had been Pitt's previous constituency, had strings attached. Now Pitt could really be

16954-469: The expedition, but Pitt insisted that Britain had given its word of honour that it would protect the French planters from their former slaves, and the expedition to St. Domingue could not be abandoned. The British attempt to conquer St. Domingue in 1793 ended in disaster; the British pulled out on 31 August 1798 after having spent 4 million pounds (roughly £500 million in 2023 ) and having lost about 100,000 men—dead or crippled for life, mostly from disease—over

17127-544: The fair to be a nuisance and, with local residents, led a public campaign against it. It was abolished in 1764. One reason for Mayfair's subsequent boom in property development was that it was able to keep out lower-class activities. Building on Mayfair began in the 1660s on the corner of Piccadilly, and progressed along the north side of that street. Burlington House was started between 1664 and 1665 by John Denham and sold two years later to Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington , who asked Hugh May to complete it. The house

17300-548: The gallery of the House of Commons. After Lord North's ministry collapsed in 1782, the Whig Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham , was appointed prime minister. Pitt was offered the minor post of Vice-Treasurer of Ireland , but he refused, considering the post overly subordinate. Lord Rockingham died only three months after coming to power; he was succeeded by another Whig, William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne . Many Whigs who had formed

17473-603: The gardens and acted as his hostess. The Treaty of Amiens in 1802 between France and Britain marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars . Everyone expected it to be only a short truce. By 1803, war had broken out again with France under Napoleon Bonaparte . Although Addington had previously invited him to join the Cabinet, Pitt preferred to join the Opposition, becoming increasingly critical of

17646-524: The government was out of the question because Pitt enjoyed the support of King George III . Patronage and bribes paid by the Treasury were normally expected to be enough to secure the government a comfortable majority in the House of Commons, but on this occasion, the government reaped much popular support as well. In most popular constituencies, the election was fought between candidates clearly representing either Pitt or Fox and North. Early returns showed

17819-474: The government were lurking everywhere. This comment captures well the tense, paranoid atmosphere of the 1790s, when people were being encouraged to report "radicals" to the authorities. In 1793, Pitt decided to take advantage of the Haitian Revolution to seize St. Domingue , the richest French colony in the world, believing this would strike a great blow at France while bringing St. Domingue into

17992-465: The historian Eric J. Evans argued the picture of Pitt's "reign of terror" as portrayed by the Marxist historian E.P. Thompson is incorrect, stating there is much evidence of a "popular conservative movement" that rallied in defence of King and Country. Evans wrote that there were about 200 prosecutions of "radicals" suspected of sympathy with the French revolution in British courts in the 1790s, which

18165-602: The honour go to his elder brother , the second Earl of Chatham. An early favourable response to the French Revolution encouraged many in Great Britain to reopen the issue of parliamentary reform, which had been dormant since Pitt's reform bill was defeated in 1785. The reformers, however, were quickly labelled as radicals and associates of the French revolutionaries. Pitt, due to economic reasons, wanted to remain aloof from War with France. However, this option

18338-401: The influence of Burlington 's interpretation of Palladian architecture , known as "Burlingtonian", which was to have some influence on English architecture in the 16th century. As tailoring moved into the street, the house frontages were altered to bring natural light into the tailors' working area with the addition of glass frontages and light wells. The houses have been much altered over time;

18511-441: The issues of representation, parliamentary reform, and government retrenchment. Reformers sought to destroy what they saw as widespread institutional corruption . The result was a crisis from 1776 to 1783. The peace in 1783 left France financially prostrate, while the British economy boomed due to the return of American business. That crisis ended in 1784 as a result of the king's shrewdness in outwitting Fox and renewed confidence in

18684-480: The key Ochakov fortress. Pitt wanted to threaten military retaliation. However Russia's ambassador Semyon Vorontsov organised Pitt's enemies and launched a public opinion campaign. Pitt had become alarmed at the opposition to his Russian policy in parliament, Burke and Fox both uttering powerful speeches against the restoration of Ochakov to the Turks. Pitt won the vote so narrowly that he gave up. The outbreak of

