Street view & Peter Jones c.1975    Sloane Square 1912    Sloane Square looking East 1970      Old Chelsea Street Plan   

The row of shops to the east of the railed area, comprising odd numbers 1 to 31, also included: Sketchleys cleaners, a post office, Clark's shoes, Victoria Wine, a baker's and a couple of clothes shops - numbers, dates or locations not currently known.

2-32 Peter Jones est. 1906: Occupying this site, but with an address listed as 'Sloane Square', is the Peter Jones department store, a business that began as a drapery store on Draycott Avenue (then Marlborough Road). It grew to occupy 26 premises on the Kings Road and was rebuilt as one department store in the 1880s when it was one of the first stores in the country to be lit by electricity. Purchased by John Lewis in 1906, it was rebuilt in the 1930s in its current style and is now a Grade II listed building. Before the Peter Jones expansion and construction, the site originally also held a public house called the Star and Garter.  Early 20th Century before Peter Jones                

3 or 5 Premier (?)     Lloyds Bank (?)       7 Sketchleys cleaners       9 Old Post Office c.1961    Shop parade view

11 Buzzy's Bistro 1962 - 1971          Later Easiphit shoe shop c.1972

13 - 15 Premier supermarket c.1961 job advert  Later Mac Fisheries c.1966    17A British Federation of University Women c.1959   21 Mac Fisheries opened January 1961

23 Fanny's Restaurant (basement) May 1968

25 Ferbain of Chelsea bookmakers c.May 1961   Later   J.Ide meats and sandwiches until 27th October 1962 when it moved to 156   Later   Angelique & Francoise, c.1968. I am advised that Angelique was a ground floor restaurant and, beneath it, accessed by a steep flight of steps, was Francoise night club (better known as Frankie’s). As Kings Rd rents soared, the street level unit was rented to a clothes store and the Angelique restaurant moved downstairs. At about10.30-11.00pm all the Angelique branding would disappear and be replaced with Francoise, tables would be shifted and the venue would be miraculously transformed into a disco. However, with changing tastes and lifestyles and a growing number of eateries in the area, the restaurant didn’t fare so well so it just became Frankie’s. It briefly ran as The Ritual for a time from c.1978 and then closed altogether.      

27 The Patio: boutique (early 70s, possibly 1960s) Later Twenty Seven boutique c.1972    

29 Heppells cosmetics c.1960    Timothy Whites c.1965    Boots Dispensing Chemists c.1975

31 Caroline ladies hairdresser c.1965. In 1965 the upper floor in No.31 was occupied by the legal offices of Charles Alfred Leat who oversaw the liquidation of Copydex.
Later a Tobacconist (My Shop?) and Topper shoes.

CADOGAN GARDENS

BLACKLANDS         

 DUKE OF YORK'S HEADQUARTERS     
 The Who and a TV film crew assembled at the Duke of York's Barracks on 12th November 1966 to film five numbers for a TV broadcast about 'Swinging
London' on NBC network's Today show in the USA. The segment included interviews with fashion designer Mary Quant and Carnaby Street retailer John
Stephen. The segment aired in America on 15th November 1966.       Duke of York estate railings       Aerial View    
Kings Road by Duke Of York estate      Duke of York's Headquarters

CHELTENHAM TERRACE   
 1 - 13 west side looking south 1962

WHITELANDS
The area known as 'Whitelands' housed a girls' boarding school from 1772 until 1841 when it became a teacher training college. The establishment moved
to Putney in 1930 and the building was briefly occupied by Oswald Moseley and his black-shirted British Union of Fascists (including 'Lord Haw Haw') as a
'barracks', during which time it became known locally as 'The Black House'. The building was demolished and replaced by flats in 1935.

WALPOLE STREET  

ROYAL AVENUE 
Blue plaque  The road was originally part of a 1681 plan by Sir Christopher Wren to connect the Royal Hospital with Kensington Palace, but never got any
further than the King's Road. Previously known as 'Chestnut Walk' and Later 'White Stiles' it became Royal Avenue in 1875.
Road access onto King's Road was closed in 1970.

WELLINGTON SQUARE 
 Old area map   Looking east 1962   Looking west 1962   Fred Hillsdon's Flower Stall

SMITH STREET  

BLACKLANDS TERRACE      

LINCOLN STREET

88 Just Looking c.1967 (Harry Finegold who also owned stop the Shop at 126) Lots of mirrors and loud music inhabited this boutique which, like the Drugstore, was designed by architects Garnett Cloughley Blakemore (who also designed the revolving restaurant at the top of the Post Office Tower).

89 Blueberry Hill c.1970 boutique - also see 303. Later Second Image c.1976

90 Chelsea Girl c.1967. In 1948, Bernard Lewis was selling fruit & veg and knitting wool from a bomb site in the East End. Working with his three brothers, the business moved into clothing and, by 1965, was operating 70 stores under the name 'Lewis Separates'. On deciding that the business needed 're-branding' it became 'Chelsea Girl' as the Kings Road was at the centre of UK fashion and popular culture at the time. It became the first real fashion 'boutique' chain with its use of bold colours and imagery, along with music, to reinforce the brand name. The menswear side, called Concept Man, was started in 1982 and this was merged with Chelsea Girl in 1988 to become River Island.

91 Unity Restaurant English & Continental cuisine c.1961 Later The Godfather c.1976     92 Boots the Chemist c.1965   Later Susan of Chelsea Dec 1966 Susan Advert 1967   

93 Le Bistingo boutique c.1972    94 London Steak House 1960s    95 Marco Polo Chinese cuisine restaurant c.1961    96 Peter Dominic   Later    Warehouse

97 The Squire Shop A late Sixties boutique owned by Jeff Kwintner. Kwintner was also the owner of a chain of 16 menswear shops, 'Village Gate' which, at one time, was selling 3,000 suits a week. Previously a butcher's shop.

98 The Chelsea Kitchen   Restaurant established in 1960 as part of the 'StockPot' chain and was popular with stars such as The Rolling Stones and George Best. It was not an 'elite' establishment, but served 'good fresh home-made food at good prices'. It closed in 2006 and was reopened in 2009 at 451 Fulham Road by the son of the original owner.

99 - 101 Entrance to a small Industrial Unit area, site of a Saturday market (see aerial images here) including H.R.P. Ltd. 1976 image as car park. It is now Atlantic Court.

100 Sketchley cleaners - Later moved to186a - Later: Office London   102 Wakefords c.1969 clothes store Later combined with 104

103 BRS Parcels c.1958   Chelsea Pet Stores and boarding kennels c.1960 1965 Advert    Carvil c.1968 clothes shop / boutique   

104 John Michael boutique (see 106). The premises were Later combined with 102 as Wakefords.

105 M.J.Tuson & Sons c.1964 aka  Chelsea Pawnbrokers Silversmiths and pawnbrokers. The curved windows showing in pic2 still exist. The pawn shop was accessed through a street door (pic1) and located on the shop side of the railings (pic2). Inside there was a counter on the right which was separated into individual sections for privacy.

106 John Michael boutique c.1966. The premises were combined with 108 and refitted in 1975 to become the new John Michael

107 Club dell'Aretusa c.1967 - 1970. Also known as John Bull's Restaurant. This was an elite establishment and allegedly the location of John Lennon's first public appearance with Yoko Ono at the pre-launch party for Apple Tailoring, held on 22nd May 1968. In 1967 Alvaro Maccioni had teamed up with Enzo Apicella and Mino Parlanti to open the large, members-only bar / restaurant / discotheque. A double-page spread in the Evening Standard asked "Are you one of the beautiful people? Simple test: Can you get in to the dell'Aretusa?". The establishment attracted diners such as Princess Margaret, Sammy Davis Jr, David Bailey and Twiggy. Wedgies nightclub c.1982

108 Kleptomania c.1966 boutique    Later T.Pritchard c.1969  - also see 106.

109   T.Wheeler butchers and provision merchants c.1961  Later   Kweens Mini-Store boutique c.1967 (1091/2)      

109A R.Soles shoe shop (founded 1975). Also at 178A       111 Doctor (A.N.Nanda) until c.Oct 1969

110 - 112 The Chelsea Permanent Building Society, Later Chelsea & South London then just Chelsea Building Society, founded in 1875. In 1934 new offices on 3 floors were opened. From 1966 the Society's headquarters were based in Streatham, with the registered office at 110 Kings Road.     112 Spy boutique c.1972         

113 Tarling's fishmongers c.1965   Quorum boutique c.1969  Founded in Radnor Walk by Alice Pollock in 1964. She was joined by Ossie Clark and Celia Birtwell in late 1965.                  
114 Scotch Wool and Hosiery Stores c.1969    

115 G. Jones & Sons c.1957  Later  C.J.Jones grocers and wines    Later    Wine Growers Association c.1967  1967 Advert

RADNOR WALK
David Lytton Motor Cars Ltd (115 Kings Road) c.1961
13 Chelsea Pottery 1952 - 1994, founded by David and Mary Rawnsley, and three significant boutiques:
47 The Shop c.1964 'The Shop' was a 'girls boutique' jointly owned by photographer Terence Donovan and designer Maurice Jeffery, providing inexpensive

       

TRYON STREET
Originally Keppel Terrace, renamed in 1913 after Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon.  11 to 23 Tryon Street 1975    Street view 1964
7 - 9 Just Men c.1964 Owned by banking family brothers Lionel and Brian Abel-Smith. Managed by Charles Schuller, it featured suede and leather suits,
sweaters, flared trousers and tailored suits. This shop also had an in-house hairdresser. It Later expanded to include 118 Kings Road.

