Denmark Street

Coordinates: 51°30′55″N 0°07′46″W / 51.51528°N 0.12944°W / 51.51528; -0.12944
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For the street in Dublin, see Great Denmark Street.
Not to be confused with Denmark Strait.

Denmark Street in 2010

Denmark Street is a street on the edge of London's

St Giles in the Fields Church and Tottenham Court Road station. The street was developed in the late 17th century and named after Prince George of Denmark. Since the 1950s it has been associated with British popular music
, first via publishers and later by recording studios and music shops. A blue plaque was unveiled in 2014 commemorating the street's importance to the music industry.

The street was originally residential, but became used for commercial purposes in the 19th century. At first, metalwork was a popular trade but it became most famous as Britain's "

Helter Skelter music bookshop have also been based on the street. In the 2010s, the surrounding area was redeveloped. Parts of Denmark Street are listed
to protect them, but other parts, away from the street itself, were demolished and redeveloped.

Location

Denmark Street in 2010, viewed from its junction with Charing Cross Road

Denmark Street is located at the southern end of the

London Borough of Westminster.[1] It is east of Soho Square, south of St Giles Circus and close to the St Giles in the Fields Church.[2]

The street is 108 metres (354 ft) long and connects

Tottenham Court Road, between two and three minutes' walk away.[4][5]

History

Early history

The land on which Denmark Street stands was formerly part of the grounds of St Giles Hospital, founded as a house for

lepers in the early 12th century by Henry I's wife Matilda (Maud).[6] In 1612, it was recorded as being owned by Tristram Gibbs. The grounds were laid out for development during the reign of James II[7] and developed by Samuel Fortrey and Jacques Wiseman in the late 1680s.[8] Historical evidence suggests the street was formed between 1682 and 1687, as it was not shown on Morden and Lea's Map of 1682. It was named after Prince George of Denmark, who had married Princess Anne in 1683.[9][10] By 1691, 20 houses had been completed,[8] of which eight remain standing.[11][a]

Dr John Purcell, a London physician who published A Treatise on Vapours or Hysteric Fits, lived at No. 10 in 1730, while the Reverend Doctor

Johann Zoffany lived at No. 9.[13] In the late 18th century, the Jacobite Sir John Murray lived there until the day he was "carried off by a party of strange men".[14]

A blue plaque commemorating the former house of Augustus Siebe, who pioneered the diving helmet.

The area around the street was known as the rookery of St Giles, which developed in the 18th century as an unplanned slum to the west of the City, and was described as a "Pandora's box of pollution, plague and pestilence".[8] Though much of the area was cleared by the end of the 19th century, Denmark Street is the only street in London to retain 17th-century terraced facades on both sides.[8][15] In 2010, a study by Camden London Borough Council suggested that only six other streets in London have a comparable heritage to Denmark Street.[8] A small court connected by passages (originally known as Dudley Court, then Denmark Court and now known as Denmark Place) runs along the back of the north side of the street, connecting to it via an opening at No. 27.[12]

The street started being used for commercial purposes at the beginning of the 19th century and houses were converted for this use. Ground floors became used as shops, while upper floors and back rooms were used as workshops, particularly for metalwork, with a rare pre-Victorian smithy, later a blacksmith's forge, surviving (in a building originally constructed as a stable) in Denmark Place, behind no. 26 Denmark Street.[16][17] Augustus Siebe, the pioneer of the diving helmet, lived and worked on the street, and today there is an English Heritage blue plaque commemorating him on the house where he lived.[18] Preempting its later fame, an early musical instrument maker, William John Hanbury, is listed at No. 20 in 1836.[19]

In the 1930s, several Japanese businesses were established in the street, which became known as "Little Tokyo".[20] Azakami and Co. at No. 6 sold books, newspapers, televisions and radios.[21] The Tokiwa restaurant and hotel were based at No. 8 and No. 22, respectively,[20] having moved from Charing Cross Road in 1927.[22] Other businesses included a hairdresser, jewellers, tailor and gift shop.[20]

Music industry

1920s–1950s

New Musical Express was founded at No. 5 in 1952[23] and remained there until 1964.[24] By the end of the 1950s, the street had established itself as Britain's "Tin Pan Alley" and housed numerous music publishers and other venues connected with the business.[25]

Larry Parnes became a successful manager and entrepreneur of pop singers during the mid-1950s, and regularly took material from songwriters and publishers based in Denmark Street.[26] Lionel Bart, writer of the musical Oliver!, started his writing career for publishers and was subsequently known as "the king of Denmark Street".[27]

1960s

Music shops grew in popularity on Denmark Street after the decline of music publishers in the 1960s.

