Gainsborough House - Oxford Street, London, UK



Architect
S. Gordon Jeeves & Herbert A. Welch
Date Built
1929
Location
81 Oxford Street
Description
This large building with glazed grey stone facing and pink decorations has shops at street level and offices above.  It appears to have been built in three stages because, whilst the general theme is consistent from end to end, there are inconsistencies in colour and alignment.  It is clear from the information on the British History Online website that this is the case.

The first section numbered 73-77 was designed by the architectural practice of Gordon Jeeves and Herbert A. Welch as the flagship furniture store of Benjamin Drages.  Drages specialized in the sale of furniture through hire-purchase and around 1922 they ran a series of advertisements based on the concept of "the Drage Way of furnishing out-of-income".  The adverts featured conversations between Mr. Drage and a Mr. Everyman as part of this "Everyman" campaign the Oxford Street Store became known as Everyman House.

In 1952 the building was extended westwards by adding a five bay central portion and then a seven bay section.  This work was commissioned by Montegue Burton Limited and designed by their chief architect N. Martin.