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Gainsborough
House - Oxford Street, London, UK
Architect
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S. Gordon Jeeves &
Herbert A. Welch
|
Date
Built
|
1929 |
Location
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81 Oxford
Street |
Description
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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.
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