Valentine Blanchard
1860s
Buckingham Palace Road, Pimlico

Carte de visite
Paul Frecker
A topographical carte-de-visite showing Buckingham Palace Road, looking north from the corner of Lower Grosvenor Place. The large building at the end of the road is the back of Buckingham Palace. The gates on the left - with Coldstreamers standing in front of sentry boxes - is the entrance to the Royal Mews.
 
The buildings on the right are no longer there; that side of the road is now occupied by the Reuben Hotel.
 
The draymen unloading barrels in the foreground are delivering them to the 'Bag o' Nails' on the corner [properly 'The Devil and Bag o'Nails' until 1905]. The pub is still there, as indeed are the two lamps jutting out at first floor level.
 
Just out of sight, on the right, but further south on the road, stood the department store Gorringe's. Established in 1858, it was much patronized by Ladies of Queen Victoria's Household. It closed down in the mid-1860's.
 
Photographed by Valentine Blanchard during the 1860's. The backplate credits 'Blanchard's Instantaneous Views of London &c., Published by C. E. Elliott, 5, Aldmermanbury Postern, London.' A pencilled inscription verso in a period hand mistakenly identifies the location as 'Victoria Road, Pimlico.'
 
LL/18598