SPT Events Ltd

A Literary Residence

In a letter towards the end of Charles Dickens' life, the great novelist wrote it was The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho that he had in mind as the London lodgings of Dr. Manette and Lucie in A Tale of Two Cities.

Dickens is also rumoured to have written portions of the great novel in the garden behind The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho.

The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho, originally the home of Richard Beckford, is the second house on the site. The first was built in 1683 as the London home for Lord Crewe. In 1743, London builder John Smithers bought and demolished the house with the intention of rebuilding it, but went bankrupt and the site stood empty for three years. The existing building was erected in 1746, but was merely a shell with no internal doors, plasterwork, or balustrade to the staircase until 1754 when Richard Beckford bought it. Beckford was the youngest son of an immensely rich family of Jamaican planters who grew and exported sugar, rum, and molasses to England and was also a former member of parliament for Bristol. His older brother, Alderman William Beckford, Lord Mayor of London, lived a few yards away at 22 Soho Square. The interior work of the house—the English rococo styled plasterwork, solid wooden doors, elaborate ceilings and decorated fireplaces—was completed by Beckford between October and December of 1754.

After Beckford’s death in 1756, the House was bought by wealthy Surrey landowner, Sir James Colebroke, who lived here until his death in 1761, when George Cruickshanks, a Hertfordshire gentleman, acquired it. He in turn sold it in 1766 to William Mowbray. Following Mowbray’s death in 1808, the house stood empty for three years as Soho was no longer fashionable. In May 1811, the Westminster Commissioners of Works for Sewers (later known as the Metropolitan Board of Works) took over the property as their offices for the next fifty years, until 1861. They were responsible for the planning and implementation of the sewage system for central London.

The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho was established in 1846, by Dr. Henry Monro of Harley Street, to provide temporary accommodation and care for the homeless in London. The Charity's first house was at No. 9 Rose Street (now Manette Street), Soho. It moved to 1 Greek Street in 1862.

The name of the Charity was originally "The House of Charity". After World War II, it was changed to The House of St. Barnabas in honour of the first meeting to promote the Charity which was held on 11th June 1846, St. Barnabas Day. The records of all the people helped by the Charity since 1846 are now held at Westminster Archives.

For more about the work of the charity at The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho and its residents, click on The Charity.

The small Chapel adjoining The House was built between 1862 and 1864 on the site of the old stables, when the Charity moved to The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho. Architecturally, the Chapel is important as one of the first religious buildings erected under the influence of the Oxford Movement, which emphasized the medieval and Catholic nature of the Church of England’s formulary and rituals.

The original dome of the apse above the altar was painted with the Passion of Christ and the windows were high quality stained glass. The organ, which remains today, was built by J.W. Walker and installed in 1870. During World War II, considerable bomb damage destroyed the roof, the dome of the apse, and the stained glass windows. Post -war restoration resulted in a mixture of styles, including new stained glass and the ceiling of the apse decorated with gold stars on blue.

All are welcome for the Chapel’s weekly half-hour service each Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. Guided tours of the Chapel and the Historic Rooms are also available upon request.

To find out about the range of corporate and private events available at The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho, click on Events and Historic Rooms.

SPT Events Ltd.
at
The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho

Suzan Chattalou
1 Greek Street Soho Square London W1D 4NQ
Tel: 020 7 434 2067 Fax 020 7 434 1746
schattalou@spteventsltd.co.uk www.spteventsltd.co.uk

A percentage of proceeds from historic room hire helps support The House of St. Barnabas-in-Soho Charity for homeless women.
Registered Charity No. 207242