Pimlico 149606 225023361 2008-07-11T14:43:08Z Kingkong77 7371038 {{otheruses1|the area in [[London]]}} {{infobox UK place| |official_name= Pimlico |map_type= Greater London |latitude= 51.490551 |longitude= -0.133761 |country= England |london_borough= Westminster |region= London |constituency_westminster= [[Cities of London and Westminster (UK Parliament constituency)|Cities of London and Westminster]] |post_town= LONDON |postcode_area= SW |postcode_district= SW1 |dial_code= 020 |os_grid_reference= TQ295785 }} '''Pimlico''' is a small area of central [[London]] in the [[City of Westminster]] that is primarily residential and well known for its collection of small hotels and impressive [[Regency architecture]]. The area is roughly delimited by [[Victoria station (London)|Victoria Railway Station]] to the north and the [[River Thames]] to the south, spanned by [[Vauxhall Bridge]]. At its centre lies the Pimlico 'Grid', a highly desirable residential area bordered by Belgrave Road to the East, Westmoreland Terrace to the West, Lupus Street to the South and Eccleston Square to the North. The Grid is populated by handsome, stucco-fronted late Regency/early Victorian properties. The entire district was formerly owned by the [[Duke of Westminster|Grosvenor family]]. The large majority of the buildings in Pimlico are residential and were designed by the architect/builder [[Thomas Cubitt]]. A statue of Cubitt can be seen in the area. Notable residents have included [[Sir Winston Churchill]], [[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart]], Paddy Jones, [[Laura Ashley]], [[Swami Vivekananda]], [[Laurence Olivier]], [[Jomo Kenyatta]], [[Douglas Macmillan]], [[Aubrey Beardsley]], [[Joseph Conrad]], [[Major Walter Clopton Wingfield]], [[Michael Howard]], [[Richard Dadd]], and [[Francis Urquhart]] ([[fiction]]al). == History == In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Manor of Ebury (from which Pimlico's Ebury Street gets its name) was divided up and leased by the Crown to servants or favourites. In 1623, [[James I of England|James I]] sold the freehold of Ebury for £1,151 and 15 shillings (£1,151.75). The land was sold on several more times, until it came into the hands of heiress Mary Davies in 1666. [[Image:Millbank Thomas Hosmer Shepherd pub 1829.jpg|thumb|230px|[[Millbank Prison]] in the 1820s.]] [[Image:Millbank Cassell's large-scale map of London c 1867.jpg|thumb|230px|1867 map of Pimlico]] [[Image:ThomasCubittStatuePimlico.jpg|thumb|Statue of [[Thomas Cubitt]] by William Fawke in [[Denbigh]] Street]] Mary's dowry not only included "The Five Fields" of modern-day Pimlico and [[Belgravia]], but also most of what is now [[Mayfair]] and [[Knightsbridge]]. Understandably, she was much pursued, but in 1677 married Sir Thomas Grosvenor. The Grosvenors were a family of [[Normans|Norman]] descent long seated at Eaton Hall in Cheshire who until this auspicious marriage were but of local consequence in their native county of [[Cheshire]]. Through the development and good management of this land the Grosvenors acquired enormous wealth. At some point in the late 17th or early 18th century, Pimlico ceased to be known as Ebury or "The Five Fields", and gained the name by which it is now known: : At one time a district of public gardens much frequented on holidays. According to tradition, it received its name from Ben Pimlico, famous for his nut-brown [[ale]], His tea-gardens, however, were near [[Hoxton]], and the road to them was termed Pimlico Path, so that what is now called Pimlico was so named from the popularity of the Hoxton resort. ([http://www.bartleby.com/81/13282.html/ Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, ''Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable'', 1898 edn.]). [[Image:Pimlico buttress 1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Pimlico was not all salubrious. This buttress commemorates the district's [[Millbank Prison]] (1816–1880). Originally, this was on the spot from which prisoners were transported to Australia.