First Draft.
This post was prompted by the discovery of a reference to a property of Henry Cheere in Westminster which I wasn't aware of until recently.
It is not yet clear to me whether this property was part of his portfolio of investment properties or was a workshop.
I have written at some length on the Marble and Stonemasons and Marble and Stone importers in Westminster in the 18th Century. The Chapman Birds, the Del Medicos and
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2025/07/edward-chapman-bird-1715-92-marble.html
The Paragraphs below from -
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol10/pt1/pp7-14#:~:text=In%201750%20Westminster%20Bridge%20was,in%20front%20of%20George%20Yard.
The limits were: "In a line beginning at the south-east
end of Bow Street, otherwise Thieving Lane … and going northwards along the
west side of King Street to the southeast angle of Brown's Alley, and then
going westward to the south-west angle of the said alley, including the whole
thereof; from thence proceeding northward along the west side of the party wall
dividing the freehold estate of John Wiseman, Esquire, from certain other
premises belonging to the Provost and Fellows of Eton College and Humphreys
Ram, now in the tenure of Joseph Waring, to Gardener's Lane; and then
proceeding westward along the south side of the said lane to the north-west
corner thereof next to Duke Street; then proceeding southward along the east
side of Duke Street and the east and south-east sides of Delahaye Street, as
far as the party wall dividing two houses situate at the north end of Long
Ditch; one whereof is now in the occupation of Richard Turner, apothecary, and
the other in the occupation of John Snow, bricklayer, not taking in the said
house now occupied by the said John Snow, or any part thereof; then proceeding
eastward 140 feet along the north side of the wall which parts the garden of
the said Richard Turner from the yard and garden of the said John Snow, and from
thence returning southward 50 feet to a break dividing the ground of … Duvall
from other land in the tenure or occupation of Henry Cheere Esquire; and then
going from the said break eastward 100 feet to the west side of Rose Alley,
situate on the north side of Bow Street, otherwise Thieving Lane, aforesaid;
then beginning at the south-west angle of Rose Alley aforesaid, and going
eastward along the north side of Bow Street … as far as the south-east angle
thereof next King Street; secondly, beginning at the south-east corner of
Prince's Court … and going northward along the east side of St. James's Park
wall 140 feet in length, then going eastward to Delahaye Street, along the
south side of the party wall of the house now in the tenure of … Streach Esquire,
but not including the same, then going southward along the west side of
Delahaye Street, as far as and unto the south-east corner of Prince's Court
aforesaid."
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In 1750 Westminster Bridge was completed and Bridge Street,
its new western approach, opened out into Parliament Street and King Street
directly in front of George Yard. The continuation of Bridge Street westwards
seemed a quite obvious improvement, but it was left to a private individual to
carry it out as a speculation. In 1752–3 James Mallors (the builder of Nos. 43
and 44 Parliament Street) obtained an Act of Parliament (fn. n36) authorising
him "to open a street from the west side of King Street "… to the
back part of the houses, gardens and yards on the west side of Delahaye
Street." The preamble states that the making of such a large, spacious and
publick new street … would be not only extremely conducive to the benefit of
the said parishes of Saint Margaret and St. John the Evangelist, but highly
advantageous and convenient to the publick in general, as well as a great
ornament to the antient City of Westminster, more especially if such houses
only as are fit for the habitation of persons of fortune and distinction, were
erected and built on each side of the said street."
Mallors, therefore, was empowered to acquire ground and
houses on a site bounded roughly by King Street, Gardener's Lane (western
portion), St. James's Park and Bow Street (Thieving Lane) (fn. n37) (see Plate
13) and was [Page 013] authorised to carry out exchanges of property with the
Dean and Chapter of Westminster, who owned portions of the site. Provision was
made for the new street to have a width of 60 feet at the least, and for
"good and substantial houses" to be built on each side of the street,
each with a frontage of not less than 25 feet.
In place of the old Delahay
Street it was enacted that "a free and open street or passage, of the
breadth of 26 feet 6 inches at the least, shall be laid out, made, preserved
and kept open at all times for the use of the publick, and extending from that
part of the north end of a street called Long Ditch, which is opposite or near
to Princes Court, as far as and unto the south end of Duke Street."
