Brewers Lane to Paved Court

This is part of a local history note on Richmond Green properties. See the start of this local history note.

Number 13

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 95)

One of the few unlisted properties on the Green. It was rebuilt probably around 1870 and since that time has been commercial premises. Activities carried on there have included linen drapery, a toy shop, a Servants Registry (around 1879 to 1880) and basket making. It became an antique shop about 1936 and is now a chocolate shop.

Numbers 14 to 24 are all now offices.

Numbers 14, 15, 16

All Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey numbers 94, 93 and 92)

Three 18th century houses, all refaced at a later date, numbers 14 and 16 with yellow brick and number 15 with brown brick.

Number 17

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 91)

Occupied from 1731 to 1785 by firstly Mrs Baldwin and then by Isaac Baldwin. It was used for most of that time as a coffee-house. It was put up for sale in 1776 and was described thus:- "A desirable copyhold estate, known by the name of the Richmond Coffee- house… being a most desirable situation for that branch of business; on the ground floor is a large coffee room pleasantly situated facing the Green; a bar parlour and other necessary offices, with a billiard room and kitchen detached from the house. The first reference to its use as a coffee house is in the 1746 ratebooks and it may have been this property to which Horace Walpole referred on 14th June 1749:- "As I passed over the Green I saw Lord Bath, Lord Lonsdale, and half a dozen more of White's Club sauntering at the door of a house they had taken there, and come to every Saturday and Sunday to play at Whist."

The house has been used by solicitors' firms since 1861, except for a gap of about 20 years at the beginning of the 20th century when it was used by the Richmond School of Cookery (1900 to 1911) and then as a boarding house (1911 to 1919).

Number 18

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 90)

This 18th century house was owned from 1746 to after 1765 by the Baldwin family (see number 17). During the 19th century its ground floor was rather spoilt by alterations.

Number 19

(1771/4 Rental Survey number 89)

A house existed on this site from at least the beginnings of the 18th century until around1900. Up to that time it had had similar uses to neighbouring properties, being used as a Ladies School (1867 to 1873) and as a lodging house (1876 to 1878) as well as a residence. It was replaced by St. Luke's Mission Hall which opened around1904. The building became offices for a firm of architects.

Number 20

1771/4 Rental Survey number 88

A house stood on this site from at least the beginning of the 18th century until 1903, when it was demolished to make a back entrance to the G.P.O. sorting office which moved to premises in Park Lane in 1974.

Number 21

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 87

The earliest known occupant is John Walthoe who is listed in the1726 rate book. He is probably the J. Walthoe who appears in a list of provincial booksellers. (see Notes and Queries 31st March 1906). A bookseller of this name had a business in Richmond and also at the Golden Ball, opposite The Royal Exchange, London, from 1726 to 1735. From 1815 to 1826 Stephen Peter Rigaud (1774 to 1839), the astronomer and mathematician, lived here. He was followed, from 1827 to 1837, by his uncle, the Rev. Stephen Demainbray (1759 to 1854), who was Astronomer of the Royal Observatory, Kew for 58 years. In 1814, Rigaud was appointed co-observer with his uncle. From 1902 to 1939, the house was used as the telephone exchange until it moved to new premises in Spring Terrace. It then became part of the G.P.O. sorting office.

Number 22

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey N0. 86

Like number 21, this is an early 18th century house, with a fine Doric doorcase of the period. It was a Ladies School with Mrs Hyman as the proprietor 1876-1882. It later became part of the G.P.O. sorting office.

Number 23, Number 24

Both Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 85

This pair of grey brick houses, built in 1830 by a Mr. Wright, stand on the site of a single early 18th century residence.

