Notting Hill Living
Blenheim Crescent
This is one of 47 streets in London named after the Duke of Marlborough’s famous victory over the French. On 13th August 1704, the British and Austrian army under Marlborough (John Churchill) overwhelmed a larger French and Bavarian army near the village of Blenheim in Bavaria.
Work on Blenheim Crescent began on the south side in 1861. For the most part this was land owned by Charles Blake and he had entered into an agreement for its development with Charles Chambers, a timber merchant. Nos. 83 and 85 were taken personally by Chambers. Chambers assigned or subcontracted the building of many of the houses and arranged for Blake to issue leases direct to his chosen contractors. Henry Heard, a pub owner, built Nos. 87-91 (odd). Thomas Wesson, a builder, built Nos. 93-115 and Nos. 129-135 (odd). Benjamin Reynolds, a builder, took Nos. 117-127 (odd).
Chambers himself acquired the freehold of the rest and granted leases direct to his chosen builders in 1863. Richard Crowley was the builder of No. 53. Thomas May, a surveyor contracted with Chambers to built Nos. 55 to 77 (odd). He used contractors to build Nos. 55 to 73, but sold his rights in Nos. 75 and 77 to Alfred and George Secrett, who took the leases. Nos. 79 and 81 were built by John Scoley.
On the north side, a similar arrangement between Blake and Chambers applied. Chambers arranged for Blake to grant leases of most of the plots in 1863 to his chosen builders. Thomas Wesson took Nos. 68-78 and 92-98 even. Nos. 62-66 were granted to J S C Small, a plasterer, and Nos. 80 to 82 went to John Burton, a builder from Cornhill. The isolated house, No. 36, on the corner with Ladbroke Grove went to George Drew, an architect, in 1864.