On obtaining his parliamentary powers Mallors promptly
mortgaged them to Samuel Cox of the New Temple. (fn. n38) Subsequent financial
arrangements are too complicated to be detailed.
The Plan of Westminster From Roque - 1746.
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The Plan of Westminster from Stow's Survey published in 1755.
This plan was completely out of date when this edition was published in 1755.
Stows Survey first publihed in 1598, then reprinted in 1603.
John Strype (1643-1737), the ecclesiastical historian and
biographer, published a new, hugely expanded version of Stow’s Survey of London
in 1720.
for the 1733 edition see -
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433004053397&seq=4
Before the building of Great George St descibed as- "houses only as are fit for the habitation of persons
of fortune and distinction"
(subsequently partially demolished in 1806 and the north side demolished between 1898 and 1915).
The only surviving façade from Mellors' original structures
is number 11 (built 1756 for George Amyand) which is now part of the Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors headquarters.
The houses on the east side of Parliament Street form part
of an eighteenth-century development initiated by the Westminster Bridge
Commissioners.
Between 1741 and 1750, the old buildings were cleared, and the
street was laid out as part of the associated works for the new stone bridge
which replaced the ferry across the Thames. The architect for nos 2 and 3 was probably Sir Robert Taylor
built c.1756 and are the only
buildings to survive from the Georgian terrace, and they retain many of their
splendid original features.
https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/northern-estate/normanshaw-parliament-st21/
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A few notes on Great Geoege St and Parliament Street.
No. 29 Great George Street: (Demolished). Middlesex Memorials, 1756, II., 304.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol10/pt1/pp46-48
A lease of 4th November, 1755 deals with "a
parcell of ground and messuage and other buildings . . . thereon situate on the
north side of … Great George Street … being the eleventh house on the north
side … reckoning from King Street," and containing in front and rear 33
feet 1 inch and on each side 120 feet. The rear of the plot to the depth of 20
feet was reserved "as and for an open free and publick stable yard, way
and passage" (Boar's Head Yard).
In letters from the 1790s, three men were living
at No. 29 — Joshua Smith and his sons-in-law Charles, Lord Compton (of Castle
Ashby in Northamptonshire) and William Chute (of The Vyne in Hampshire).
The names of the owners of this house up to 1840,
according to the ratebooks, are as follows:—
1761–71. Lord
Ferrers.
1774–1812. Joshua
Smith.
1812 - 34. Alexander
Copeland.
1835 - Dr. Stephen
Lushington.
“No. 15, South side Great George St Newspaper ad of 1802
To be Sold by Private Contract, by Mr. CHRISTIE,
A Singularly elegant LEASEHOLD HOUSE, with two coach houses,
roomy four-stall stable, &c. … with views from the balcony into St. James’s
Park and Westminster-bridge, from which a most perfect free circulation of air
rendering the premises chearful, airy, healthy, &c. The premises have, on the parlour floor, a
library, dressing room, and elegant dining parlour, spacious entrance hall,
with folding doors, paved with marble; first floor, a suit [sic] of three spacious
apartments, the two principal ones laid together occasionally by folding doors,
the windows of the front room opening down to the floor into balconies; four
spacious bedchambers and patent water closet on the second floor; five
excellent bedchambers on the attics, principal staircase of easy ascent, and
back staircase; basement story, butler’s pantry, housekeeper’s room, store
room, and excellent wine cellars, servant’s hall, detached kitchen, wash house,
and laundry, capital arched vault for pipes of wine. the premises have been
recently put into the most elegant and complete repair, fit for the immediate
reception of a large family. The locality of the premises to both Houses of
Parliament, St. James’s Park, Westminster Bridge, and within one shilling fare
of Court, Places of Amusement, &c renders the premises particularly
eligible. — To be viewed with tickets, and further particulars known in Pall
Mall.”
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This is an useful website for giving some idea of the appearence of London Streets -
London Street Views by John Tallis produced from 1838-1847.
https://londonstreetviews.wordpress.com/about/
https://londonstreetviews.wordpress.com/category/73-parliament-street-nos-1-55/
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Ordnance Survey Map of the same area 1880's.
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