117 - 119 The area around a detached house called Manor House, between Little's Nursery and Shawfield Street, was turned into The New Vauxhall and Royal Bath Gardens, a tea and recreation garden by Richard Smith in about 1836. This was superseded in 1838 by the Royal Manor House Theatre, which only lasted 3 years. The house eventually became the Chelsea Literary and Scientific Institution. 'The Commercial Tavern' public house and Radnor Walk were built on the site in 1842. Around 1874 a building was listed as being attached to the side, containing a florists, but this had disappeared from maps by 1896. In 1958 the tavern was renamed 'The Chelsea Potter' in 1958 in commemoration of ceramics artist William Frend de Morgan who founded the Chelsea Art Pottery in 1872.

118 Timothy Whites c.1968 Later Just Men

120 Thomas Crapper 1907 - 1966  Later  Laura Ashley c.1966 then T.Elliott & Sons boots and shoes c.Oct 67. Until 1966, the premises of Thomas Crapper, the WC manufacturer who originally started in Marlborough Road (now Draycott Avenue) in 1861 and moved here in 1907. It became a 'Laura Ashley' outlet in 1966, although the first shop actually under the Laura Ashley name opened in Pelham Street, South Kensington, in 1968. The company originally made furnishing materials in the 1950s under the name 'Bernard Ashley' and expanded into clothing design and manufacture in the 1960s. Later Bertie

120A Skin fur and leather goods c.1969   121 Green & London general ironmongers & builders merchant c.1957   
Later Common Market c.1972 multiple retail outlet. Shops in the outlet included Marx, owned by Stuart Nyman and Kenny McDonald.  

122 Kings Walk Shopping Centre  was previously the entrance to Ranelagh Works (George Glover & Co. Ltd., appliance manufacturers, closed 1959) situated behind.
Contained outlets for: Michaels Man Boutique 122A c.1966  Oscar's Mens Clothes 122E (subsidiary of Michaels Man boutique, also at 158), Lennards 122D , Boots the Chemist, Sainsbury's c.1966, Rock Dreams c.1976

123A Victoria Wine    Kendall & Sons c.1969 builders and decorators   Gotama - The Hair House 1973  This location became the first UK Starbucks in 1998

Although strictly in Shawfield Street, 123A was the address of the Chelsea News offices for proprietors Corkran, Corkran & Day Ltd who published a number of local newspapers
including the South Western Star, Fulham Chronicle, West London Press, Westminster & Pimlico News

SHAWFIELD STREET
 Old Street view

124 A&B Mitre House  The downstairs unit in 124A contained The Magic Carpet Inn c.1960   Alvaro 1966 - 1970: Alvaro Maccioni's highly exclusive restaurant - the first one ever to go ex-directory. London Life: "The name Alvaro is whispered from the studios of showbiz to the courts of royalty". He went on to open and run 'La Famiglia'. Look of London cover December 1967     Later Scribbler cards and gifts.     124B contained the International Stores c.1969 food store with sawdust floor 1962 Advert 

125 Alex Strickland c.1969: previously Harris Brothers greengrocers.   Peter Gurling advises: "This was a record shop and part of the chain named Soho Records which was owned by Mr Alex Strickland. He had branches all over London, but mainly in the West End and two in the City on Cheapside and London Wall. In the late 60s I managed the one in London Wall for a time, and my brother managed the Cheapside branch".    Opening Advert July 1967  The shop group was taken over by Pye Records. Later Pinto sportswear store.

126 Stop The Shop boutique May 1969 Advert May 1969                    126A Berzolla confectioners c.Aug 1965

127 Picasso coffee bar. The Picasso first opened in 1958 and was frequented by the likes of Michael Caine and Terence Stamp during the Sixties. David Hemmings was also a regular visitor during the filming of Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film 'Blow-Up'. The Picasso survived until February 2014 when it finally closed, apparently boasting the same internal decor as it had when it opened.

128 Fantasie coffee bar. The Fantasie, one of the first espresso coffee bars in London outside of Soho, was opened at the start of 1955 by ex-solicitor Archie McNair, who lived in the rooms above where he also operated a photographic studio which had among its users one Tony Armstrong-Jones, who was Later to marry Princess Margaret and become Lord Snowdon. McNair had previously asked Mary Quant and Alexander Plunket Greene to help him start up the coffee bar but they declined as they thought that coffee bars were a passing fad and it wouldn't be successful. In the event, it became one of 'the' places to be if you were to become one of 'The Chelsea Set'.

It was in the Fantasie that the three of them originally planned the opening of Mary's 'Bazaar' boutique. Like the Soho clubs it had live music and one of the regular acts was The Chas McDevitt Skiffle Group. Later Whistler restaurant. In 1998 the premises became the site of the first Starbucks to be opened in Britain.

129 Newsagent (name not clear?)    130 F.J.Ward's Print Shop c.1956    Later 'F.J. Ward's Art Shop' c.1975   128/130 part view   131 Dollond & Aitchison opticians c.1967

131 - 143 Antiquarius c.1920: Part of the 'Antiquarius' building was originally a billiard hall, a fine example of Arts and Crafts architecture, built in the 1920s by the Temperance Movement. Along with the adjoining Chelsea Garage, a new garage at 15 Flood Street built in 1919 and disguised to look like an 'olde English' inn, it became home to a number of fashion boutiques and a conglomeration of about 150 antique dealers' outlets during the 1960s until fairly recently, when the entire building was let to Anthropologie, the US fashion chain. Many of the antique dealers of the old Antiquarius have now moved to the Antiques Centre at 58 Kensington Church Street.

At various times, different companies were listed as 'occupying' one of the street-facing 'numbers' in the 131-141 sequence. The downstairs stalls (see 135) included The Purple Shop boutique and Acme Attractions, a new wave outlet founded by John Krivine and Steph Rainer. Rainer recalls ''The basement went mad. Before we knew it we had complaints from the people upstairs about the thugs coming in. The entrance to us was by a pipe shop. On Saturday mornings the queue came out on the street and the guy from the pipe shop wouldn't have any of it, but there was nothing he could do. It became a shrine, almost. People got married there.....''. Acme moved upstairs in 1977, becoming the BOY punk boutique.

132 Bally boutique c.1969 1970 frontage planning   Earlier A.Hicks (?)   133 May have been a newsagents at some point. Later, The Village Gate.   Oxfam charity shop c.1968

BYWATER STREET
 Old Bywater Street junction     60s view

134 Glass & Black Reported to have been a large, spacious boutique with a fish pond, or tank, dominating the centre of the shop.    Later    Beatons bakers (c.1966 - image 1975)

135 Entrance to Antiquarius Antiques Market: Inside and downstairs
Acme Attractions c.1974 Initially inspired by Malcolm McLaren's 'Let It Rock' boutique, John Krevine and Stephane Raynor opened the multi-vendor outlet Acme Attractions in 1974, in the basement of the Antiquarius building. The store was managed by Don Letts who said that Acme was selling "... electric-blue zoot suits and jukeboxes, and pumping dub reggae all day long". Acme was frequented by artists such as The Clash, the Sex Pistols, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Deborah Harry and Bob Marley. Raynor recalled: ''The basement went mad. Before we knew it we had complaints from the people upstairs about the thugs coming in. The entrance to us was by a pipe shop. On Saturday mornings the queue came out on the street and the guy from the pipe shop wouldn't have any of it, but there was nothing he could do. It became a shrine, almost. People got married there ...". They closed Acme in 1977 to create the 'Boy' clothing outlet upstairs, concentrating on 'punk' fashions. David Fielden c.1978 (downstairs in Antiquarius) clothing outlet. The Purple Shop (downstairs in Antiquarius) jewellery and art-deco items. CoCo c.1966 younger Japanese look by Suzuya.

135A John Walker Travel c.April 1962  Later   Top Gear c.1965 Later Unknown (front of Antiquarius Antiques Market): TopGear opened at 135A in 1965 and was owned by hat designer James Wedge and model Pat Booth. It featured shiny black walls and scaffolding for clothes hangers, with the back wall covered by a huge mirror surrounded by light bulbs. It was an influential shop that Biba's Barbara Hulanicki is reported as being "most envious of". It had a reputation for selling 'Mod' clothing to the 'rich and influential' and the 'Mod' image was characterised by an eye-catching bullseye on its front canopy and carrier bags, a logo Later much popularised by 'Mod' group 'The Who'.James Wedge recounted: "I did most of the buying. There was a shoe designer who I think was at college (Moya Bowler) whose shoes sold very well. There were people who did crochet dresses, very simple little straight dresses with short sleeves and square necks in gold and silver metallic fabric and they were all knitted on home knitting machines. They used to go very well. I had one woman who used to come in with a little packet of six hand-knitted sweaters and they used to sell very well, they were angora. But we didn't have any out factories or anything like that. Foale and Tuffin were our biggest suppliers".