The Cricketers public house

Grade III listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 85

A public house called The Crickett Players stood on this site in 1770, but its history probably goes back much earlier. Cricket has been played on the Green since the mid-17th century at least.  The old building was destroyed by fire in August 1844. This was a sufficiently notable event for it to be reported in the Illustrated London News 24th August 1844. number 26 was also wholly destroyed, number 27 was partly destroyed and damaged by water. The houses on the other side, numbers 23 and 24, were partly destroyed and damaged by water. The total loss was estimated at £4000. The premises’ popularity ensured its speedy replacement. The property was owned by the Richmond brewer, Edward Collins, during the second half of the 18th century, but in the Court Rolls of 1st April 1770, Samuel Whitbread (1720 to 1796) is listed as the new copyholder, taking over from Thomas Savage. In 1771 Whitbread is shown as being in partnership with Edward Collins. Collins also owned 5 other public houses in Richmond as well as the brewery in Water Lane. This property and the houses between it and Brewers Lane stood on the site of an ancient inn known as The White Horse Inn which was demolished around 1700.

Number 25

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey number 83

This property first appears in the rate book of 1740 and is listed as empty. The first known occupant was a Mr Talbot Young who was there in 1747.

Number 26

1771/4 Rental Survey number 82

The present building was probably erected around 1901. It is now offices.

Number 27

1771/4 Rental Survey number 80 (with next property)

The property stood on the south side of Golden Court and formed an arch over it similar to the entrance of a coaching inn. At the rear of this building, at right angles to the lane, were two more properties including an old Coffee House. Built by the early 18th century, number 27 finally became a mission hall in 1884. It was demolished when St. Luke's Mission Hall was built. (see number 15) and is not listed after 1903.

Golden Court

Number 28, The Prince's Head public house

1771/4 Rental Survey number 80

This public house dates back to the 18th century when it was known as The Duke's Head, after the 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665 to 1745), subject of popular acclaim after his victory at Vigo Bay in 1702. Ten years later, he was disgraced and impeached for treason. It was renamed by 1778. It was probably rebuilt around 1900. Some famous cricketers have held the license here including the Surrey, Somerset and England fast bowler Thomas Richardson (1870 to 1912), whose name appears in the directories from 1908 until his death in 1912.

Paved Court

Numbers 29 to 32

Grade II listed (1771/4 Rental Survey numbers 64-61

Although difficult to identify precisely from the rate books, one of these houses was known as Auster's Coffee House during the early part of the 18th century. number 32 was the home of John Powell.

Old Palace Terrace, known as Powell’s Row until 1850

Grade 1 group, individually Grade II (1771/4 Rental Survey numbers 60-54)

This fine row of six terraced house with number 32 was built in in 1692 by Vestue Radford, a local barrister who bought and demolished the old house that stood on the site. The site had belonged to the Charterhouse of Shene until the dissolution of the monasteries when it contained five small cottages. By 1635 it was occupied by a single large house ‘Mr Kirkham’s. From 1732 it was known as Powell’s Row after a prominent tenant, but in 1851 the Vestry changed the name to Old Palace Terrace. In 1742, James Heidegger resided at number 2, this was one of the houses on the Green occupied by him at various times. Number1 was for many years the premises of Lloyds, pharmaceutical chemists, first established in 1826 and an apothecary’s shop before that.

The 1771 Rental Survey for number 5 gives Mrs Ann Southwell as the occupant. William Southwell is listed in the rate books for 1733-1736 with Mrs Southwell from 1737. In 1780 Stephen Rigaud is listed as the tenant. Rigaud was the assistant observer to his father-in-law, Dr. Demainbray at the Kew Royal Observatory from 1769 until his death in 1814. Rigaud was succeeded in then post by his son, Stephen Peter Rigaud, a mathematical historian and astronomer. By 1790, the property is described as a house and shop, possibly a carpenter's, owned by James Howard. The census return for 1841 lists it as a lodging house run by Eliza Warner on behalf on Ann Howard. The Howards were given as tenants from 1790. The next occupier, from around1851 to 1892, was William Christian Selle, doctor of music. He was a well-known local resident and Musician in Ordinary to Queen Victoria for 44 years. He died in 1898 aged 86.