The music publishing trade on Denmark Street began to decline during the 1960s, as the traditional producers lost touch with changing tastes and groups like

Mills Music, at No. 20, told him that his songs "Homeward Bound" and "The Sound of Silence" were uncommercial.[28]

Recording studios began to be operated in the street.

Catch The Wind".[34]

Gioconda café

The Carter & Lewis songwriting partnership evolved when John Carter and Ken Lewis arrived in London in 1959[35] and decided "if you want to be in the music business, that [Denmark Street] was the place to be, that was the rule".[36] Session musicians such as Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones regularly played in Denmark Street studios.[37] In 1964, The Kinks recorded "You Really Got Me" in one of the basement studios.[38]

Musicians often socialised in the

QR Code to access a multimedia presentation about the history of music.[43]

Forbidden Planet
started in 1978

1970s

In 1970

Lola versus Powerman and the Moneygoround, Part One. [46]

Manager

Johnny Rotten drew cartoons of the members as graffiti which was later revealed in an archaeological survey of the site.[48] Scott Gorham bought his first guitar with Thin Lizzy on Denmark Street. He had turned up at the audition with a Japanese Les Paul Copy—when he got the job, Phil Lynott took him shopping on Denmark Street. After being told several guitars were too expensive, he settled on a Sunburst Gibson Les Paul Deluxe.[49] Andy's Guitars was established in 1978 at No. 27[15] and survived for many years before closing in 2007 because of increased shop rates.[50]

The comic and science-fiction bookshop

demonstration was taking place elsewhere.[53]

1980s–present

Regent Sounds Studio

By 1980, there were a number of unlicensed nightclubs operating on Denmark Place, running adjacent to the street. The clubs were housed in buildings that had previously functioned as a hostel for musicians, which adjoined a music shop on the street, and the fire brigade had insisted that a fire escape be fitted. By the time the clubs were in operation, the shop had closed and the fire escape had fallen into disrepair.[54] 18 Denmark Place was home to two such clubs; on the first floor was "Rodo's", a salsa club popular with South American immigrants and above that "The Spanish Rooms" on the second floor which was a late-night bar frequented by locals including Irish and Jamaican immigrants.[55]

On 16 August 1980 John Thompson, a local petty criminal, was ejected from The Spanish Rooms following a fight which may have been caused by a dispute about being overcharged.

petrol into the ground floor of the building and ignited it. The Denmark Place fire resulting from this act of arson killed 37 people from eight different nationalities[56] and was described as the worst fire in London in terms of loss of life since World War II.[54] Thompson was imprisoned having been convicted of murder and died in prison in 2008 on the anniversary of the tragedy.[55]

Numbers 1–3 had become a Job Centre by the 1980s, specialising in vacancies for the catering industry.[57] The serial killer Dennis Nilsen worked there and brought in a large cooking pot, in which he had boiled his victims heads, as a utensil for preparing a Christmas 1980 party.[58]

The last major music publisher in the street, Peer Music, moved from No. 8 in 1992, completing the gradual transformation of premises from publishers to instrument stores.

Helter Skelter was set up as a bookshop dedicated to music titles in 1995 by Sean Body. The shop operated at the old Essex Music and Regent Sound building at No. 4 until rising rents forced it to close in 2004.[61]

Redevelopment

Chuck Berry street art in 2017

In 2009, Denmark Street was identified in English Heritage's "Heritage at Risk" register as being at risk in view of the nearby development of Crossrail.[62] Particular attention was drawn to No. 26, which is a Grade II listed building.[63] In 2010, Camden London Borough Council identified the street and adjacent properties as a Conservation Area.[64]

In 2013, the council announced that Denmark Street would be redeveloped by the architectural firm ORMS as part of a major development in conjunction with the Crossrail construction work around Tottenham Court Road tube station and Centre Point. The proposed development includes the construction of an 800-seat subterranean performance venue.[65] Numbers 1–6 and 17–21 Denmark Place, which run parallel along the back of the street, and the York and Clifton Mansions will be demolished, along with partial demolition of No. 21 Denmark Street.[66]