136 In the early 60s this was a boutique owned by Kiki Byrne, a former Quant employee. Victoria Wine c.1969    Later a shoe shop c.1975

137 Quintessent clothing outlet c.1960   Later    Countdown c.1965 - 1971 Later Z Boutique, then Alyce En Bleu's c.1976 Next door to TopGear, and also owned by James Wedge and Pat Booth. This boutique had cork-covered walls with moody lighting and regular customers included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. It was also famous for stocking the 'breast shirt', the design of which was based on a photo of Pat Booth taken by Wedge. This was an outlet for Tuffin and Foale's clothes.
"...on Saturdays there was always a Rolling Stone. Mick Jagger did a concert in Hyde Park and he wore a dress, a little white dress I think it was, and he got that from Countdown, and Marianne Faithfull used to be in there on a regular basis. All the 'people' used to hang out there. There were people who used to come and buy and there used to be a hell of a lot of people who came to steal and we lost so much stuff. That was why, in the end, I felt it was time to get out".

138 The Markham Arms 1856 - 1991: Public house, now a branch of Santander. John R. recalls 'The Markham Arms was used as a gay pub on Saturdays only, and I can remember meeting friends there inside in the fuggy, fetid atmosphere! On a Saturday, after lunchtime drinking, a number of patrons walked down to the cafe on the top floor at Habitat at 208 for tea, cakes and more cruising'. This was the pub where Anthony Blunt re-established contact with Kim Philby c.1954

138a Markham House:  Originally residential and occupied by solicitors, in November 1955 Mary Quant, Archie McNair and Alexander Plunket-Greene bought the freehold of the basement and ground floor of Markham House, Later The Markham Pharmacy, on the corner of Markham Square, for £8,000 (now worth about £9.5 million). and split it into two businesses, Bazaar and Alexander's 1955 - 1969: The shop was an immediate success, largely due to the fact that their inexperience had them selling their clothes and accessories too cheaply, not only affecting their profits but also annoying other local retail outlets, a 'mistake' that was quickly rectified, but not before the boutique had gained a significant reputation. After some of her designs were featured in Harper's Bazaar and purchased by an American manufacturer, Quant concentrated on designing and making more of the clothes she sold rather than buying the stock in.

Although Quant is acclaimed as the person who 'invented' the mini skirt, it is more factual to say that she popularised the description after allegedly naming her short creations after her favourite car, even though the term had previously been used as early as 1920, by the Daily Express and other newspapers, to describe the (relatively) short skirts of the time. In her 1966 first autobiography 'Quant by Quant', the term 'mini-skirt' isn't mentioned at all. She is also credited with either 'inventing' or popularising the accompanying coloured or patterned tights and, Later in the decade, the 'hot pants' fashion craze. "We were in at the beginning of a tremendous renaissance in fashion. It was not happening because of us. It was simply that, as things turned out, we were a part of it".  Ronald Tuckerman estate agents occupied the rest of the premises. The basement initially housed a coffee bar / jazz club called Alexander's the sign to which can be seen on the image. The club Bosun’s Locker used to be here, as well, underneath Markham House. Around 1925, Markham House was occupied by G.F.Wilkins, solicitors.

MARKHAM SQUARE
 14 to 16 Markham Square 1968    Markham Square with church that was demolished in 1953

139 Ladies Wear clothes shop c.1965, Later Antiquarius period clothing shop   140 - 142 Barclays Bank 18th April 1966 to c.1973 1966 newspaper article   Later Not Known  

141 Adlers shirt shop c.1961   Later Susan Locke boutique c.1970    Later Jeansville c.1976  

143 A tall single-storey building located behind 131/133. In 1961 a planning application was made for 'use of the billiards hall at the rear of 131/141 King's Road as a studio, rehearsal rooms scenery store and for the general use of Granada Television network' but no record seems to exist showing that this was ever used by Granada. The Granada contract expired in 1968, when the area was absorbed by Antiquarius

FLOOD STREET
1 - 11 Chelsea Manor Studios opened in 1902 and, from 22nd July 1966, was'home' to the photographer Michael Cooper, who occupied Studio 4 on the
rear ground floor. On 30th March 1967 the photographic montage for the sleeve of The Beatles' 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album was put
together at Studio 4. Wax figures from Madame Tussaud's and other collage items were used along with live subjects and the actual cover was a painting of that photograph. Cooper died young, in 1972. The studio became a 'beauty school' and it was converted for commercial and residential use in 2002.
15 Chelsea Garage was built as a motor garage in 1919 and extended along the full length of the rear of the Antiquarius premises. In June 1965 it became
a motor showroom instead of just a workshop. It was taken over and became part of the Antiquarius trading area in the early 1970s.
85 (Alpha Place) Hall of Remembrance. Often used as a rehearsal facility by Associated Rediffusion TV. The Beatles rehearsed here for the AR-TV
special 'Around The Beatles' filmed at Wembley in 1964

144 South China Restaurant c.1961      145 Kiki Byrne at 145 (Honiton House) was contemporary to Mary Quant's 'Bazaar' through which some of Kiki's early designs were sold. Owned by Byrne and her partner, graphic designer Robert Brownjohn and frequented by Susannah York and Grace Coddington, Kiki Byrne was known for very simple, youthful little black dresses and unfussy suits made with good quality fabrics in neutral tones. Some of her designs were worn by Cathy McGowan on the TV music show Ready Steady Go! She also created the golden bikini worn by Margaret Nolan in the title sequence of the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. Jaeger since c.1966

146 Models and Toys May 1965  Later  Topper shoe shop then Merle boutique c.1970 which was addressed as 59 Markham Street 

MARKHAM STREET
 59 Merle boutique      Looking North 1971     Street view 

147 John Garlick Ltd. builders and decorators c.1969   Later John Garman Ltd. (dental surgeon) c.1974

148 - 150 This site was previously occupied by Box Farm, from 1686 to 1899.  The Electric Theatre (one of London's first purpose-built cinemas), was built in 1913 by the London & Provincial Electric Theatre Company at 148 Kings Road on the corner of Markham Street. It was designed by Felix Joubert, who also made miniature furniture in his premises in The Pheasantry, next door. It was given a new frontage in 1937. Later known as the Classic Cinema, it was closed in 1973 and re-opened with live shows but was eventually demolished in 1978 and replaced by a branch of Boots.The frontage on the corner included a chocolate and condectionery shop called Clare's.

149 Kents (Later Quincy Jones, Sen chinese herbs, L'Eto cafe)   150 - 152 now Waterstones      

151 Andre Portat 'Coiffeur de Dames' c.1967  W.M.Jones opticians c.December 1969     Later   Ricci hair stylists (early 70s) 

152 The Pheasantry 1769: The Pheasantry is an historic Georgian building built in 1769. In 1865 it was occupied by a game dealer named Samuel Baker who raised pheasants for the royal household, hence the name. The façade and entrance arch were added in 1881. During the early 1900s it was inhabited by Eleanor Thornton, the favourite model of artist and sculptor Charles Sykes and she is believed to have been the model for his most famous work, the Rolls Royce mascot 'Spirit of Ecstasy'. By the 1920s and '30s its rooms contained the studio of dance teacher Serafina Astafieva, who taught prima ballerinas Alicia Markova and Margot Fonteyn.

The ground floor and basement was a members-only club from 1932 until 1966 when the then owner Mario Cazzini died. After this the ground floors became a nightclub that survived into the 1970s and was where singer Yvonne Elliman was discovered by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, leading to her role in the recording of 'Jesus Christ Superstar'. Post-war the upper building was let in apartments and famous residents have included Eric Clapton, journalist Martin Sharp (editor of 'Oz'), Germaine Greer (who wrote 'The Female Eunuch' there), film maker Philippe Mora, artist Tim Whidborne, Clive James, writer Anthony Haden-Guest and rock/pop photographer Robert Whitaker who was responsible for the controversial 'butcher' photo used on the original cover of the Beatles' album 'Yesterday & Today'. The site also contained Bassi's Restaurant during the 1960s
The Pheasantry was redeveloped in 1979, retaining the original facia, and currently houses shops, apartments and a pizza restaurant.

153 The Cheyne Gallery   W.Churcher photographer. Later   Acme Attractions c.1974 and BOY punk boutique

154 Her Hair boutique c.1968         Sandro's Cellar (154 basement) c.1967  1969 Article       155 Sunlight Laundry c.1968

155A Entrance to Chelsea Methodist Church (1903) Methodists first started meeting in Chelsea in a local woman's house in John Wesley's time. He preached several times to them. As numbers grew they rented a room, then a suite of rooms in the Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens (now part of the Royal Hospital grounds). Shortly after, they leased and converted an old slaughter house in the present Sloane Street area. In the early nineteenth century, their first purpose-built chapel was in Sloane Square (now the Royal Court Theatre), their second one in Sloane Terrace – where the Christian Science church now stands. This second chapel was used by Chelsea Methodists from 1812 to 1903. In 1903, Chelsea Methodists built on the present site on the corner of King's Road and Chelsea Manor Street. In 1941, a bomb destroyed the sanctuary, and after the war, the rooms that were left underwent various changes. The bombsite was long used as a car park, before the whole site was redeveloped in 1983. Today, this is the only church with a door on King's Road.

