Great Russell Street
The Great Russell Street is a street in London's Bloomsbury district, District Camden . It begins on Tottenham Court Road and runs east to Bloomsbury Square. Almost half of the entire north side of the street is taken up by the British Museum , which is on the eastern section and extends from Bedford Square to Montague Street.
history
The street originated from an old path called Green Lane . Development into a street began around 1670. Around 1720 Great Russell Street formed the northernmost boundary of the London building area. To the north of the road was farmland belonging to the Capper family, the Duke of Bedford.
Already at that time it was described by John Strype as “a beautiful, spacious and well-built street”, “which is flanked by the most beautiful buildings in which the nobility and the upper class live; especially on its north side, where there are large gardens behind the villas. "
About five decades later, in the 1770s, the recognized doctor William Battie (1703–1776) lived in this street and the architect John Nash (1752–1835) built stately mansions here, one of which he temporarily lived in.
In the 19th century the street began to change, becoming more common and commercial, especially on the south side. The north side remained more spacious, mainly because of the British Museum.
Famous residents
The writer Charles Dickens (1812-1870) lived in house number 14 .
First under number 46 and later under number 91 , the writer and draftsman George du Maurier lived between 1863 and 1868. George du Maurier also had a studio on the ground floor of house number 46, which was also run by the illustrator Randolph Caldecott (1846–1886) in the 1870s ) was used.
Tourism pioneer Thomas Cook opened his first travel agency at number 59 in 1863.
Number 77 was the residence of the architect Thomas Henry Wyatt (1807-1880), who also died here.
The actor John Kemble (1757–1823) bought the house with number 89 towards the end of the 18th century and sold it in 1820. His father Roger Kemble, who was also an actor, died here in 1802.
The house with the number 106 lived in the architect Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin .
The painter Philip Burne-Jones (1861–1926) also saw the light of day on this street.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Charles Dickens and informal education (English)