(October 2005)]] The name may also derive from a Spanish word for drink, or even from the [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] [[Pamlico|Pamlican tribe]], as many locals believe. By the 19th century, and as a result of an increase in demand for property in the previously unfashionable West End of London following the [[Great Plague of London]] and the [[Great Fire of London]], Pimlico had become ripe for development. In 1825, [[Thomas Cubitt]] was contracted by Lord Grosvenor to develop Pimlico. The land up to this time had been marshy but was reclaimed using soil excavated during the construction of [[St Katharine Docks|St. Katherine's Dock]]. <ref>I never knew that about London: Christopher Winn. ISBN 9480091918576</ref> Cubitt developed Pimlico in the form of a grid, with handsome white stucco terraces (sometimes with mews behind them) and large garden squares. As early as the latter half of the century, however, Pimlico saw the construction of several [[George Peabody|Peabody Estates]] - charitable housing projects designed to provide affordable, quality homes. In addition, in the post-[[World War II]] period, several large public housing estates were built in the area - on land cleared by [[Germany|German]] bombing - and many of the fine [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] houses were converted to other uses, such as hotels. This led to the area developing an interesting social mix, and an unusual character combining exclusive restaurants and residences with [[Westminster City Council]] run facilities. In 1950, embarrassed by the slums and brothels with which Pimlico had become associated in the press and criminal courts, the Second Duke of Westminster sold the part of the Grosvenor estate on which it is built. Now, as in Central London in general, Pimlico property prices are high, and the area is again fashionable. A large number of houses have once again been repurposed, being divided into one or two bedroom flats intended for wealthy [[yuppies|young professionals]]. == Notable buildings == [[Image:Tate.britain.arp.750pix.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Tate Britain on Millbank. (November 2004).]] Pimlico's most famous building is the [[Tate Britain]] on [[Millbank, London, England|Millbank]]. Millbank is a ward independent of Pimlico. So the Tate is not on Millbank, it is in Millbank but has Pimlico underground station located close by. This is the original Tate Gallery and is home, as the name suggests, primarily to art of specifically British origin. (This rule is frequently broken, however.) The district's association with fine art has been reinforced by the [[Chelsea College of Art and Design]]'s recent move to the former Royal Army Medical College next to the Tate. This has also had the happy result of opening up the spacious college quadrangle so that the three extensive and elaborate red brick college blocks can be appreciated (see picture below). Pimlico is also home, on its boundary with [[Belgravia]], to the [[National Audit Office (United Kingdom)|National Audit Office]], which occupies the former headquarters of [[Imperial Airways]] on [[Buckingham Palace]] Road as well as the National Records of Statistics. Hide Tower. Landmark building of 162 flats over twenty floors; built by Westminster City Council, completed 1962. Now 51% 'owned' by private leasees. Overlooking Vincent Square, to the west and the Houses of Parliament to the N East. See numerous Hide Tower sites on You-Tube. == Notable residents == [[Image:Royal army medical college 1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The former Royal Army Medical College (north block), now part of [[Chelsea College of Art and Design]]. (October 2005)]] [[Image:Pimlico street.jpg|thumb|250px|A street in Pimlico that characteristically mixes grand Victorian town-houses with 1970s council housing.]] *[[Laura Ashley]], designer - 83 Cambridge Street *[[Aubrey Beardsley]], illustrator - 114 Cambridge Street *[[James Crump]], founder of St. Aubyn's School, Woodford Green - 86 Cambridge Street *[[Major Walter Clopton Wingfield]], father of lawn tennis - 33 St George's Square *[[Laurence Olivier]], actor - 22 Lupus Street *[[Mary Shelley]], author of Frankenstein *[[Barbara Pym]], writer - 108 Cambridge Street *[[Steve Hackett]], former [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] guitarist *[[Wilfrid Brambell]], actor, star of [[Steptoe and Son]] - Denbigh Street *[[Michael Howard]], former leader of the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] *[[Douglas Macmillan]], founder of cancer relief - Ranelagh Road *[[Alex Salmond]] MP, MSP, [[First Minister of Scotland]] *[[Hugh Bayley]] MP, for [[York]] *[[Catherine Johnson]], creator of the musical [[Mamma Mia!]] *[[Anthony Davis]], comedian and broadcaster *[[Jack Megaw]], photographer/photojournalist == In fiction == In [[Wilkie Collins]]' ''[[Armadale (novel)|Armadale]]'' (1866), Pimlico is home to the conniving procuress Mother Oldershaw and the sly abortionist Doctor Downward. The address of their shady establishment is given as Diana Street, apparently fictional. Post-World War II Pimlico was the setting of the story of the [[Ealing Studios|Ealing comedy]] ''[[Passport To Pimlico]]'', as well as of the juvenile detective series ''The Pimlico Boys'' by Paul Dorval, and the online graphic novel ''The House in Pimlico''. [[Barbara