156 J.Ide meats and sandwiches moved from number 25 on Oct 27th 1962 (also at 305)   Later    Village Gate boutique owned by John Simons and Jeff Kwintner - 'sister' shop to The Squire Shop c.1964  Street scene from 'The Party's Over' (1964)         157 The Rag Machine       Melita (basement) restaurant run by Victor Hugo Borg until c.1977    

158 Oscar's Clothes (also 122 Michaels Man store c.1969)  Later: Brighter Homes   159  Dutton & Co shoe shop c.1967 1969 Advert    

160 Garbo boutique c.1966   Later   'Z' boutique c.1973  

161 W.Bird & Sons electrical and radio c.1966  then   Dandie Fashions c.1967 became Apple Tailoring 23rd May 1968, John Crittle & Co c.Jan 1969 and then 161 - 163 became The Jean Machine c.1972:

Dandie Fashions originally opened in October 1966, in South Kensington, and was owned jointly by Tara Browne and John Crittle with associates Alan Holston, Neil Winterbottom and Freddie Hornik. Fashions and tailoring was supplied by Foster & Tara, a business Tara Browne had set up with Pops and Cliff Foster, a father and son team.
Dandie moved to 161 King's Road at the beginning of 1967, by which time Tara Browne had been killed in the high profile car accident. The external mural decoration was carried out by BEV (Binder, Edwards and Vaughn) and was where The Beatles bought many of their clothes. The establishment also had a psychedelic multi-coloured Bentley, used to transport important customers to various clubs and party venues around London, that was commissioned from BEV at the same time as the shop front. Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie were also big customers and it was Dandie that supplied Bowie's 'Ziggy Stardust' outfit. Note: The shop and clothing labels were, at various times, named 'Dandie' or 'Dandy'.

Apple Tailoring (Civil and Theatrical): From Thursday 23rd May 1968 the premises were 'shared' with The Beatles' Apple Corporation, to become their second 'boutique' outlet, that closed within a year. Apple's Neil Aspinall and company accountant Stephen Maltz became directors of Dandie as part of this agreement. The short-lived business was run by 25 year-old Australian John Crittle and had a hairdressing salon in the basement run by Leslie Cavendish. Later Gotama hair stylists c.1973 - Gavin Hodge and Marc Tracy - who also had an earlier branch in Marbella (pictured).

162 Kleptomania c.1967  Previously Edward Marno antiques and Greens ironmongers c.1967   Post - Kleptomania decoration?         

JUBILEE PLACE
Street views   8 Edward Marno upholstery repairs c.1964 Advert

163 J.Wood Antiques c.August 1968       Jean Machine c.1972 was a chain of stores selling jeans, founded in 1971 by Tony Lonsdale, nicknamed the 'Blue Jean King'. He brought jeans over from California and, after initial resistance from local wholesalers, set up a shop on the King's Road. He originally set up The Pant House in Hornton Street, Kensington, before adding The Rag Machine and The Jean Machine close to each other at 157 and 161-163. Also Jean Machine 2 at 85. Shortly after that, The Pant House also opened nearby in the King's Road.

CHELSEA MANOR STREET
Just 'Manor Street' before 1937)    Bow Tie Cafe      1A Conservative Association 1964 Advert

164 - 166 Lloyds Bank    164 - 174 wide view    164 to west wide view    The Kings Road was widened between Chelsea Manor Street and Oakley Street in 1967

165 - 179 Chelsea Old Town Hall 1886 to 1965 became the Chelsea Register Office 1978
Dating from 1886, the Register Office in the Old Town Hall holds the records for all births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships that have taken place within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea since July 1837. It ceased to be the local town hall in 1965 when Chelsea amalgamated with Kensington and became the Register Office when 250 closed in 1978. It is now a venue for all manner of concerts, fashion shows and fairs. It was the venue for John and Yoko's media launch of The Plastic Ono Band on 3rd July 1969.

168 All Kinds Jan Curtis advises: "All Kinds traded from the late 60s to the mid 70s. It was owned by David Pratt and sold very modern boutique menswear. Many famous customers shopped there including The Four Tops, The Temptations, and many famous footballers. My husband served Tony Curtis and sold him a jacket. When they released the musical Hair a group of nude women ran down the Kings Road and some came into the shop. The alterations to the clothes sold in the shop were done by Freddie Burretti, the famous designer for David Bowie, who became a good friend of my husband. He worked in a tailors above one of the shops near Take Six".

170 John Michael 1957 - 1968 John Michael Ingram's boutique was one of the earliest on Kings Road, opening in 1957, only two years after Mary Quant's 'Bazaar', and was one of the original retailers of the style that was to become 'Mod'. The shop became known as Sportique, and he also opened a 'Sportique', in Soho, situated right next to the 2i's coffee bar in Old Compton Street. By 1965 he had built the business into a public company and, by the end of 1966, he had opened 17 shops with a head office on Savile Row. He subsequently started an export business, selling his lines to the JC Penney chain in America and Later went on to design clothes for TV personalities, including Patrick McGoohan in the cult TV series 'The Prisoner'. Renamed Westerner c.1968, an Americana boutique specialising in western gear. Later renamed again, as Guy, but still owned by the chain.

172 Choy's Chinese restaurant 1952 - 2013    174 Beaumonts of Chelsea Radio and Television c.1960 - 64  Later  Strides    176 Miss Chelsea

BURNSALL STREET
Street view

178 King's boutique  Later Tips c.1976    180 Chelsea Gems where you could get an 'accurate' horoscope for a shilling - amazing! Wavell & Co Ltd. chemists c.1967

178A R. Soles shoes c.1975 also at 109A

180 - 182 The Eleusis Club had a lease of numbers 180 and 182 that expired in 1902. It moved to 614. The Chelsea Electric Palace was a long narrow cinema seating 400, possibly a shop conversion. It was operating prior to 1910, through to at least 1914, advertising pictures and variety. It was Later renamed Cadogan Electric Palace and closed as the Cadogan Cinema in 1927. By 1930 the building was in use as a chemist shop.

181 - 183 / 183a Chelsea Arts Club / Chenil Art Galleries / Decca Studios: 181 was the home of Chelsea Arts Club until 1901 when it moved to 143-5 Old Church Street.
The Chenil Art Galleries next to the Town Hall were built on the site of Charles Chenil's art material shop in 1906 by Jack Knewstub. Augustus John had a studio there in 1910, as did Roger Fry and Eric Gill. David Bomberg held his first show there in 1914 and in 1926 David Barbirolli conducted a chamber orchestra there. Knewstub's art business went into receivership in 1927. The last documented exhibition was held there in 1926. The building was sold at auction and became Decca's first recording studio between 1929 and 1936. It was acquired by the local council in 1947 for retail (then just known as Chenil Galleries) and Later became an antiques market, then a toy shop. During this period it was available for hire for various activities and sales. It had fallen into disuse by 2008 and in 2010 redevelopment began on a new residential and retail scheme.

182A Semmens of Chelsea Mens Hairdressers c.1967    183 Heath Bullock - period furniture    Later Girl c.1970 boutique    184 C. Ashby & Sons electrical engineers    

184A Gipsy boutique        185 David Clulow opticians est 1962        186a Sketchleys      188 Cygnet House  business and residential occupation on upper floors    

188a Garfield Dennis Footwear Salon c.1963    Later    Pompadour Wig Boutique    

190 American... (Classics ? or possibly American Haven - a 'burger bar) then Da Lorenzo Italian restaurant c.1969   

191 Peters hairdressers c.1966  Later   Flip American Clothing    192 Sir Mark boutique (?)    193   Steinberg & Tolkien vintage clothing boutique 1993 - 2007  Later Ryman

194 - 198 Tankard & Smith This was a long-established petrol service garage, also dealing in classic cars, and was a supplier of service vehicles to London Transport. Still operational in the early Sixties, the exact closure date of the Kings Road site is unknown but before November 1961. The London Gazette lists Tankard and Smith (Shepherds Bush) Limited, Motor Traders, as going into liquidation in October 1962. Tankard & Smith adverts  
Lendrum & Hartman American car sales took over the site. 194 to 196 was sold to the LEX motor group c.1961, they moved to Flood Street in 1966. The site was briefly occupied by Billy Murphy's Emperor of Wyoming in 1974 (named after a track on Neil Young's first solo album) for a short time before closing and eventually concentrating its Kings Road business at its Worlds End location at 408 (see 404).  Later (?)  Allied Carpets.   The site is now a Waitrose store.

195 - 197 Six Bells (1722)  The original Six Bells public house is known to have been licensed to a John Westerbone as early as 1722. The site contained a tea garden with arbours and little summer-houses in the 1820s and sported a bowling green (a club with 65 members) in 1895. The building was reconstructed in its Tudor style in 1900, at which time a mammoth's tooth weighing 16 lbs and measuring 15" by 12" was excavated. In the winter of 1958 the 'Wally Fawkes Troglodytes' jazz band had to move from their residency in Piccadilly and settled into the Six Bells as their new 'home'. Fawkes was not only a talented and well-known jazz musician, associated with George Melly and George Chisholm, but also a cartoonist who was the creator of the 'Flook' character featured in a strip in the Daily Mail in the Sixties. He ran 'Trog's Jazz Club' for many years in the Six Bells upstairs rooms, which also had 'blues' evenings on Thursdays featuring artists such as Zoot Money, Alexis Korner, Graham Bond and others.

Renamed in January 1969, 'The Birds Nest' was one of the Watney's pubs bearing this name that represented a new concept in entertainment. Opening poster Watney's combined a pub with a discotheque and an innovative system of telephone tables where customers could dial for food and drink. Two hundred and fifty people attended the launch party including Simon Dee, Cleo Laine and Johnny Dankworth. Here the theme was Bavarian. Watneys engaged German architect, Thomas Gehrig, who had designed the interiors of bars and clubs in Germany, Italy and the USA. The aim was to appeal to an international clientele. It still existed as one of the Henry J. Beans bar / restaurant chain until its recent closure.
196 - 222 is being redeveloped, with a new Waitrose, Curzon cinema, a large pub with a rooftop bar, offices and homes, restoring the Gaumont art deco frontage.