18857-574: The latter had indicated he would support a bill for Catholic relief. In fact, the actions of Fitzwilliam had been encouraged by Pitt who wanted an excuse to remove Fitzwilliam and replace him with the Earl of Camden, however, Pitt had managed this feat without witnesses. Pitt was very much opposed to Catholic relief and the repeal of their political disabilities which were contained in the Test and Corporation Laws. In much of rural Ireland, law and order had broken down as an economic crisis further impoverished

19030-444: The limitations of Britain's fiscal-military state when it had powerful enemies and no allies, depended on extended and vulnerable transatlantic lines of communication, and was faced for the first time since the 17th century by both Protestant and Catholic foes. The defeat heightened dissension and escalated political antagonism to the king's ministers. Inside parliament, the primary concern changed from fears of an over-mighty monarch to

19203-525: The most expensive property square on the London Monopoly board. Mayfair is in the City of Westminster , and mainly consists of the historical Grosvenor estate and the Albemarle , Berkeley , Burlington , and Curzon estates. It is bordered on the west by Park Lane , north by Oxford Street , east by Regent Street , and the south by Piccadilly . Beyond the bounding roads, to the north

19376-603: The name when it moved in 1882 to premises in Piccadilly. Savile Row was extended to Conduit Street in 1937–38, and by 1939, the Metropolitan Police Station was constructed on the corner of Boyle Street. This police station was damaged in another German bombing raid in September 1940, during which the building opposite, No. 21a, was destroyed, as was No. 7 earlier that month. Fortress House , an eight-storey block of offices faced with Portland stone,

19549-410: The names of former American residents in and visitors to Mayfair. The death of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster in 1899 was a pivotal point in the development of Mayfair, following which all redevelopment schemes not already in operation were cancelled. In the following years, Government budget proposals such as David Lloyd George 's establishment of the welfare state in 1909 greatly reduced

19722-502: The northern end and Vigo Street with Burlington Gardens at the southern. Linking roads include New Burlington Street , Boyle Street , and Clifford Street . The freehold is owned by the Pollen Estate. In 2016 Westminster City Council commenced attempts to protect the street's tailoring heritage under the Savile Row SPA (Special Policy Area). In 2014, Norway's Oil Fund , the world's largest sovereign wealth fund , acquired

19895-487: The office of prime minister. But Pitt wisely declined, for he knew he would be incapable of securing the support of the House of Commons. The Fox–North coalition rose to power in a government nominally headed by William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland . Pitt, who had been stripped of his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer, joined the Opposition . He raised the issue of parliamentary reform in order to strain

20068-539: The only viable candidate was the king's eldest son and heir apparent , George, Prince of Wales . The Prince, however, was a supporter of Charles James Fox. Had the Prince come to power, he would almost surely have dismissed Pitt. He did not have such an opportunity, however, as Parliament spent months debating legal technicalities relating to the regency. Fortunately for Pitt, the king recovered in February 1789, just after

20241-419: The original Burlingtonian design has been mostly lost, though No. 14 still retains much of the original external features. When the Royal Geographical Society occupied No. 1, they built a glass-roofed map-room in the courtyard, a small astronomical observatory on the roof, and a new portico – which may be the basis for the current appearance of the façade. Several of the buildings on Savile Row are listed on

20414-406: The owners, the Pollen Estate, is working in partnership with Westminster Council to protect the street's tailoring heritage under the Savile Row SPA (Special Policy Area). The Association objected to the American retailer Abercrombie & Fitch 's plan to open a children's store at 3 Savile Row, concerned that chain stores entering the street would drive up rents, and took part in, what was then,

20587-460: The penal colony in August 1786. The First Fleet of 11 vessels carried over a thousand settlers, including 778 convicts. The Colony of New South Wales was formally proclaimed by Governor Arthur Phillip on 7 February 1788 at Sydney. Another important domestic issue with which Pitt had to concern himself was the national debt, which had doubled to £243 million during the American war. Every year,