Pym]] used St. Gabriel's Church, Warwick Square, as her inspiration for St. Mary's, an [[Anglo-Catholic]] church and the chosen place of worship of Mildred Lathbury, her narrator in ''[[Excellent Women]]''. Mildred - unmarried, just over thirty and given to good works, finds herself naturally 'involved or interested in other people's business'. The arrival of exotic neighbours and an elegant widow at the vicarage brings scope for a carefully observed social comedy. "I began to wonder what could have brought a naval officer and his wife to this shabby part of London, so very much the 'wrong' side of Victoria Station, so definitely ''not'' [[Belgravia]], for which I had a sentimental affection, but which did not usually attract people who looked like Mrs Napier." ''[[Excellent Women]]'' by [[Barbara Pym]] (Jonathan Cape, London, 1952) Maisie Dobbs (the title character of Jacqueline Winspear's mystery series set in post-World War I England) buys a flat in Pimlico in the third book. [[Virginia Woolf]] makes passing reference to Pimlico in her novel ''[[Mrs Dalloway]]'', using it to denote the colourful lower-class character of one of the poor people waiting outside [[Buckingham Palace]] to glimpse royalty: '[...] The Prince - ah! the Prince! who took wonderfully, they said, after old King Edward, but was ever so much slimmer. The Prince lived at [[St. James's Palace|St James's]]; but he might come along in the morning to visit his mother. So Sarah Bletchley said with her baby in her arms, tipping her foot up and down as though she were by her own fender in Pimlico[...](28).' The [[area]] ia also (more obscurely), the [[home]] of the [[scheme|scheming]] [[Francis Urquhart]], in [[Michael Dobbs]]' 1989 [[novel]], ''[[House of Cards]]''. == In music == In 1764, a young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his first symphony (K.16) whilst residing at the home of George Randal on Five Fields Row. A statue depicting Mozart now stands in Orange Square. St. Barnabas Church, St Barnabas Street, Pimlico SW1W 8PF is the final resting place of the English composer [[Basil Harwood]] (1859–1949) who was organist there from 1883–1887. He is interred under a plaque inlaid in the floor of the aisle. The [[Small Faces]] London base in 1965/1966 was at 22 Westmoreland Terrace where they wrote many of their songs including "[[Lazy Sunday (song)|Lazy Sunday]]"<ref>[[Steve Marriott All Too Beautiful]] Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN 1900924447. 2004).</ref> [[The Clash]] also did warm up sessions and preparation for the album "[[London Calling]]" in 1979 at the long gone Vanilla Studios which used to be at 36 Causton Street. They were often seen playing football at the concrete football pitch across the road. More of these recordings would have been actively used but it was long thought they lost most of the Vanilla sessions master recording on the tube. Mick Jones subsequently found these 25 years later after a house move. The Vanilla studio was refurbished into a pottery barn - the building has recently been demolished and the street renumbered. {{The Clash - A Riot of Our Own, P.156 Pat Gilbert - Passion is a Fashion 2004 ISBN 1845130170 )} [[David Devant & His Spirit Wife]] named their first single after Pimlico. [[Experimental rock]] group [[The Fiery Furnaces]] briefly mention Pimlico in the song "Borneo," on their 2004 record [[Bitter Tea]]. == In non-fiction == In [[G. K. Chesterton]]'s ''[[Orthodoxy]]'', Pimlico is used as an example of "a desperate thing” in the chapter entitled Flag of The World. ==Education== :''For education in Pimlico see the main [[City of Westminster#Education|City of Westminster]] article.'' ==Transport and locale== ===Nearby places=== * [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] * [[Millbank]] * [[Vauxhall]] * [[Westminster]] * [[Victoria, London]] ===Nearest tube station=== * [[Pimlico tube station]] on the [[Victoria Line]] ==See also== * [[Thomas Cubitt]] ==Notes== {{Reflist}} == External links == *http://www.holyapostlespimlico.org/parish_info/history.shtml *http://www.pimlicoschool.org.uk/index.asp?page=about-us *http://www.st-gabriels.com *http://www.barbara-pym.org *http://www.stmarythevirgin.org.uk *http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&t=h&om=1&z=15&ll=51.488545,-0.139732&spn=0.011437,0.028925 == Sources == *''Secret London'' by Andrew Duncan (New Holland Publishers, London, 2001) *''The Face of London'' by Harold P Clunn (Spring Books, London, 1970) {{LB City of Westminster}} <!--Categories--> [[Category:Districts of London]] [[Category:Neighbourhoods of Westminster]] <!--Interwiki--> [[fr:Pimlico]] [[hi:पिमलिको]] [[nl:Pimlico]] [[no:Pimlico]] [[pt:Pimlico]]