199 A.Benardout Ltd.  Later  Hide Park antiques c.1975

200 - 204 The Lord Nelson 1806 renamed The Trafalgar 1970: The Lord Nelson public house was first established here in 1806-7 and was rebuilt in 1933. In 1970 the pub's name was changed to 'The Trafalgar' and it operated as a kind of 'discotheque with a fairground'. The 'opening' ceremony saw film stars Julie Ege and George Lazenby pulling the 'first pint'. It is now owned by Mitchells and Butler and incorporates a brasserie.

201 HIS clothes boutique (John Stephen)  Later Monk's   Chelsea Wash-Inn launderette c.1975    

203 MD Recordings c. Nov 1967 Home sound recording service   Later Chelsea Record Centre  Picture 2 

205 Tom Salter's Cafe: 1960s - Owned by Tom Salter who operated the 'Gear' boutique chain, the cafe Later became a wine bar (Pucci Pizza) and in 1975 was the venue for a gig by a group (called either The Strand or The Swankers) who, after some personnel changes, were to become The Sex Pistols some months Later.
Salter and street view 1975  Later Pucci Pizza c.1987

206 - 208 The Gaumont Palace 1934. The Odeon 1963: The current building that includes the Curzon cinema is built on the site originally occupied by the studio of film pioneer William Friese-Greene, whose image can be seen on a bas relief on front of the building. The Gaumont Palace opened on the site on 8th December 1934 with 2,502 seats and a 150 seat restaurant with its own entrance. The name was chamged to the Gaumont Theatre in 1937.It was modernised in 1960, containing the Victor Silvester Dance Studios and re-named the Odeon in 1963 before closing in 1972. Part of the site was converted into the Habitat store now at 208 and a new Odeon cinema seating 739 was opened at 206 in September 1973, closing again in November 1981. After lying fallow for two years film distributors Artificial Eye took it over, re-naming it the Chelsea Cinema for its re-opening on 15th September 1983. The cinema was taken over by the Curzon group in 2006. Sir Terence Conran opened the first Habitat store at 77 Fulham Road in 1964, Later moving the 'flagship' store to its current location and is now one of the brand's only remaining premises.
Inside the cinema  Odeon street view

207 Givans Irish linen stores c.1975 1987 view   street view     209 Oakshots off licence? Later  The Wine and Beer Shop c.1975 Later Superwines c.1987 1987 street view

CHELSEA MANOR STREET
Just 'Manor Street' before 1937   Top Rank Club advert 1965   The Kings Road was widened between Chelsea Manor Street and Oakley Street in 1967

OAKLEY STREET
58 to 69 Oakley Street 1963

210 - 222 Kings Road These numbers are untraceable and do not currently exist but it is most likely that they were swallowed up by the 'footprint' of the cinema.

211 Argyll House 1723. The oldest houses still existing in the Kings Road can be seen at 211-217, the oldest of which is Argyll House, designed and built by Venetian architect Giacomo Leoni for John Perrin in 1723. The house is named after the Duke of Argyll who bought it in 1769. It was occupied by society hostess Lady Sibyl Colefax from 1922 to 1937 at whose soirees it is alleged that the future Edward VIII was introduced to Wallis Simpson.

213 - 215 Kings Road c.1725: These houses were added Later in the 1720s. 213 was occupied in the 1930s by noted society interior designer Syrie Maugham (a daughter of Thomas) and, from 1948 to 1978, 'Third Man' and 'Oliver!' film director Sir Carol Reed whose occupation is commemorated by a blue plaque. Judy Garland and her family rented the house in 1960. Dr. Thomas Arne, the composer of 'Rule Britannia', lived at 215 during the 18th century and the premises were Later occupied by acclaimed actress Ellen Terry from 1904 to 1920 and, more recently, Peter Ustinov. house 215 c.1973   

217 Kings Road 1750: This house was originally occupied by James Hutton, one of the founders of the Moravian Church. 

GLEBE PLACE
51 Chelsea Open Air School c.1965   Street View and Kingsley School

219 Millers of Chelsea antiques    Carole M. Watts interior decorator c.Oct 68 (may have been upstairs)    Later Tiger Tiger toys c.1976    

221 E.A. Fownes wines Later Imperial Wine Store c.1969. Basement: The Loose Rein wine bar 1969 Advert    

223 - 227 Front view These numbers do not appear to exist, although buildings are contiguous at this point in time. There appears to be a service entrance to the west of
number 231 so it is possible that these numbers belonged to premises behind the road-facing shops? This parade housed the road's oldest shops

224 - 226 Westminster Bank. Now a Grade 2 listed building planned to be converted to retail outlets and residential units.

228 - 232 Old Post and Sorting Office
The building at 232 King's Road was converted and extended c.2007 to provide affordable housing, with access from the King's Road to the side of the retained shop.

229 Albert King antiques dealer (?)  .....Cigar Store (?)      Nicholas Martine art gallery c.1973   Retro boutique c.1974   Antique Clothing (c.1976)

231 J. Middleton art dealer (?) c.1973    229 - 231 was Later occupied by Antique Clothing c.1976    233 Nicholls Brothers builders merchants

234 - 242 Chelsea Palace of Varieties 1903 Granada TV Studio 10   Granada 1958 1957-1966        

Later Heal's (1966 - closed 2015). The company dated back to 1810, when John Harris Heal founded a family bed-making business at the store's main branch in Tottenham Court Road, W1. The sign of the four-poster outside his shop was to become the mark of good design throughout the UK. The TCR store was particularly important to the Arts & Crafts movement, fostered by Sir Ambrose Heal, who joined the firm in 1893. Heal's was where Aldous Huxley first met Virginia Woolf, was the first to exhibit Modigliani in its (now defunct) Mansard Gallery, and first showed room-sets by Mies van der Rohe, Marcel Breuer and Maxwell Fry.

234a Hallmark Cards  (date?)

235 '235 Kings' Owned by Rodney Rawlings from 1965 until 1974, it was bought from Jonathan Hanson and his business partners and transformed into one of the most popular restaurants in the area. The 50-seat bistro boasted devoted regulars, at various times, that included Dudley Moore (always ordered Shepherd’s Pie), Lance Percival, Derek Nimmo, Alan Bates, Jean Muir, James Clavell, The Hollies, James Hunt, Marjorie Parr, John Cowan, Dan Topolski and the current Oxford eight, and many other notables. Nigel Dempster and the William Hickey team usually commandeered one end of the communal centre table at jam-packed Saturday lunches. see Rodney Rawlings reminiscenses

More rarefied visitors included Lee Marvin, Julie Christie, Charlotte Rampling, Brigitte Bardot, the King of Sikkim, Princess Anne, Mick Jagger, Tiny Tim... and others, with everyone eating at shared, candle-lit tables (there were no tables for two) in a paparazzi-free atmosphere. On the door of 235 Kings was a sign with the message “Interdit aux paysans!” (by ‘peasants’ we meant uncouth, uncivil people of any sort, including Hooray Henrys and the like.) “Cet etablissement est un lieu prive, cree surtout pour l’amusement du patron et son personnel. Si vous voulez manger ici, soyez sympathique”.

237 Express c.1973 wine store (?)      239 Chester Antiques at street level.

The Gateways Club (239 basement) 1930 - 1985: The Gateways club, with its famous 'green door' side entrance in Bramerton Street, was established in 1930/31 and, almost unique for its time, became more or less exclusively lesbian during the war when large numbers of women, working or stationed near London, needed somewhere of their own to go to. It legally became a 'members' club in 1936. Ted Ware ran the club during the war, allegedly after winning it in a poker game. He married actress Gina Cerrato in 1953 who took over the running of the club, together with an American woman called 'Smithy' who originally came to England with the US Air Force. Inside the green door was a steep set of steps leading down to the cloakroom and the club entrance. The windowless cellar 'club room' was only 35ft long with a bar at one end (usually run by 'Smithy') with a fruit-machine by a central pillar and a jukebox opposite the bar.

In the Sixties it was popular with artists and celebrities such as Diana Dors and Dusty Springfield and it was used for scenes in the 1968 film 'The Killing of Sister George', featuring many club regulars on screen and starring Beryl Reid, Susannah York and Coral Browne. It is also believed that the song 'Green Door' was inspired by its entrance. The Gateways closed on 24th September 1985 when it lost its late licence due to complaints about the loud music, by which time many more alternative venues for the gay community had become publicly acceptable.

BRAMERTON STREET
Street view   Street view 2

241 Chapman Brothers (1908 - 1964) also at 251. Carvers and gilders, picture framemakers, by 1911 also picture dealers and restorers. This important business produced frames for many leading artists. The Chapman business is not well documented. It appears to have been founded by George Chapman (c.1844-c.1915?), who was recorded in the 1881 census at 251 King’s Rd, as a master gilder and picture framemaker, employing four men, with his brother, Joseph, house and estate agent, in the same household. In the 1901 census George Chapman, age 57, gilder and picture framemaker, was listed with his son Edwin John Chapman (1879-1958), age 21, also a gilder and picture framemaker. George Chapman was included in the electoral roll until 1915 but his death has not been traced. By the time of the 1911 census Edward John had married and was living in Fulham, described as Manager, picture dealer and restorer, carver and gilder. He died in 1958, leaving effects worth £8251.

