Wigmore Street

Wigmore Streetis a street in theCity of Westminster,in theWest End of London.The street runs for about 600 yards parallel and to the north ofOxford StreetbetweenPortman Squareto the west andCavendish Squareto the east. It is named after the village ofWigmoreand itscastleinHerefordshire,a seat of the family ofRobert Harley,politicianaround the time ofQueen Anne,who owned land in the area.

Numbers 18-22 Wigmore Street, the Brinsmead Galleries, were built in 1892, designed by Leonard V. Hunt forJohn Brinsmead & Sonspiano manufacturers. There are nine showrooms.^[1]^[2]The well-knownWigmore Hallconcert hall (at No 36 Wigmore Street) was also built by a piano manufacturers, the German companyC. Bechstein Pianofortefabrikin 1899–1901, with a showroom next door. It is located on the north side, just to the east of the junction withWelbeck Street.

For about a hundred years beginning in the late 19th century, Wigmore Street had a great concentration of optometrists, dispensing opticians, makers of ophthalmic instruments, and related professions.^[3]Harley StreetandWimpole Street,famous for their private medical practices, are nearby and have junctions with Wigmore Street. The veteran pharmacyJohn Bell & Croydenhas been located in premises on the street since 1912.

Number 95 Wigmore Street was the location of the original offices of theBeatles'Apple Corpsin 1968 prior to their move toSavile Row.^[4]

The nearesttube stationsare on Oxford Street, which runs south of and parallel to Wigmore Street:Marble Arch,located to the south-west;Bond Streetto the south, andOxford Circusto the south-east.

The corner of Wimpole and Wigmore Streets features in the famous legal case about causing a "nuisance"between neighbours –Sturges v. Bridgman(1879).

References

^Grace's Guide to British Industrial History
^Historic England
^See, for instance, the preponderance of Wigmore Street addresses among the advertisers in the January 1958 British Journal of Ophthalmology athttp://bjo.bmj /content/42/1/local/advertising.pdf
^Harry, Bill (2000).The Beatles Encyclopaedia (2000 paperback edition; first published 1992).London: Virgin Publishing, London W6 9HA. p. 403.ISBN 0-7535-0481-2.