20760-595: The power of the Lords. Land value fell around Mayfair, and some leases were not renewed. Following World War I , the British upper class was in decline, for the reduced workforce meant servants were less readily available and demanded higher salaries. The grandest houses in Mayfair became more expensive to service; consequently, many were converted into foreign embassies. The 2nd Duke of Westminster decided to demolish Grosvenor House and move his residence to Bourdon House . Mayfair attracted commercial development after much of

20933-621: The practice of unlicensed marriages. The chapel was demolished in 1899. Having opened in 1837, Brown's Hotel is considered one of London's oldest hotels. Straddling Albemarle and Dover streets, it is thought to have been a popular tea location for Queen Victoria , and it was from the hotel that in 1876 Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call in Britain. Certain writers were known to stay there frequently; Rudyard Kipling 's The Jungle Book and Agatha Christie 's At Bertram's Hotel were each partly written during

21106-400: The preceding five years. The British historian Sir John William Fortescue wrote that Pitt and his cabinet had tried to destroy French power "in these pestilent islands ... only to discover, when it was too late, that they practically destroyed the British army". Fortescue concluded that Pitt's attempt to add St. Domingue to the British empire had killed off most of the British army, cost

21279-516: The predominantly French Lower Canada and the predominantly English Upper Canada . In August 1792, coincident with the capture of Louis XVI by the French revolutionaries , George III appointed Pitt as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports , a position whose incumbent was responsible for the coastal defences of the realm. The king had in 1791 offered him a Knighthood of the Garter , but he suggested

21452-456: The properties being rebuilt. Barlow proposed a grid of wide, straight streets, with a large park (now Grosvenor Square) as a centrepiece. Buildings were constructed in quick succession, and by the mid-18th century the area was covered in houses. Much of the land was owned by seven estates: Burlington , Millfield, Conduit Mead , Albemarle Ground, the Berkeley, the Curzon and, most importantly,

21625-546: The reformers. Individuals who published seditious material were punished, and, in 1794, the writ of habeas corpus was suspended. Other repressive measures included the Seditious Meetings Act 1795 , which restricted the right of individuals to assemble publicly, and the Combination Acts , which restricted the formation of societies or organisations that favoured political reforms. Problems manning

21798-433: The rest, majestically great, Behold the infant Atlas of the state, The matchless miracle of modern days, In whom Britannia to the world displays A sight to make surrounding nations stare; A kingdom trusted to a school-boy's care. Many saw Pitt as a stop-gap appointment until some more senior statesman took on the role. However, although it was widely predicted that the new "mince-pie administration" would not outlast

21971-573: The revolution in France. Some of the writers the British government subsidized (often from Secret Service funds) included Edmund Burke , William Cobbett , William Playfair , John Reeves , and Samuel Johnson (the last through the pension granted him in 1762). Though the Pitt government did drastically reduce civil liberties and created a nationwide spy network with ordinary people being encouraged to denounce any "radicals" that might be in their midst,

22144-482: The ruling family of Qatar , and their relatives and associates owned a quarter of the 279 acres of Mayfair by 2006. The north-western part of Mayfair has subsequently been nicknamed " Little Doha ". The area has also been called a "Qatari quarter" and 'Qataropolis'. Prominent properties owned in Mayfair by Qataris include Dudley House on Park Lane and Lombard House on Curzon Street. Family members also own The Connaught and Claridge's hotels in Mayfair through

22317-576: The same moment that the Franco-Dutch alliance were preparing an invasion of Britain. To regain control of the fleet, Pitt agreed to navy pay increases and had George III pardon the mutineers. By contrast, the more political "floating republic" naval mutiny at the Nore in June 1797 led by Richard Parker was handled more repressively. Pitt refused to negotiate with Parker, whom he wanted to see hanged as

22490-412: The second son of William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham , was born on 28 May 1759 at Hayes Place in the village of Hayes , Kent . He was from a political family on both sides, as his mother, Hester Grenville , was sister of former prime minister George Grenville . According to biographer John Ehrman , Pitt exhibited the brilliance and dynamism of his father's line, and the determined, methodical nature of

