Great Marlborough Street
[2] In the 16th century, what is now Great Marlborough Street was land belonging to the Mercer's Company.
His son, Richard, inherited this in 1622 who sold it to William Maddox, who called the estate Millfield.
In 1670, Maddox's son, Benjamin, let the land to James Kendrick for 72 years, who in turn sub-let what is now Great Marlborough Street to John Steele.
The land remained undeveloped, with building focusing on Tyburn Road (now Oxford Street) to the north.
[3] It was named after John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, commander of the English Army who won the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, shortly before construction started.
[4] A 1734 report agreed it was popular but added "the buildings on each side being trifling and inconsiderable, and the vista ended neither way with any thing great or extraordinary".
[3] Out of one hundred peers summoned before the King in 1716, five lived in Great Marlborough Street.
13 was formed of two separate houses, both leased by John Richmond in 1710 and subsequently joined as a single property.
His son, Sir Charles Blackwell, 2nd Baronet subsequently lived in the house until he died in 1741.
The first floor of the property was later occupied by the painter Benjamin Haydon from 1808 to 1817; Gilbert Stuart Newton is believed to have taken over his lodgings.
[4] William Ewart Gladstone gave evidence in the court against a blackmailer who claimed Gladstone had frequented prostitutes in Leicester Square, while the Marquess of Queensbury's libel trial against Oscar Wilde took place here in 1895.
[4] Although it is one of the few 18th century buildings to survive, significant alterations have taken place, including being extended to cover four storeys.
[12] In the early 20th century, a number of prominent automobile companies had showrooms on Great Marlborough Street.
De Dion-Bouton, the largest automobile manufacturer in the world at the time,[13] opened a London showroom at No.
[14] Charles Jarrott & Letts, Ltd (concessionaires for de Dietrich; Oldsmobile and Napier cars) was based at No. 45.
[4] The founder, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, was unable to expand or modernise the existing shop front due to Crown planning restrictions, so he bought numerous properties on Great Marlborough Street in 1925, and rebuilt them in a Mock Tudor design as an extension of the store.
[18] The magistrates court continued to cover significant trials that were widely reported by the media.
[19] In the late 1960s, a number of rock stars, including the Rolling Stones' Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones, stood trial on drugs offences at the magistrates court.
[23][24] Creative consultants Collective UK, now a subdivision of Time Inc., have offices on Great Marlborough Street.
Marlboro Cigarettes were given its name due to the first shop opening on the Great Marlborough Street.
