No. 36 Great George Street

XXIV.—No. 36 GREAT GEORGE STREET: (Demolished).

General Description and Date of Structure.

As in the case of No. 35, a lease of this house, described as "the second "house from the west corner of Delahay Street," containing 27 feet in front and rear, 37 feet 8 inches on the east side and 46 feet 8 inches on the west side, was granted to Horne and Wilkinson on 4th November, 1755, though the house does not appear to have been tenanted until 1797.

The exterior was in plain brickwork, with the usual features of relief. The entrance doorway (Plate 66) was decorated with wood Ionic columns and pilasters and an ornamental fanlight. The front room on the ground floor had a recessed end with Ionic columns and pilasters (Plate 67). With the exception of two wood mantelpieces, which had enrichments in composition, there were no special features of interest.

Historical Notes.

The occupiers of this house up to 1840 were, according to the ratebooks, as follows:—

For particulars of Nicholas Vansittart, afterwards Baron Bexley, see page 52.

Sir Robert Peel, the eldest son of Robert (afterwards Sir Robert) Peel, manufacturer, was born in 1788. In 1809 he entered Parliament and soon obtained the Under-Secretaryship for War and the Colonies. He afterwards held the positions of Chief Secretary for Ireland (1812–18) and Home Secretary (1822–27), and in 1827 joined Wellington (as Home Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons) in forming a government. In 1829 he carried two important Bills: (1) for Roman Catholic emancipation, (ii) for the creation of a metropolitan police force. In 1830 the ministry fell. Peel became Prime Minister in 1834–35 and again in 1841–46, when he brought about the repeal of the Corn Laws. On 29th June, 1850, he was thrown from his horse near Hyde Park Corner, and died a fortnight later at his house, No. 4 Whitehall Gardens. (fn. n1) His residence at No. 36 Great George Street was apparently restricted to the year 1813.

Robert Gray, the son of a London silversmith of the same name, was born in 1762, and was educated at St. Mary Hall, Oxford. He obtained livings successively at Faringdon, Crayke and Bishopswearmouth, and in 1827 was made Bishop of Bristol. He showed great courage during the Bristol riots of 1831, in the course of which his palace was burned down. He evidently took the house in Great George Street on his elevation to the episcopate, and it remained his town house until his death, which occurred at Clifton on 28th September, 1834. From the evidence of the ratebooks (which incorrectly Show him in residence until 1837) it would appear that the house continued in the occupation of his family for some years after.

In the Council's Collection are:—

(fn. n2) General exterior of premises (photograph).
(fn. n2) View of entrance door (photograph).
Detail of mantelpiece, front room, ground floor (photograph).
Mantelpiece, rear room, ground floor (photograph).
Mantelpiece, front room, first floor (photograph).
Mantelpiece, rear room, first floor (photograph).
(fn. n2) Detail of cornice and capital to front room on ground floor (photograph).
(fn. n2) Ground and first-floor plans (measured drawing).