22663-647: The spring until the autumn. From the castle, he helped organise a local Volunteer Corps in anticipation of a French invasion, acted as colonel of a battalion raised by Trinity House —he was also a Master of Trinity House—and encouraged the construction of Martello towers and the Royal Military Canal in Romney Marsh . He rented land abutting the Castle to farm on which to lay out trees and walks. His niece Lady Hester Stanhope designed and managed

22836-438: The style and approach of traditional Savile Row tailoring ; a modernisation that continued into the 1990s with the "New Bespoke Movement", involving the designers Richard James , Ozwald Boateng , and Timothy Everest . The term "bespoke" as applied to fine tailoring is understood to have originated in Savile Row, and came to mean a suit cut and made by hand. Savile Row runs parallel to Regent Street between Conduit Street at

23009-515: The supervision of Daniel Garrett , appears to have been the main architect – though 1 and 22–23 Savile Row were designed by William Kent . Initially, the street was occupied mainly by military officers and their wives; later William Pitt the Younger and Irish-born playwright and MP Richard Brinsley Sheridan were residents. Tailors started doing business in the area in the late 18th century; first in Cork Street , about 1790, then by 1803 in Savile Row itself. In 1846, Henry Poole , later credited as

23182-518: The support of the king, who would not entrust the reins of power to the Fox–North Coalition. He also received the support of the House of Lords, which passed supportive motions, and many messages of support from the country at large, in the form of petitions approving of his appointment which influenced some Members to switch their support to Pitt. At the same time, he was granted the Freedom of

23355-665: The system engendered by the leadership of Pitt. Historians conclude that the loss of the American colonies enabled Britain to deal with the French Revolution with more unity and organisation than would otherwise have been the case. Britain turned towards Asia, the Pacific, and later Africa with subsequent exploration leading to the rise of the Second British Empire . The Fox–North Coalition fell in December 1783, after Fox had introduced Edmund Burke 's bill to reform

23528-407: The tailors' working area with the addition of glass frontages and lightwells . The houses have been much altered over time; the original Burlingtonian design has been mostly lost, though No. 14 still retains much of the original external features. The Royal Geographical Society occupied No. 1 from 1870 to 1912, from where significant British exploration was planned, including into Asia, Africa, and

23701-465: The traditional Savile Row styling, they brought twists and "a fine sense of colour to bespoke suits." They were seen to "push the envelope of modern suit making and bespoke active wear, creating more contemporary silhouettes with bolder fabrics," and set out to attract celebrity clients, sell their clothing via supermarket chains, and attract wider national and international custom, raising the profile of their new tailoring style. Mayfair Mayfair

23874-425: The uneasy Fox–North coalition, which included both supporters and detractors of reform. He did not advocate an expansion of the electoral franchise, but he did seek to address bribery and rotten boroughs. Though his proposal failed, many reformers in Parliament came to regard him as their leader, instead of Charles James Fox. Losing the war and the Thirteen Colonies was a shock to the British system. The war revealed

24047-411: The university grounds. Yet he was described as charming and friendly. According to Wilberforce, Pitt had an exceptional wit along with an endearingly gentle sense of humour: "no man ... ever indulged more freely or happily in that playful facetiousness which gratifies all without wounding any." An example of Pitt's innocent wit was recorded by Sir John Sinclair. In the early years' of Pitt's ministry there

24220-485: The view from the rear of the house should not be spoiled. Berkeley Square was laid out to the rear of the house in the 1730s; because of the conditions of sale, houses were only built on the east and west sides. The west side still has various mid-18th-century buildings, and the east side now contains offices including Berkeley Square House. The expansion of Mayfair moved upper-class Londoners away from areas such as Covent Garden and Soho, which were already in decline by

24393-476: The white population from the blacks, and were able to seize some coastal enclaves. The fact that the British had come to restore slavery in St. Domingue inspired ferocious resistance from the Haitians, who had no desire to be forced into chains again. The heavy death toll caused by yellow fever , the much dreaded "black vomit", made conquering St. Domingue impossible, but an undeterred Pitt launched what he called

24566-480: The younger son, Pitt received only a small inheritance.In the months following the death of the Earl of Chatham, Pitt was forced to defend his father's reputation. This came about when the Bute family made claims that the late Lord had sought out the Earl of Bute with the desire to form a political coalition. Pitt although just over nineteen years of age publicly argued that this was not the case. Faced with Pitt's arguments