Later Meenys (1972) Gary Craze opened Meenys on the Kings Road in 1972 and sold American adults and children’s clothes like Levi’s, Converse, Oshkosh, Gant, Topsiders, Bass, just to name a few. The other branch was located at Draycott Avenue, which was the first Meenys in 1971 and was also a children’s hair salon. He then opened on Kensington High Street and in Hampstead. Gary Craze had also opened Sweenys (1966), a men’s hair salon in Beauchamp Place and Todds (1968), in 478 Kings Road at the World’s End.

SYDNEY STREET
 119 Da Angela Italian Restaurant c.1966 Newspaper article
Looking North 1966   Sydney Street west side (demolished 2003 to make a garden centre).

243 Gould's cafe / coffee bar and confectioners c.1967  Later    The 243 Shop boutique c.1976

244 - 252 Board of Guardians / Chelsea Workhouse 1883 Chelsea Register Office until 1978
The Board of Guardians' offices were built in 1883 and extended to Sydney Street in1903-5. The complex also included a workhouse situated behind the main building but sharing the same address. 250 was the old Chelsea Register Office where Bessie Wallis Warfield married her second husband, Ernest Simpson, in 1928, becoming Mrs Wallis Simpson.
It was the venue for Judy Garland's 1969 marriage to disco manager Mickey Deans, with singer Johnnie Ray as best man, just a few months before her death and also Neil Aspinall's (the 'fifth Beatle') to Suzy Ornstein before the official records and licence for marriages were transferred to the old town hall in 1978.

245 Chelsea Antique Market (1960s) then D. Kirkham (1976). The entrance to Chelsea Antique Market is listed as 245A, but with two entrances, this conglomeration of shops and an advertised 110 stalls was the site of the original 'Chelsea Antiques Market' until it changed ownership in 1991. Peter and Adrian Harrington bought the freehold but did not want to spend £5 million to redevelop it and sold the premises on. It has since re-opened. Pattie Harrison and her sister, Jennie Boyd, ran an art-nouveau stall called 'Juniper', between July 1968 and February 1969, and Emmerton & Lambert was a well-known 'second hand' fashion 'boutique'. Slightly confusingly, 'Chelsea Antiques Market' has more recently been advertised and reported as running at 135 Kings Road, the Antiquarius building, which was its main rival. Stall 9: Lionel Partridge c.1969

245A Chapman Brothers works 1912 - 1964       247  Joanna Booth (1976)    249  Patmores fishmongers Later  Dominic's bistro c.1968 Sept 1968 Advert

 DOVEHOUSE GREEN
Chelsea Hospital for Women 1955 (1871-1988)     By the 1880s the poor state of the King's Road burial ground caused controversy. A mortuary was
constructed in 1882 and the remaining area was used for the recreation of workhouse residents. After war damage the ground was redeveloped from
1947-50. The mortuary was demolished and most stones removed to develop a garden partly open to the public, The Borough re-modelled the garden in
1977, retaining mature trees and some monuments, renaming it Dovehouse Green.

DOVEHOUSE STREET
E.J.Margrie smithy demolished in 1960 and moved to Cheyne Walk     street view 

251 S.Boris c.1969: After purchasing the shop from the man after whom it is named, Joe and Terry Heade ran S.Borris, The Sandwich Shop, for 35 years, until it closed in 2004. Among its many notable customers were Mick Jagger, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland and Christine Keeler.
Previously Chapman Brothers (Chelsea) Ltd. picture dealers and frame makers 1874 - 1911 then at 241

253 Emmerton & Lambert boutique    253a Chelsea Antiques Market second entrance    255 Jeremy Ltd  furniture (1961)      257 Cafe Jazz Hot c.1961

RAMSAY MEWS

259 Green & Stone Previously C.L. Hacking ironmongers, in 1895 Charles Hacking put in the winning tender to install electric lights in the Upper Hall of Chelsea Town Hall with a quote of £48. Green & Stone of Chelsea, picture framers and supplier of specialist art materials, was first established on the King’s Road in Chelsea in 1927 when Mr Alfred Green and his sons Alfie and Peter were invited to work from the Chenil Gallery by its directors, Augustus John and Bernard Shaw. In 1934, Green & Stone relocated to 259 King’s Road, a premises previously run as a shop for the Women’s Suffragette Movement. From here Mr. Green and his sons continued to run the shop primarily as a picture framing business, offering only a small selection of art materials. In 1978 the business was bought by employee Rodney Baldwin.

261 H.Bowen (London) general provisions c.1967 Job Advert

264 Chelsea Fire Station The Kings Road Fire Station was opened on 3rd March 1965 by London County Council and was part of a development that included the
Chelsea Arts School (Manresa Road) and Chelsea College of Science and Technology. Previously a Regency terrace demolished in 1955

265 Laffeaty's toys and general         267 Lloyds Chemist c.April 1966

266 - 268 The Chemistry Department and Hall of Residence occupied 266 - 268.    Aerial view 1957   Demolition begins 1960
The whole block was previously an empty lot occupied by Park Motors, a used car trader, on the site of a regency terrace dating from 1810 - 1955.

MANRESA ROAD
Kings Road looking North 1959     Manresa and Chelsea College site 1959    Old Public Library (built 1890)

270 - 278 Residential houses c.1959

271 Clytie Jessop Art Gallery: Art gallery owned by the British actress and film directrix that exhibited works by many notable contemporary artists. Her first screen role was as the ghost of Miss Jessel in 'The Innocents' (1961) and she had minor horror roles for Hammer in 'Nightmare' (1964) and Amicus in'Torture Garden' (1967). In 1986 she wrote, directed and produced the film 'Emma's War', starring Lee Remick.

273 Stockpot : The Stockpot was the one of the oldest restaurants and a popular Sixties hangout, now sadly closed.  273A Doorway to upper floor Not Known    

275  Cafe (?) Later possibly 'Gift Shop' (see Cadogan arms in reflection). The Designers Guild now occupies 267 - 277

277 Flaxman Antiques  Then owned by Robin Guild’s mother, it became the Designers Guild shop in November 1971, run by Trisha Guild, Robin's second wife.

 OLD CHURCH STREET
46A Sound Techniques Studio 1964: Sound Techniques began its life as a recording studio in December 1964, when it was set up by Geoff Frost and
John Wood as one of the early independent sound recording studios in the UK. Artists who recorded there included: Pink Floyd (who recorded their first
record here), Nick Drake, Sandy Denny, Fairport Convention, Jethro Tull, Steeleye Span, Incredible String Band, The Pentangle, John Martyn, Beverley
Martyn, Richard Thompson, Martin Carthy, Judy Collins, John Cale, The Yardbirds and The Who. Outer street building
61 - 63 E.Burchett Ltd moving and storing 1964 advert     46 - 48 Wrights Dairy  Wright’s became part of United Dairies which itself merged with Cow & Gate to form Unigate in 1959. There are several places along the road where the Wright's 'bull's head' can be seen protruding from buildings.

279 The Glaciarium 1876, The Palaseum 1910, King's Picture Playhouse 1911, The Ritz 1943, The Essoldo 1949 street view 1966, The Curzon 1972,
Kings Road Theatre 1973, The Classic 1980. The world's first artificial ice rink was constructed in Covent Garden in 1844 and was a kind of 'prototype' for the first 'modern' indoor rink, The Glaciarium, which was opened by John Gamgee in Milman Street on 7th January 1876 and moved to 279 Kings Road in March of that year. This was a sophisticated artificial rink created by using technology invented to freeze meat for transport. The site was occupied by The Palaseum in 1910 and renamed in 1911, with its capacity increased from 960 to 1200. It became the Ritz in 1943 and was remodelled in 1949, becoming the Essoldo until 1972 and renamed the Curzon, closing in 1973. It reopened as King's Road Theatre for live performances, notably the first live version of the Rocky Horror Show, closing in 1979 and re-opening in 1980 as the Classic, now CineWorld. It has also been, at various times, a Cannon, an MGM 1234 and an ABC.

280 - 296 Residential houses c.1959    281 Contessini c.1975 restaurant (?)    283 Sandra Shops / Mayfair c.1967    M.Silver & Sons c.1975 watch & clock repairs

285 Marjorie Parr Art Gallery  Marjorie Parr founded her original gallery at 285 Kings Road in 1963. Her early exhibitions included artists Guy Wordsell and Michael Andrews, painter John Hitchens, sculptors Peter Ball, Roger Leigh, Peter Thursby, Elisabeth Frink, Enzo Plazzotta, F. E. McWilliam and textile designer Tadek Beutlich. She sold the gallery to David Gilbert in July 1974 but continued to assist him at the gallery until the end of 1975. Gilbert renamed the gallery in March 1977 to the Gilbert Parr Gallery, which finally closed in October 1982.

287 John Walker (Travel) Ltd c.December 1960       Raffes  Originally called Peter's Club c.1967. A private members’ club named after colonial mogul Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, was founded in 1967 by Peter Evans, the restaurateur who is credited with bringing steak houses to London. The Peter Evans Eating Houses took over from Angus Steak Houses. Members included The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Vivienne Westwood, Princess Margaret, Earls Snowdon and Lichfield, Barbra Streisand and Canadian PM Pierre Trudeau.

