An eight-bedroom townhouse in London’s upmarket Marylebone area, once owned by Victorian retail lawyer Christopher Bicknell and let to famous musicians in the 1960s and 1970s, has gone up for sale at £9.75 million.
The elegant Grade II listed Georgian home covers 5,043 square feet and stands on Manchester Street, which was named after local owner the Duke of Manchester and the house was built in the 1790s under the auspices of Viscount Portman and family.
During the Victorian era, between the 1840s and 1890s, the Manchester Street townhouse was owned by leading retail lawyer Christopher Bicknell, whose practice Bicknell & Co advised the newly emerging retailers of Oxford Street and Marylebone High Street (formerly residential addresses) on product patents, copyright law and shopper’s legal rights.
In the 1960s and 1970s rooms in the house were rented out by local neighbour Ken Pitt, who owned an adjacent flat at 39 Manchester Street. Ken, who died in 2019 aged 97, was a talent manager and publicist who managed the career of leading musicians during the 1960s and 1970s with clients included David Bowie, Danny Purches and rockband Manfred Mann.
Ken would house young up-and-coming artists at his flat or rent rooms for them in the adjacent property now for sale. In the late 1990s the house returned to private ownership and accommodation, which remains its current status.
The double fronted townhouse currently boasts eight generously sized traditionally-themed bedrooms, two large living rooms with double fronted windows, a study and a conservatory over four floors – and has planning consent to remodel & install passenger lift, lavish rooms, cinema, cocktail bar, gym & VIP bedroom suites.
An eight-bedroom townhouse in London’s upmarket Marylebone area, once owned by Victorian retail lawyer Christopher Bicknell and let to famous musicians in the 1960s and 1970s, has gone up for sale at £9.75 million
The elegant Grade II listed Georgian home covers 5,043 square feet and boasts two large living rooms with double fronted windows (one is seen, boasting traditional decor)
The double fronted townhouse currently boasts eight generously sized traditionally-themed bedrooms over four floors (one is pictured)
The street was named after local owner the Duke of Manchester and the house was built in the 1790s under the auspices of Viscount Portman and family. In keeping with Georgian elegance, the four storey townhouse has an understated brick façade with white stone render at ground level.
During the Victorian era, between the 1840s and 1890s, the Manchester Street townhouse was owned by leading retail lawyer Christopher Bicknell.
Retail law, which Bicknell specialised in, is based on English historic legal customs, known as ‘tort law’ (righting wrongs), which date back to Roman law and the origins of Oxford Street, which was built by the Romans, when it was known as Via Trinobantina.
Via Trinobantina served as an open-air market and in Roman times, people stealing goods, or vendors selling rotten food, could be flogged or hanged.
The home has maintained its Georgian feel and boasts plush carpets and traditional decor and wallpaper – however has planning consent to remodel & install passenger lift, lavish rooms, cinema, cocktail bar, gym & VIP bedroom suites
Another living area shows chandeliers, traditional curtains, and quaint furniture – but the generous spaces in such a central area of London really seal the deal
The bright and airy conservatory boasts a home gym overlooking the outdoor area, and could also be turned into a luxurious living space
By the Victorian era it had been established that a retailer had a legal ‘duty of care’ and from 1796 patents (intellectual or product property rights) could be taken out on all manner of retail goods.
Advising retailers on buying houses and turning them into shops, issuing patents and dealing with shoplifting prosecutions kept Bicknell & Co extremely busy.
The firm advised retailers such as John Lewis (1936-1928), the founder of Oxford Street’s John Lewis store, which opened in 1864 as a small drapery shop.
Bicknell often agreed deals with clients in his townhouse, so it is possible that the leases on some of Oxford Street’s most famous shops were originally founded in the Manchester Street property.
Ken Pitt (1922-2019) (seen left) was a talent manager and publicist who managed the career of leading musicians during the 1960s and 1970s with clients included David Bowie, seen right, Danny Purches and rockband Manfred Mann
A fascinating black and white photo of Oxford Street in 1908 shows the department store Selfridges under construction
In the 1960s and the house was adapted and used to provide first rented rooms and later staff accommodation,making use of the current large number of eight bedrooms.
Jeremy Gee, Managing Director of Beauchamp Estates – who estimate a refurbishment could boost the market value to £12 million – said: ‘This large family house in the heart of Marylebone has a varied history, originally owned by the leading retail lawyer of the Victorian era who helped to create Oxford Street as it is today.
‘During the 1960s and 1970s rooms in the property were rented out to young musicians who would later become famous household names. Now it provides a discerning end user buyer or investor with a unique opportunity to remodel it into a luxurious contemporary family home, complete with a lift, cinema and home gymnasium.’
Selfridges on Oxford Street is seen now, with the shopping destination a world away from what it was 100 years ago