24739-468: Was Pitt's Secretary of State for War , instructed Sir Adam Williamson, the lieutenant-governor of Jamaica, to sign an agreement with representatives of the French colonists that promised to restore the ancien regime , slavery, and discrimination against mixed-race colonists, a move that drew criticism from abolitionists William Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson . The British landed in St. Domingue on 20 September 1793, stating they had come to protect

24912-619: Was a fort, it is believed the perimeter would have been where the modern Green Street , North Audley Street, Upper Grosvenor Street and Park Lane now are, and that Park Street would have been the main road through the centre. This area was the manor of Eia in the Domesday Book , and owned by Geoffrey de Mandeville after the Norman Conquest . It was subsequently given to the Abbey of Westminster, who owned it until 1536 when it

25085-546: Was added by Beresford Pite , who also added the Chesham arms. The family sold the arcade to the Prudential Assurance Company for £333,000 (now £24,413,000) in 1926. It was bombed during the Second World War and subsequently restored. Allens of Mayfair , one of the best-known butchers in London, was founded in a shop on Mount Street in 1830. It held a Royal warrant of appointment to supply meat to

25258-791: Was alarmed at Russian expansion in the 1780s at the expense of the Ottoman Empire . The relations between Russia and Britain were disturbed during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792 by Pitt's subscription to the view of the Prussian government that the Triple Alliance could not with impunity allow the balance of power in Eastern Europe to be disturbed. In peace talks with the Ottomans, Russia refused to return

25431-833: Was born in Charles Street in 1847, and grew up in the area. Mayfair has had a long association with the United States. Pocahontas is believed to have visited in the early 17th century. In 1786, John Adams established the US Embassy on Grosvenor Square. Theodore Roosevelt was married in Hanover Square, and Franklin D. Roosevelt honeymooned in Berkeley Square. A small memorial park in Mount Street Gardens has benches engraved with

25604-568: Was bought by the Savoy Company in 1895 and rebuilt in red brick. It was extended again in 1931. Several European royal families in exile stayed at the hotel during the Second World War. Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia , was born there on 17 July 1945; the Prime Minister Winston Churchill is said to have declared the suite he was born in to be Yugoslav territory. Flemings Mayfair on Half Moon Street

25777-424: Was built between 1731 and 1735, on freehold land known as Ten Acres belonging to a merchant tailor, William Maddox, as part of the development of the Burlington Estate , and is named after Lady Dorothy Savile , wife of the 3rd Earl of Burlington . Maddox's land, consisting mainly of fruit and other trees covering what would become Savile Row and the streets around, some of which is still owned by his descendants as

25950-458: Was built in the basement ; though it was poorly designed, the Beatles recorded Let It Be there before a new studio was constructed in 1971 at an estimated cost of $ 1.5 million. Various artists, including Badfinger , Mary Hopkin , and Marc Bolan recorded in the basement studio until it closed in May 1975. The Beatles' final live performance, known as the " rooftop concert ", was held on the roof of

26123-606: Was called Savile Street; Irish-born playwright and MP, Richard Brinsley Sheridan lived at 14 Savile Row in 1813–16, till his death. Jules Verne had Phileas Fogg , his lead character in Around the World in Eighty Days , live at 7 Savile Row – a "fashionable address" and "the former home of Sheridan ". It may have been the affluent and influential nature of the residents of Savile Row that first attracted dealers in luxury goods to

26296-469: Was closed in March 2019 and the space taken over by Hackett in June as its flagship store. The original architectural plan for Savile Row is believed to have been drawn up by Colen Campbell , with Henry Flitcroft as the main architect of the street, under the supervision of Daniel Garrett ; though 1 and 22–23 Savile Row were designed by William Kent , who moved into No. 2. These architects were all under

26469-505: Was constructed at 23 Savile Row in 1949-50 and occupied by a series of government ministries, ending with a long period of occupation by English Heritage until 2006. It was demolished in 2009 and replaced by a new mixed-use development designed by Eric Parry , Architects. In July 1968, the Beatles moved Apple Corps , their multimedia corporation, into 3 Savile Row. Apple purchased the building on June   22 for half-a-million pounds (equivalent to £4,400,000 in 2023). A studio

