Bond Street Buildings

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Westminster, Middlesex, England

Contents 1 Overview 2 Old Bond Street 2.1 Number 35 2.1.1 1805 - Carriage and Harness Shop 2.1.2 1805 - Business for Sale? 2.1.3 1806 - William Burnand Curricle and Gig Maker 2.1.4 1824 - Henry Watson selling carpets 3 New Bond Street 3.1 91 / 98 3.1.1 1858-1960 Harris Holland Gunsmith 4 Research Notes 4.1 35 Old Bond Street 5 Sources

Overview

This page is a stub to which people can add history of the different buildings on Old Bond Street and New Bond Street in Westminster, London

The buildings were renumbered at least once. The different numbering can be seen on a map from 1800 and the Goad's Insurance Map. (Images to be added)

Old Bond Street

Old Bond Street, originally just Bond Street, was named after Sir Thomas Bond 1st Baronet of Peckham who was the lead investor in a consortium that bought and demolished Clarendon House building Dover Street, Abermarle Street and Bond Street.

Number 35

1805 - Carriage and Harness Shop

In July 1805 35 Old Bond Street was being used as a carriage, harness and accessories shop. It buys and sells new and second-hand carriages does repairs and at the least finishes carriages to order, and perhaps building them too. This may be William Burnand but the advert does not give the shop name.

No. 35, Old Bond-street (Manufactory, Long-yard, Foundling).- To be Sold, a neat FAMILY BAROUCHE and Harness just out of use, very cheap. A neat variety of new and old good Gigs, Shooting and Military Chaises; several Sociable, Landau, and Barouche Bodies, ready to be finished to any colour, and sent to gentleman to hang on their own carriages; a light Curricle with Pole and Shafts, a ditto Small Phaeton; all kinds of Harness, Wheels, and Repairs, on the best terms. Carriages bought. Basket Conveyance for Pointers fixed to gentlemen's own gigs, in 2 hours. [1]

1805 - Business for Sale?

In September 1805 an advert was placed in the Morning Post newspaper looking to sell a long established business. It seems likely that the business being sold is not at the address given (35 Old Bond St) and that Mr Burnand just the person fielding enquiries. It is also not known what "manufacturing silver line" means although search for "silver line" on the papers of the time seems to show adverts for jewellers and silversmiths. The Bank of England Inflation Calculator estimates that the business was being offered for approx. £104,000-139,000 at today's costs (2023). Michaelmas was celebrated on 29th September.

A LUCRATIVE TRADE to be DISPOSED OF at Michaelmas next, out of the Freedom, now in full trade, capable of great improvement in the MANUFACTURING SILVER LINE, which has been carried on with great reputation upwards of 25 years; will take from 1500l to 2000l to conduct the same, and may be extended to three times that capital, returned four times a year. The Freehold may be purchased, or a Lease granted by the present owner, retiring through ill health. Enquire of Mr Burnand, 35 Old Bond-Street. Letters, post paid, duly attended.[2]

1806 - William Burnand Curricle and Gig Maker

In 1806 William Burnand had a carriage making business at 35 Old Bond Street and is advertising in the British Press. It is assumed that this is the same business from the earlier advert in July 1805.

WILLIAM BURNAND, CURRICLE and GIG BUILDER, No. 35, OLD BOND-STREET, a few doors from Piccadilly, London, returns his Thanks to those Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have honoured him with Orders since his Commencement in Business, and begs to inform them and the Gentry in general, that he has always CURRICLE, GIGS, SPORTING CARRIAGES, &c. &c. in a forward state, so as to be finished in a few days, to the first and most approved fashion, extremely light, and equally strong, and at much lower prices than any other in the Trade.- All kinds of the most fashionable harness, at the shortest notice. N.B. No concern with the Business, No. 91 New Bond-street. [3]

Curricles are two-wheeled owner-driven chaises pulled by a pair of horses. They have room for a driver and a passenger. They would have a hood but were open to the elements at the front. A gig was similar but was pulled by a single horse.^[4]

1824 - Henry Watson selling carpets

In 1824 there is a new occupant, a Mr Henry Watson. He placed an advert in the Morning Herald in March about a new delivery of what we would today probably call Persian Rugs.

TURKEY CARPETS.--- HENRY WATSON respectfully informs his Friends and the Public in general, he has just received a large consignment of TURKEY CARPETS, in great variety of sizes, from 10 feet to 39 feet in length, by proportionate widths, to be SOLD, on very resonable terms.- No. 35, Old Bond-street. [5]

While he may have been selling a variety of household furniture and goods, it is possible he specialised in carpets and rugs as there is another advert in 1834, also in the Morning Herald, for Watson & Co at the same address that also is for carpets. While this mentions Turkish carpets again it also includes Axminster, Wilton, Tourney velvet and Brussels carpets, which would be more like modern fitted carpets today but made up of strips rather than a whole. ^[6]

New Bond Street

91 / 98

1858-1960 Harris Holland Gunsmith

Originally a tobacconist Harris Holland started selling guns from 9 King Street, Holborn in 1846. He had the shop at 98 New Bond Street from 1858 until 1960.

Harris' nephew Henry William Holland joined the business in 1876 becoming Holland & Holland.

They originally sold guns made by others to their own specification, but in 1893 also established a factory on the Harrow Road. ^[7]

The shop appears on the Goad's Insurance Map.

In the 1921 census Henry (age 75) is still working at 98 New Bond Street as a Gun Maker. He is living with his wife, Anne, and 7 servants at 22, Queen's Gate, Kensington.^[8]

Research Notes

35 Old Bond Street

Are there any records (electoral rolls / land tax maybe?) for 1780-1805 that name the earlier occupant.

Sources

1. ↑ Morning Chronicle - Wednesday 03 July 1805: p1 col 2
   Newspaper Archive (accessed 6 Jun 2023)
2. ↑ Morning Post 21 September 1805: p1, col 2
   FindMyPast (accessed 5 Jun 2023)
3. ↑ British Press Newspaper, 14 March 1806: p1, col 3
   FindMyPast (accessed 5 Jun 2023) The same advert was also placed on 1 Apr 1806.
4. ↑ Curricles, gigs and phaetons in the Regency: Rachel Knowles, RegencyHistory.net Regency History Website (accessed 5 Jun 2023)
5. ↑ Morning Herald (London) - Wednesday 10 March 1824: p1, col 3
   British Newspaper Archive (accessed 6 Jun 2023)
6. ↑ Morning Herald (London) - Monday 20 January 1834: p4, col 6
   British Newspaper Archive (accessed 6 Jun 2023)
7. ↑ A Harris Holland restored: Vintage Gun Journal , June 2019, Vintage Gun Journal (accessed 14 Jun 2023)
   Published by Vintage Guns Ltd on 26th June 2019
8. ↑ 1921 Census: "1921 Census Of England & Wales"
   Archive: The National Archives; Series: RG 15; Piece number: 00110; District reference: RD 2 RS 1 ED 24
   FindMyPast Image - FindMyPast Transcription (accessed 14 June 2023)
   Henry W Holland (75), married, Gun Maker, head of household at 22, Queen's Gate in Kensington registration district in London & Middlesex, England. Born in London, London, England.