The scheme has been condemned by the local music industry and shopkeepers. Writer Henry Scott-Irvine launched a petition to stop the planned redevelopment, which has gathered 10,000 signatures. In an interview to

Covent Garden Market, Hatton Garden and Savile Row".[66] He discovered that, although demolition was scheduled to start in late 2014, the plans were approved by the newly elected borough council. Consolidated Developments, developers for the new site, stated they were "committed to preserving and enhancing the rich musical heritage of Tin Pan Alley".[67]

The

demonstration in the street, protesting against redevelopment.[73] Former owner of Creation Records, Alan McGee supported the protestors, saying "you really couldn’t say a bad word against any of them. And they know the law, so they can't just be thrown out of there."[74] However, a report in The Independent judged the protest to be misguided, as most shops along the street were still trading.[75] Opened in 2022, a new and enlarged venue "The Lower Third" has been constructed on the site, incorporating the previous 12 Bar Club/"forge" building as one of its function rooms.[76]

Current occupants

12 Bar Club was based at No. 26 between 1994 and 2015.

On the corner of the street with Charing Cross Road is Chris Bryant's Musical Instruments. Denmark Street Guitars claims to have over 3,000 instruments in stock and to have the largest selection of guitars in the UK.

Gibson models. As well as their shop at No. 25, they have an additional shop nearby on Charing Cross Road.[81]

The sheet music shop Argents is currently based at No. 19. It was founded by

jazz and classical.[5]

Rose, Morris & Co have been established in Denmark Street since 1919. Originally based at No. 11,[83] they now occupy No. 10 in the former offices of Southern Music Publishing.[84] The company became the first British distributor of Rickenbacker guitars in 1962, which had a surge in popularity after musicians noticed the Beatles' John Lennon playing one. Rose Morris purchased instruments directly from Rickenbacker's factory instead of their sales office, in order to keep up with demand.[85] The models that were ordered by Rose Morris from Rickenbacker and that were then sold and distributed in Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand had unique model designations such as the Rose Morris '1996', the equivalent of a Rickenbacker 325 model but with f-foles, or the Rose Morris '1999' model, the equivalent of a Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar.[86]

There has been a recording studio in the basement of No. 22 since Tin Pan Alley Studios was established in 1954.[87] It was founded by session violinist Ralph Elman, and was previously the premises of the Acid Jazz Records label.[88] In 2013, producer Guy Katsav took over management of the premises, renaming them Denmark Street Studios.[89]

Cultural references

The office and attic flat of private detective Cormoran Strike was located above the 12 Bar Club. The entrance is described as a "nondescript, black-painted doorway ... to the left of the 12 Bar Café."[90]

In 2017, English singer and musician Yungblud released "Tin Pan Boy", a song about the construction project on Tin Pan Alley. Speaking of the redevelopment, he said: “I spent most of my childhood on Denmark Street, Soho, London, it’s where I first picked up a guitar. At the moment there is a massive redevelopment going on which will eventually force a lot of independent businesses out of the area – I have a real connection to all the music and art stores and to see people trying to tear out its soul makes me super upset and really pissed off...Everyone from Jagger to Lennon to the Sex Pistols used to hang out there. To sit back and watch the transformation happen without saying something is not an idea that I’m into.”[91]

Listed buildings

Denmark Street has eight Grade II listed buildings.[92] Though the refurbishment plans allow modernisation of these buildings, the council are keen to ensure that the affected properties remain solely in use for the music industry. A report added, "Music industry activities make a fundamental contribution to the special character of Denmark Street and support associated retail provision."[93]

Number ID Grade Date listed Description
5 1271975 II 14 May 1974 Terraced house of 1686–9 with 20th century shopfront.[94]
6 1271976 II* 24 October 1951 Terraced house of 1686–9 with later shopfront.[95]
7 1433295 II* 24 October 1951 Terraced house of 1686–9 with later shopfront.[96]
9–10 1271978 II 14 May 1974 Terraced house of 1686–9 with later shopfront.[97]
20 1271980 II 14 May 1974 Terraced house of 1686–9 with later shopfront. Connects with 16, Denmark Place.[98]
26 1271982 II 14 May 1974 Terraced house of early 18th century with later shopfront.[99]
27 1271983 II 14 May 1974 Terraced house of late 17th century, with late 18th century frontage and 3rd storey.[100]