26642-423: Was developed into the "London cut", the house style of Anderson & Sheppard, by Per Anderson, a protégé of Sholte. The "London cut" is a high small armhole with a generous upper sleeve that permits the jacket to remain close to the neck while freeing the arm to move with comfort. Though the reputation of tailoring on Savile Row is for bespoke suits, ready-to-wear clothes were introduced by Gieves & Hawkes ,

26815-773: Was established at No. 148 New Bond Street in 1876. Other galleries in Mayfair include the Maddox Gallery on Maddox Street , and the Halcyon Gallery . The Handel House Museum at No. 25 Brook Street opened in 2001. George Frideric Handel was the first resident from 1723 until his death in 1759. Most of his major works, including Messiah , and Music for the Royal Fireworks were composed here. The museum held an exhibition of Jimi Hendrix , who lived in an upper-floor flat in neighbouring No. 23 Brook Street in 1968–69. William Pitt

26988-432: Was extensively modified through the 18th century, and is the only one of this era to survive into the 21st century. The origins of major development began when Sir Thomas Grosvenor, 3rd Baronet , married Mary Davies, heiress to part of the Manor of Ebury , in 1677. The Grosvenor family gained 500 acres (200 ha) of land, of which around 100 acres (40 ha) lay south of Oxford Street and east of Park Lane. The land

27161-452: Was found and the House was closed. Modernisation of tailoring continued in 1969 with Nutters of Savile Row. Nutters of Savile Row was opened on Valentine's Day 1969 by Tommy Nutter and Edward Sexton , who had worked together at Donaldson, Williamson & Ward. Financially backed by Cilla Black and Peter Brown of the Beatles Apple Corps, Nutters used bold window displays, created by the then unknown Simon Doonan ; and clients included

27334-548: Was founded in 1768 by George III and is the oldest fine arts society in the world. Its founding president was Sir Joshua Reynolds . The academy holds classes and exhibitions, and students have included John Constable and J. M. W. Turner . It moved from Somerset House to Trafalgar Square in 1837, sharing with the National Gallery , before moving to Burlington House in 1868. The academy hosts an annual Summer Exhibition , showing over 1,000 contemporary works of art that can be submitted by anyone. The Fine Art Society gallery

27507-584: Was great interest in the new young First minister. Sinclair was required to write an account of Pitt to satisfy foreign curiosity when he was abroad. At the end of a long description of Britain's eminent leader he added: ‘Of all the places where you have been, where did you fare best?’ My answer was, ‘In Poland; for the nobility live there with uncommon taste and splendour; their cooks are French,- their confectioners Italian, - and their wine Tokey.’ He immediately observed, ‘I have heard before of The Polish diet.’ In 1776, Pitt, plagued by poor health, took advantage of

27680-399: Was much less than the prosecutions of suspected Jacobites after the rebellions of 1715 and 1745. However, the spy network maintained by the government was efficient. In Jane Austen 's novel Northanger Abbey , which was written in the 1790s, but not published until 1817, one of the characters remarks that it is not possible for a family to keep secrets in these modern times when spies for

27853-479: Was named after King George I, the Elector of Hanover, soon after his ascension to the throne in 1714. The original houses were inhabited by "persons of distinction" such as retired generals. Although most have been demolished, a small number have survived to the present day. The Hanover Square Rooms became a popular place for classical music concerts, including Johann Christian Bach , Joseph Haydn , Niccolò Paganini and Franz Liszt . A large statue of William Pitt

28026-481: Was one of the greatest prime ministers "if on no other ground than that he enabled the country to pass from the old order to the new without any violent upheaval ... He understood the new Britain." For this he is ranked highly amongst all British prime ministers in multiple surveys. Pitt served as prime minister for a total of eighteen years, 343 days, making him the second-longest-serving British prime minister of all time, after Robert Walpole . William Pitt,

