Loading AI tools
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clifford Street is a street in central London, built in the early 18th century, on land that once formed part of the Burlington Estate.[1][2] It is named after the Clifford family, Earls of Cumberland. The daughter and heiress of the last holder of that title was the mother of the first Lord Burlington.[3]
The street runs east–west from New Bond Street to Savile Row. It is crossed by Old Burlington Street, and Cork Street runs from its south side to Burlington Gardens.[4]
The Clifford Street Club, a debating society sometimes known humorously as the Clifford Street Senate,[5] met at the Clifford Street Coffee House at the corner of Bond Street around 1800.[6] Among the members were Charles Townshend, the future British Prime Minister George Canning, James Mackintosh, Richard Sharp (known as "Conversation" Sharp, doyen of British conversationalists), Ollyett Woodhouse and Charles Moore.[5] The discussion was of a political nature, usually from a Liberal perspective, and the staple drink was large jugs of porter. Topics included the consequences of the French Revolution.[3]
Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth, British Prime Minister 1801–04, lived at number 7 (now demolished and replaced) between 1805 and 1808 and 1816–24.[2]
Admiral Sir Eliab Harvey, who had commanded the Téméraire at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, lived at number 8 until his death in 1830.[7]
Buck's clubhouse at number 18, the home of Buck's Club[8] established in 1919, was where the cocktail Bucks Fizz,[9][10] and possibly the Sidecar, were invented. It was one of the models for The Drones Club in the stories of P.G. Wodehouse.
Clifford Street contains a number of listed buildings. Numbers 4,[11] 5[12] 9,[13] 16[14] and 17[15] are all listed with English Heritage.
Number 8 Clifford Street, graded class II*, has a staircase hall panelled and frescoed in monochrome trompe-l'œil that is attributed to Sir James Thornhill.[16]
3 Clifford Street is home to Drakes, the gentlemen's luxury accessories label, since 2011.[17]
Eskenazi, one of the world's leading dealers in Chinese art and artifacts, run by Giuseppe Eskenazi, has been based at 10 Clifford Street since 1993.[18]
The Maas Gallery, a commercial art gallery, is at 15A.[19]
15B is home to Morris's Cafe, a well established coffee shop and restaurant for well over 35 years.[citation needed] It is well known within the local community, and the likes of Rod Stewart and Bernie Ecclestone have been regulars.[citation needed]
Lutwyche, the gentleman's tailor and shoemaker are at number 15.[20]
W. & H. Gidden, established in 1806, are located at number 16 and hold a Royal Warrant as saddlers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.[21]
Anderson & Sheppard, the gentlemen's tailor with a Royal Warrant from Prince Charles, have been at number 17 since 2012.[22]