William John Drew was a relative of John Drew, a Pimlico builder. In 1833 they had combined to build Nos. 11-19 Ladbroke Grove. This may has been W J Drew's introduction to the Ladbroke estate. In the 1830s W J Drew entered into a building agreement with J W Ladbroke, the freehold owner, to take an area of building land on either side of Ladbroke Road, between Ladbroke Grove and Portland Road.
Drew built about 50 houses in his allocation and the leases were granted either to him or to his nominees. The building work was carried out throughout the 1840s. Most of Drew's houses were designed by Thomas Allason.
Drew did not build any more houses after 1851, but he lived until 1878.