28199-400: Was opened in 1851 by Robert Fleming, who worked for Henry Paget, 2nd Marquess of Anglesey . It is the second-oldest independent hotel in London. The London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square on the corner of Grosvenor Square and Duke Street was the first Marriott Hotel in Britain. It opened as the Europa Hotel in 1961 and was bought by Marriott in 1985. It was a popular place for visitors to

28372-436: Was put in a difficult situation. He wanted to replace his friend Westmorland, who was Lord Lieutenant, with Lord Camden, whom he could trust. However, one of Portland's group, Earl Fitzwilliam, wanted the position. Pitt, to keep Portland on side, appointed Fitzwilliam but allowed the new Lord Liuetantant to believe that he had free range to reform the government in Ireland. Thus when Fitzwilliam's reforms became public in London he

28545-459: Was quickly recalled and Camden replaced him. This ensured Pitt had his man in Dublin Castle, whilst also retaining Portland and his group. The unfortunate effect was to produce optimism amongst Irish Catholics who wanted political reform. In May 1798, the long-simmering unrest in Ireland exploded into outright rebellion with the United Irishmen Society launching a revolt to win independence for Ireland. Pitt took an extremely repressive approach to

28718-417: Was referred to as "The Hundred Acres" in early deeds. In 1721, the London Journal reported "the ground upon which the May Fair formerly was held is marked out for a large square, and several fine streets and houses are to be built upon it". Sir Richard Grosvenor, 4th Baronet , asked the surveyor Thomas Barlow to design the street layout, which has survived mostly intact to the present day despite most of

28891-411: Was regarded as an outstanding administrator who worked for efficiency and reform, bringing in a new generation of competent administrators. He increased taxes to pay for the great war against France and cracked down on radicalism. To counter the threat of Irish support for France, he engineered the Acts of Union 1800 and tried (but failed) to secure Catholic emancipation as part of the Union. He created

29064-421: Was seen as a refreshing change from the dishonesty, corruption and lack of principles widely associated with both Fox and North. Despite a series of defeats in the House of Commons, Pitt defiantly remained in office, watching the Coalition's majority shrink as some Members of Parliament left the Opposition to abstain. In March 1784, Parliament was dissolved, and a general election ensued. An electoral defeat for

29237-416: Was strongly opposed to Catholic emancipation ; he argued that to grant additional liberty would violate his coronation oath , in which he had promised to protect the established Church of England . Pitt, unable to change the king's strong views, resigned on 16 February 1801 so as to allow Henry Addington , his political friend, to form a new administration. At about the same time, however, the king suffered

29410-493: Was taken away from him by an ultimatum from King George III. Pitt could either resign or go to war. Committed to making Britain financially stable Pitt agreed, albeit very reluctantly, to go to war against the French Revolutionaries. Though France's declaration of hostilities against Britain meant that Britain was forced into war. Subsequently, in 1794, Pitt's administration tried three of them for treason but lost. Parliament began to enact repressive legislation in order to silence

29583-493: Was taken over by King Henry VIII during the dissolution of the monasteries . Mayfair consisted mainly of open fields until development began in the Shepherd Market area around 1686–88 to accommodate the May Fair, which had moved from Haymarket in St James's because of overcrowding. There were some buildings before 1686. A cottage in Stanhope Row, dating from 1618, was destroyed in the Blitz in late 1940. A 17th-century English Civil War fortification established in what

29756-481: Was the last parliamentary reform proposal introduced by Pitt to British legislators. His administration secure, Pitt could begin to enact his agenda. His first major piece of legislation as prime minister was the India Act 1784 , which re-organised the British East India Company and kept a watch over corruption. The India Act created a new Board of Control to oversee the affairs of the East India Company. It differed from Fox's failed India Bill 1783 and specified that

29929-482: Was tutored by George Pretyman , who became a close personal friend and looked after Pitt whilst at University. Pitt later appointed Pretyman Bishop of Lincoln , then Winchester , and drew upon his advice throughout his political career. While at Cambridge, he befriended the young William Wilberforce , who became a lifelong friend and political ally in Parliament. Pitt tended to socialise only with fellow students and others already known to him, rarely venturing outside

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