King Street
Names
- King Street
- King's Street
Street/Area/District
- King Street
Maps & Views
- 1720 London (Strype): King Street
- 1736 London (Moll & Bowles): King Street
- 1746 London, Westminster & Southwark (Rocque): King Street
- 1761 London (Dodsley): King Street
- 1799 London (Horwood): King Street
Descriptions
from A New View of London, by Edward Hatton (1708)
King street (St. James's) a pleasant and considerable str. betn the middle of St. James's square NE. and a passage to St. James's str. SW. L. 170 Yds, and from Cha+ [Charing Cross] W. 640 Yds.
from A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster, by John Strype (1720)
King's-street, a good handsome Street, which fronts St. James's Square Eastwards, and Westwards it hath a Passage through an open paved Alley, called Little King's-street, into St. James's-street. On the South Side is Angel Court, not over well built or inhabited; and near unto this, is a long Yard for Coaches and Stablings, useful for the Gentry in these Parts.
from London and Its Environs Described, by Robert and James Dodsley (1761)
King street. Many of these streets first received their present name, after the restoration, in honour of King Charles II. or of monarchy in general. ... St. James’s square.
from Lockie's Topography of London, by John Lockie (1810)
King-Street, St. James's Square,—on the W. side, leading to Little King-st. and 12, St. James's st. near the Palace.
from A Topographical Dictionary of London and Its Environs, by James Elmes (1831)
King St.—is on the west side of St. James's-square, and leads into St. James's-street, by a new street now forming.
from London Past and Present: Its History, Associations, and Traditions, by Henry Benjamin Wheatley and Peter Cunningham (1891)
King Street, St. James's Square to St. James's Street. Built 1673; until 1830 there was no carriage communication with St. James's Street, but only a narrow court. At the time this court was removed, Crockford's or St. James's Bazaar was erected in 1832 on the land on the south side, having a saloon 200 feet by 40 feet, designed by G. Bond, architect, and continued by Sir J. Pennethorne. Some of the Exhibitions of Art designs in connection with the new Houses of Parliament were held here. Later it was transformed into chambers, and in 1883–1884 the interior was thoroughly rebuilt for the Junior Army and Navy Club, under Wyatt Papworth, architect. Saville, Lord Halifax, was one of its earliest inhabitants. Willis's Rooms (Almack's) and the St. James's Theatre are in this street, on the south side, and nearly opposite, at No. 8, are the rooms of Messrs. Christie, Manson, and Woods, where the chief picture sales of the season take place. A great picture sale is a sight worth seeing. Here, May 4, 1749, Charlotte Smith was born. About 1712 Pope wrote a long letter "to Mrs. Theresa Blount, next door to my Lord Salisbury's, in King Street, by St James's Square." Sir John Pringle, President of the Royal Society, whom Johnson disliked so cordially, died January 1782 "at his apartments in King Street, St James's Square." Sir William Hamilton was staying here at the close of 1783, when he purchased the famous Barberini (Portland) Vase.
December 31, 1783.—We went to my uncle Sir W. H., at the Hotel, King Street, St. James's: ye Dss. [of Portland] was already there; saw ye fine Vase, etc.—Miss Hamilton's Diary (Delany vol. vi. p. 192).
Miss Hamilton arranged the purchase of the vase. Nerot's Hotel was No. 19, and here on November 8, 1800, Nelson, on his arrival in London after the battle of the Nile, found his wife and his father waiting for him; and here he took up his abode, but on the 18th he dates from Dover Street. The London lodging of Prince Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III.) was at No. 3A in this Street.