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Nos 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 20, 26, 27[12]

Citations

  1. ^ Ward and polling district map (Map). London Borough of Camden Council. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  2. ^ Hayward 2013, p. 28.
  3. ^ 124 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H, UK to 15 St Giles High St, London WC2H 8LN, UK (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Rose Morris (official website)". Retrieved 3 July 2014. We are located just a 3 minute walk from Tottenham Court Road.
  5. ^ a b c "Argents Printed Music". MusicRoom. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014. two minutes south of Tottenham Court Road tube station, or five minutes north of Leicester Square station
  6. ^ Kingsford 1925, p. 32.
  7. ^ Kingsford 1925, p. 34.
  8. ^ a b c d e Camden 2010, p. 9.
  9. ^ a b "Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 and 11, Denmark Street". 5: St Giles-in-the-Fields, pt II. Survey of London. 1914: 142–143. Retrieved 26 June 2014. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ Kingsford 1925, p. 34 : "Denmark Street was built about 1687 and named after Prince George of Denmark, husband of Queen Anne."
  11. ^ a b Hayward 2013, p. ix.
  12. ^ a b Camden 2010, p. 12.
  13. ^ Wheatley 2011, p. 495.
  14. Collet, Stephen (1823). Relics of Literature
    . C. Taylor. p. 362.
  15. ^ a b c d Smith, Andrew (4 August 2007). "Making tracks". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  16. ^ Camden 2010, p. 9-12.
  17. ^ 'Plate 60: Denmark Passage, Blacksmith's Forge', in Survey of London: Volume 5, St Giles-in-The-Fields, Pt II, ed. W Edward Riley and Laurence Gomme (London, 1914), p. 60.
  18. ^ "Augustus Siebe". Open Plaques. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  19. ^ London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, St Anne Soho, Westminster, 1836, p.469
  20. ^ a b c Itoh 2013, p. 82.
  21. ^ Itoh 2013, p. 58.
  22. ^ Itoh 2013, p. 67.
  23. ^ a b Hayward 2013, p. xii.
  24. ^ Camden 2010, p. 10.
  25. ^ Hayward 2013, p. x.
  26. ^ Du Noyer 2009, p. 81.
  27. ^ Davis, Elliot (29 May 2014). "The real Find: Lionel Bart's authentic cockney melodies". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  28. ^ Suggs 2009, p. 147.
  29. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 45.
  30. ^ Hayward 2013, pp. 38–39.
  31. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 102.
  32. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 101.
  33. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 218.
  34. ^ a b c Glinert 2012, p. 263.
  35. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 198.
  36. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 191.
  37. ^ Hayward 2013, p. 19.
  38. ^ Thompson 2004, p. 24.
  39. ^ Rayner, Jay (31 August 2008). "Perfect pitch". The Observer. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  40. ^ Du Noyer 2009, p. 131.
  41. ^ "London's Tin Pan Alley gets blue plaque". BBC News. UK: BBC. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  42. ^ "Forthcoming Catalogue". Guitar Auctions. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  43. ^ "Denmark Street recognised with Tin Pan Alley blue plaque". Evening Standard. 6 April 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  44. ISBN 978-0753547977
    .
  45. ISBN 978-1-84353-093-0
    .
  46. ^ Kitts 2008, p. 155.
  47. ^ Matovina 2000, p. 303.
  48. ^ "Johnny Rotten graffiti is 'important' say academics". BBC News. UK: BBC. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  49. ^ "The Gibson Interview: Thin Lizzy's Scott Gorham on Touring, Playing with Vivian Campbell and Les Paul Guitars". Gibson (official website). 4 February 2011. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  50. ^ "About Us". Andy's Guitar Net. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  51. ^ Day, Jordan (16 February 2014). "Star Wars and Doctor Who fans flock to Forbidden Planet's new store launch party in Cambridge". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  52. ^ "The Fiction Magazine". 6. 1987: 50. More than a bookshop, also a venue for book signings and lectures by the like of Steve Bell and Douglas Adams, Forbidden Planet at 23 Denmark Street {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  53. ^ Simpson 2005, p. 1.
  54. ^ a b Withington 2011, p. 83.
  55. ^ a b c "Denmark Place arson: Why people are still searching for answers 35 years on from one of the biggest mass murders in our history". The Independent. 23 August 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  56. ^ Chilton 2006, p. 107.