289 Chelsea Book Shop c.1963    The Jam  (Buona Sera) restaurant (289A) since 1972

PAULTONS SQUARE
View looking west 1961    View looking east 1961

CARLYLE SQUARE

291 - 293 A.H.Inglis dentist c.1960. Old people's flats above c.1966    294 Small Wonder    295 - 301 (?) Practical House Agents c.1960    Later Hooper & Purchase antiques c.1981  

296 Carlyle Studios c.Feb 1961 a block of four studios, No.1 occupied by Rodrigo Moynihan and No.2 by Leonard Potts of Chelsea Manor Studios.  
Later   Jackson, Rose & Co.  The current shop front is 1980s but the set-back first floor parapet defines the former line of the road.

298 Cadogan Arms c.1680: This pub was built during the 17th century as the 'Rose & Crown'. The name was changed to 'The Cadogan Arms' when it was rebuilt in 1838. The pub was altered in the mid-1960s to designs by architects and surveyors Chesterton & Sons. These comprised of external and internal alterations, which included the addition of new windows in place of doors at ground floor on the west and south side. The 298 Studio ballroom dancing studio was based here, c.1961, presumably on an upper floor.

OLD CHURCH STREET
 16 Herald Display c.1967 Advert
49 - 51 Zapata shoes (bought by designer Manalo Blahnik in 1973)    Sloane House 149 Old Church Street 1965     64 to 68 Old Church Street 1968    

300 - 302 Westminster Bank c.1966 street view        303 - 323 Collectively known as Argyll Mansions. Residential above, small retail units at ground level.

303 H&B.... (?) television sales c.1960. Later a carpet and furniture shop (303 - 305) Mannheim c.1965 - 69 and Blueberry Hill boutique c.1970. The Electric Colour Co art collective was formed in 1969 by artists Andrew Greaves, Jeffrey Pine, David Smith and Roderic Stokes.
Andrew was to say "It was originally supposed to support our fine art practice but became so involving that it took up all our time". Late in 1970, among other 'boutique' projects, ECC fitted out the mysterious and short-lived King's Road fashion outlet Blueberry Hill, which lasted all of six weeks before the landlords closed it and converted it into a betting shop. No-one seems to be able to remember who operated the business or designed the clothes. They may also have had a presence in The Great Gear Market at 89. Design magazine article

304 Alkasura 1969 - 1975: Lloyd's second Alkasura boutique (also see 380) was a favourite of stars such as Rod Stewart and Marc Bolan (a particularly good friend), and was where Bolan acquired his satin jackets in the early 70s. Lloyd was to develop a religious mania and apparently walked around local streets in monk's clothing before he eventually committed suicide via self-immolation. Previously National Westminster Bank? Later Osborne & Little.

305 J.Ide meats and sandwiches c.1964   Later Mannheim furniture  (see 303)    Later     Unity Restaurant c.1970      308 Laffeaty's toys and general   

309A Martin Orskey prints and books c.1965   Robot shoes c.1980s also at 323   310 Ford & Son removals c.1967     311 or 313 Possibly Chelsea Rare Books (?)  

311 Fruit Fly c.1980s   312 The Chelsea Grill restaurant c.1961  1961 Advert  Later Rustum's Le Gourmet c.1966 restaurant News article     313 news item Mar 1967    

314 Chelsea Art Stores c.1969     315 - 321 Upstairs residential premises    316 - 318 The Good Earth Chinese restaurant c.1961   Previous old building c.1911          

317 Madam Henri of Paris hair styles c.1960 (also at 46A)   Kavanola hair fashions c.1969   319 J.H.Gilbert jewellers c.1960    323 Originally a police house or station - see lamp on building?)   Cobblers To The World (Terry De Havilland) c.1972    Robot shoes and boutique c.1980s

BEAUFORT STREET
view looking south from Kings Road 1972      Beaufort Mansions (SW side) 1975

325 Timothy Whites c.1966   To Jump Like Alice Sarah Buadpiece and Debbie Torrens boutique c.1968    Forbidden Fruit c.1972   then   The Natural Shoe Store c.Jan 1981     
327 Tobacconist until c.1981       327A Barrie-Zavier (Chelsea Hair Fashions) c.1964    Later    Barrie & Tony of Chelsea hair fashions c.1968

329 Sunclean 1960s laundry / dry cleaners until early 1980s then Astrix creperie     330 La Rêve a restaurant / cafe owned by the wife of John Hodge (Jane?). Later, c.1972, a boutique      331 Benton's Home Stores   second image 1960s  earlier Alexandra Dairy    

332 - 334 Laffeaty's toys and bicycles c.1966 (Later at 345. Also sites at 308 and 265)    333 - 339 (337) Midland Bank     336 Chelsea Wine Stores c.1967    

338 The Casserole c.1960 A trendy 'camp' restaurant frequented by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in the early Sixties 1961 Advert    
Le Gigolo c.1960: A well-known Sixties 'gay' coffee bar/club situated in the basement underneath The Casserole restaurant. Gay historian Dr David Lawrence: “It was a long cellar and everyone would cram up the far end. The lights were dim. It was like a scrum."        340 / 340A Paultons
    
341 Allsopp, Brindle & Boyle Ltd bespoke tailors c.1967   Later Plaza Antony Price shop c.1978. The blue glass exterior of the shop had a revolutionary method of visual merchandising. The clothes were displayed as art within the store and the window was a huge television screen displaying images of the clothes sold within. Price is credited with inventing the cap sleeve T-shirt.

342 Gloryhole boutique    342A The Battle of the Little Big Horn boutique c.1970. Owned by John and Annette Weysom who also owned the Mata Hari boutique at 410      

344 Studio restaurant    345 Laffeaty's toys and bicycles c.1977  (now Rymans)  346 - 348 Barclays Bank   1969 enlargement and modernisation article

343 - 379 The Moravian Tower (officially number 355)  The building next to the World's End estate 355 King's Road was designed in 1969 and completed in 1971 to house 50 families. In 1983 the council-owned block, once hailed as an 'architectural achievement', faced demolition: the core of the building was rotting, brickwork was falling apart, and sulphates were eating away the mortar. There had always been a problem with damp and leaks and, in 1975, a High Court action was brought by the council against the architects, Chamberlin Powell & Bon, and the builders. It was ultimately not demolished but sold by the council and revamped in 1988 by Fitch & Company as private flats, with custard-coloured cladding to hide the problematic brickwork, and a new top floor. Moravian Tower c.1970

THE VALE
The Vale 1A Robert Whitaker's Photo Studio c.1966. Olfa Nielsen rented the photographic studio on the top (2nd)floor c.1966. The Beatles came here on 25th March 1966 to shoot their infamous 'butcher' photographs, wearing white aprons and holding mutilated dolls and pieces of raw meat, used on the infamous US 'Yesterday and Today' Butcher sleeve. The photographer was Robert Whitaker who could not use his own studio as it was too small. Whitaker photographed The Beatles over a two year period from 1964 to 1966. He also helped create the underground magazine 'Oz' with Martin Sharp and Richard Neville in 1967.

350 Bluebird Garage The Bluebird Garage was opened in 1923, designed by Robert Sharp and replacing terraced housing. At the time it was the largest in Europe, with room for 300 cars in the main garage. As well as selling petrol and servicing automobiles, it also provided overnight accommodation for lady motorists and their chauffeurs in the two wings on either side of the main building. The Campbell family speed record vehicles were apparently named after the establishment, although their connection with the premises is uncertain.
It became an ambulance station during the 1950s and a brief time as 'Fashion Arena'.
It was converted into a restaurant, café and shops by Terence Conran in 1997.

351 Old Post Office 1950s (?) A new post office now occupies 351 - 353

352 K.A. Hutchins & Son (?)

BEAUFORT STREET

353 The Ox On The Roof restaurant c.1950s

354 The Roebuck c.1895 A public house built in the 1890s, this was an integral part of Kings Road life in the 60s and 70s until it was redeveloped to become the Mojama restaurant and is now the Beaufort House restaurant.

355 The Orrery c.1954 Terence Conran's first coffee bar/restaurant after helping set up 'The Soup Kitchen' (which had London's second Gaggia coffee machine) in Chandos Place, off The Strand, the previous year. It had an 'open air' dining facility, hosting barbecues in summer and served simple but new-fangled continental dishes in chic surroundings.

356 Maison Suisse Swiss restaurant c.1965    Tartina Italian restaurant c.1965 Advert 
      Later  Dayvilles c.1975

357 - 359  London Co-operative Society  c.1961  Later    Midland Bank c.1969  

358 Shoecraft Shoe Repairs c.1968        360 Hammett c.1972 street view    

361 - 381 see below and list on map.  Later Moravian Tower (now just '355')
Street View 1961    1955 view 371 to 379   1955 view 375 to 381   View from East Side
        
362 Albert Debormain shop c.Aug 1960  Later   Ed's Diner (1970s / 80s?) - now closed     

364 Regina c.1962 - 67  1962 Advert    Later Lush & Cook cleaners c.1967

365 Cullens Stores grocers & provisions c.1964    366 Laundromat cleaners c.1967

367 Heywood Engineering Ltd. c.1960  

368 Ming Yuan Chinese restaurant c.1963 - 67   Later   Ho Lee Fook Chinese restaurant   

368 - 370 Emperor Chinese restaurant c.1970s     370 Post Office c.1961      
        
372 Allery & Bernard car dealers c.1963    Smithy's Kitchens cafe c.1972  
      The Trough eating house c.1975         

374 Allery & Bernard driving school c.1963   375 Gilroys fruit and greengrocer c.1955

374 - 384 Beaufort Market The upstairs 'market' was an open area divided into a number of smaller partitioned retail outlets run by different merchants and was reached by an entrance in the middle of six small shops collectively known as The Porticos.
The market came to the fore in the early/mid 70s as a 'punk' gear emporium. Poly Styrene, Ollie Wisdom and Jock McDonald had stalls there and other stalls had 'punk' names such as Smutz. Fresh Slab records was owned by a Mr. White. There were major protests and almost riots when the market was closed down at the end of the 70s.      Street views 1972    Boarded up c.1975

376 Allen, The Chelsea Outfitter c.1962    Later    Chelsea Male c.1969

377 A.E. Wallace c.1955 street view c.1955

Between 378 and 380 was an arched entrance providing access to Beaumont Market (upstairs) and Chelsea Park - some residential buildings in a close at the rear

382 Wm. Ashford dairy c.1939     Later     Retomba delicatessen c.1969  

383a The Globe  public house in 1881, Later renamed The Water Rat, which closed in 2004. It became an Italian eatery called Osteria dell'Arancio, then Chicama restaurant.

