In Victorian London most of the poor lived in what would be called slum housing. During the 18th century many ramshackle ‘courts’ had been built as a result of speculative infilling behind street frontages. However, the reputation of one court stands out. For at least 40 years, from the 1830s, there was an enclave in The Royal Borough… Continue reading The worst slum in London
Tag: Albert Grant
A pebble on his grave: Albert Grant 1831-1899
He was once so eye-wateringly rich, he bought Leicester Square when it was under threat of redevelopment, just to give it to the nation.
Light Up the Sky Like a Flame
Few Londoners know how close they once came to losing Leicester Square. Without Baron Albert Grant it would have been ‘Farewell Leicester Square’ in 1874, when the private gardens that we know as the square were earmarked to build a department store. The square had been plunging downmarket since the previous century, when the likes… Continue reading Light Up the Sky Like a Flame