  57. ^ "IDS Study" (209). Incomes Data Services. 1979: 3. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  58. ^ Glinert 2012, p. 262.
  59. ^ Hayward 2013, p. 207.
  60. ^ Samuel 2012, p. 88.
  61. ^ Williams, Richard (24 April 2008). "Obituary : Sean Body". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  62. ^ Camden 2010, p. 23.
  63. ^ Camden 2010, p. 24.
  64. ^ Camden 2010, p. 11.
  65. ^ Merlin, Fulcher (15 January 2013). "ORMS reveals plans for underground arena behind Centre Point". Architects' Journal. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
  66. ^ a b Armstrong, Lily (13 June 2014). "Is Denmark Street, London's "Music Alley", Under Threat?". Mojo. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  67. ^ Gumble, Daniel (10 June 2014). "Denmark St developer responds to Tin Pan Alley preservation petition". Music Instrument Professional. Archived from the original on 30 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  68. ISBN 978-1-4070-1219-3
    .
  69. ^ "Venue Review – The 12 Bar Club". Tour Times. 13 July 2007. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  70. ^ "London's 12 Bar Club – venue for Jeff Buckley and Adele's debut UK gigs – to shut in January 2015". New Musical Express. 12 December 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  71. ^ "Why London's music scene has been rocked by the death of Denmark Street". The Guardian. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  72. ^ Rusell, Helena (27 July 2020). "Technical Case Studies: Projects: Outernet London, St Giles Circus". Building.co. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  73. ^ Taylor, Diane (23 January 2015). "Music fans flood in as squatters throw open doors of Soho live venue". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  74. ^ Cooper, Leonie. "Alan McGee lends support to 12 Bar Club occupation". NME. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  75. ^ Hooton, Christopher (28 January 2015). "Denmark Street's not dead yet". The Independent. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  76. ^ "The Lower Third: Hire". The Lower Third. 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  77. ^ "Denmark Street Guitars". Denmark Street Guitars. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  78. ^ "Visit us". Regentsounds.com. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  79. ^ "Alleycat – Bar & Club". Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  80. ^ "No.Tom Vintage and Classic Guitars". Notomguitars.com. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  81. ^ "Macaris (official website)". Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  82. ISSN 0266-2329
    .
  83. ^ Inwood 2012, p. 198.
  84. ^ Gumble, Daniel (12 June 2014). "FEEDBACK: Tin Pan Alley developer "changing the goal posts"". Musical Instrument Professional. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  85. ^ Smith 1987, p. 219.
  86. ^ "Vintage Vault: 1964 Rickenbacker 325". Premier Guitar. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  87. ^ Suggs 2009, p. 144.
  88. ^ Daley, Dan (8 January 2004). "Pop's street of dreams". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  89. ^ "Our Team". Denmark Street Studios. Archived from the original on 11 May 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  90. ISBN 978-1-408-70399-1
    .
  91. ^ Willschick, Aaron (14 November 2017). "YUNGBLUD Introduces You to "Tin Pan Boy" with New Stream". V13.net. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  92. ^ Camden 2010, p. 30.
  93. ^ Dungan, Ronnie (14 November 2013). "Denmark Street development given green light". Musical Instrument Professional. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2014.
  94. ^ Historic England. "5 Denmark Street (1271975)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  95. ^ Historic England. "6 Denmark Street (1271976)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  96. ^ Historic England. "7 Denmark Street (1433295)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  97. ^ Historic England. "9 and 10 Denmark Street (1271978)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  98. ^ Historic England. "20 Denmark Street (1271980)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  99. ^ Historic England. "26 Denmark Street (1271982)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
  100. ^ Historic England. "27 Denmark Street (1271983)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 March 2023.

Bibliography

External links

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51°30′55″N 0°07′46″W / 51.51528°N 0.12944°W / 51.51528; -0.12944

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