MILMANS STREET 
Street view      David Gray dining rooms
St.George's Home Hospital 1914-56 (used as a hostel until
1980s now Elizabeth Court)

384 Fluff boutique (Dec 1969) The boutique at 384 kings Road took its name from a Tibetan Abso dog. Owned by Imogen Hassall, David Gelber and Michael Curtis, specialising in unusual womens wear trying to be different from all the other boutiques.

385 - 389 Chelsea Police Station From 1830, V Division served part of Chelsea from a station in Milmans Street. In 1852 new premises were built west of the junction with Kings Road. The station was rebuilt eastward from that structure and opened in 1897. A newer station opened in Lucan Place in 1939 and was still in use in 2002. After closure, the station was then used as a community centre and also housed Chelsea Boys' Club in the basement (entrance at the side) but was replaced by offices and shops c.1985.  

Contained the Sylvia Dale School Of Dancing (Chelsea Branch) c.1960
Chelsea Community Centre and Boys Club 1975 view

386 Wm. Wyatt butcher c.1939   Later Climpsons   388 Mac Fisheries Ltd. Later Martha Hill boutique c.1972

390 Maypole Dairy c.1939 Later Paramount cleaners  391 Cullens Stores grocers c.1965

392 The Man In The Moon originally c.1769: This public house stood at the corner of King's Road and Park Walk and contained a fringe theatre for about 20 years, before it closed in 2003. Adam and The Ants played some of their early gigs here.

PARK WALK
20 Earlybird boutique      Street view
Park Walk Garage (in window reflection)   Elm Park Mansions

393 Pembroke Electronic Ltd c.1960 - 64    Later    ...Antiques (?) This parade of shops

THE WORLD'S END  The Kings Road starts to take a bend to the south at this point, marking the start of the area known as 'The World's End'.  World's End Map 1894 .
To the North (left) lies an area known as 'Ten Acres' which was originally part of the larger Sloane Stanley Estate. The World's End area dates its name back to King James II, who considered the area to be 'the end of the world' when he used to ride down King's Road.

394 The Chelsea Wool Shop c.1965       Cobra sports shop c. 1980     395 Bendix Launderette c.1964

396 George White stationers c.1965    Later Ad-hoc        Johnny Moke boutique c.1984  Terrace view   Notable for the owner, born John Joseph Rowley in Walthamstow, East London, on September 2nd 1945. Moke was a member of the London Mod scene that included Mark Feld (Marc Bolan). He developed an interest in style and design and, by 1967, was selling antique clothes from the tiny basement of Granny Takes A Trip with partner Mickey Oram.  

Between 396 and 398 was the entrance to Kings House     395 - 411 Parade of Shops   

397 D.M.Morgan household linen c.June 1966   The Continental Barn restaurant, c.1969
Previously Mac Fisheries   

398 Anne Russell: hairdressers 1960s. Later Review boutique. This block of buildings was collectively known as Kings House. Flat 5 was occupied by DISC and NME writer Chris Hutchins c.1963

399 - 411 street view before redevelopment (some confusion over configuration after 1950s)    Later street view

THE CREMORNE ESTATE         

 

LACLAND PLACE
Previously 'Lacland Terrace'. Old area 'Terrace' map   old area 'Place' map

430 World's End Shop        

Owned by Vivienne Westwood and famous for its large 'backward' clock, this has been the location for some of London's most famous fashion boutiques since 1963:
4.30 (1963 to 1966), Hung On You (1966 to Sep 1968), Mr Freedom (1969 to Dec 1970),
Paradise Garage (May 1971 to Nov 1971), Let it Rock (November 1971 to 1972)   Too Fast to Live Too Young to Die (1972 - 1974), SEX (1974 - 1977), Seditionaries (1977 - 1980), The World's End Store (since 1980

431 Paul's Hair Fashion c.1969

432 Cale Antiques occupied the premises during the period that 'Hung On You' used 430. It was occupied briefly by a business called The Other Spot at the time of Mr. Freedom. Later Timmis & Richards chemists c.1969. It has also been an Indian restaurant.

433 Riley Arms public house. It was first licensed in 1858 as the Riley Arms, and in 1877 curiously had the address 411 Kings Road and still by 1921; this was at the corner of Riley Street, hence the name. It was rebuilt in 1952 as part of a general regeneration of the area, and from that time at least it has had the address 433 Kings Road. In 1986 the pub's name was abbreviated to Riley's. Closed in 2019.

434 C. Young & Sons (at time of 'Hung On You') Later Thos W. Richards (at time of 'Paradise Garage' and 'Sex') c.1975 Street view 1975  Later Keith Wainwright's Smile hairdressers c.1984

436 The Flying Dragon c.1967 'The Flying Dragon' was a tea room / restaurant owned by Puss Weber (nee Susan Ann Caroline Coriat) and her partner Barbara Allen. It was notable for the famous dragon mural painted by Dudley Edwards (post BEV) and his partner, Mike McInnerney, collectively known as 'Omtentacle'. The interior showed a rising and descending white horse on opposite sides. Two huge Anchor butter posters were used to montage 'grass' onto the wall, with 'cloud' machines in opposing corners blowing 'moving clouds' across the artificial grass 'carpet'. Later Miracles furniture and interior design (Charlie Smith / Vicky Moore)

438 New Assam Indian restaurant c.1972   

440  Earlier Snoads / W.A.Hunt  then  A.H. Dixon 2nd hand furniture    Later      Lance cleaners c.Sept 1961    
       Sir James boutique c.1967       Aylesford & Co estate agents c.1975

LIMERSTON STREET
Chelsea Bun Diner  view looking South 1961      street view 1962    West side

441 - 457 World's End Nurseries
This site, approx. one acre, was a garden centre before the 1800s when the area was developed for housing. After severe damage during the war the opportunity to reinstate the garden centre was taken by James Lotery but redevelopment plans in the 1960's were hit by a seven-year industrial dispute before it came to fruition.

442 The Stanley Arms This public house was built in 1851, originally named The Stanley Tavern. In 1971 it was renamed the Magpie & Stump, taking the name of a long-demolished pub in Cheyne Walk. It has recently closed and been converted to a restaurant.

444 - 456 Residential (?)    442 to 456 street view 1975

HOBURY STREET
View looking south 1962        Street view

458 - 474 Residential      458 to 474 street view 1975

459 The World's End Distillery c.1690: The 'World's End Distillery' tavern, once 'in the middle of nowhere'. Named 'Ye Olde World's End - Cannon Brewery' in 1894. At various times, Welch Ale and Watneys

A narrow alley (called Hobs Lane and World's End Passage) that ran down to the river Thames was commercially important as many of customers came by boat from the city to visit the gardens. It is mentioned in the 1695 Congreve play 'Love for Lover'.   Worlds End passage from Lacland Place
The Original World's End Tavern       Old World's End street map    World's End street view

  THE WORLD'S END ESTATE           

Very Old Worlds End map - note different road names!

LUNA STREET
Street view 1   Street view 2

BLANTYRE STREET
28 The Sweet Shop 1967 - 1970         
Street view 1969    
 Looking North from Cheyne Walk

461 (?) The Salvation Army, previously W.J. Pike removals, was situated at the end of World's End passage, between the World's End public house and the St. John mission hall.

463 - 469 (?) Saint John's Mission: The original church was situated on Tadema Road. Open air services had been held in the area from 1873. The permanent church was opened in 1876 to serve the new development of World's End in west Chelsea. It sponsored a wide range of charitable and social activities and worked with the Salvation Army. The church was bombed in 1940 and services moved to the mission church, Saint John's Community Church, on the junction with Blantyre Street. In 1973 the parish was united with Saint Andrew's, Park Walk.

SEATON STREET
Chelsea Corner Cupboard     Street view 1969

DARTREY ROAD
 1 Dartrey Terrace Gandalf's Garden c.1969 
 3 Dartrey Terrace Fish'n'Chips 
5 Dartrey Terrace Rashbrooks Scrap Metal Merchant  previously a coffee shop
with pinball machines, run by a lady called 'Wiggy' , where The Rolling Stones practised
Corner of Bifron Street: Mrs Kibble's Sweet Shop & General Store (date?)
 Dartrey Road looking south 1969    View from Dartrey Road    Dartrey area map
 54 Dartrey A.F.Stokes general store

RAASAY STREET
 street view 1969

471 P.W.Wright  c.1966    473 Cobb butchers c.October 1965   Later    Decro-Cat interior designs

SHALCOMB STREET
Street view