Whaddon House, on Williams Mews, London SW1, saw Fabs related goings and comings during the peak mania era; Ringo and George both lived here in '64 and early '65, variously in flats 5, 6 and 7. This was mainly because Eppy had already moved in circa late 1963, occupying the top floor flat number 15, and it is this, dearly beloved, with which we occupy us-selves today.
Above, Brian in morning dress, apparently off to Ascot, no doubt to lose (or even win) an enormous sum on the fillies. Taken on the balcony immediately outside the living room, note the tiling intact to this day:
A Bri-eye view:
Heading in to the living room, and this pic of John captures a corner likewise more or less unchanged:
As for the rest of the room, doing that auld "then unt nau" raises the head of dread renovation once again. Note the appearance of doors in the other corner, where previously there were none:
This pic of ver Fabs with Lonnie Trimble, Brian's housekeeper, gives a wider view of the same spot. The modern doors lead to the kitchen. It seems that at some point the living room has been widened out, not to mention, in common with much modern renovation, blanded out, with various quirks removed in order to leave a bigger and more symmetrically shaped room.
I'd guess the door visible here in the Trimble pic would have been the original kitchen entrance (with the kitchen at that point being of a larger size); renovation has seen a whole section of wall (and kitchen) removed to create more floor-space in the living room, with the new kitchen entrance knocked through in that far corner:
Something similar has occurred in the other corner of the room; note the jutting out bit of wall and double-doors in the Eppy pic. Again, that section of wall has been removed and a single door installed, for the same reasons as above - in order to create more living room floor space:
Les Fabs in pretty much the same spot:
Lastly, some other modern shots of the flat: kitchen, hall, bedroom and en-suite:
If I don't get round to posting anything else this year, might I take the opportunity to wish regulah perusers of this rubbish all gratings of the season, and a happier New Year too. Might I? I just might.
Keep em coming.
ReplyDeleteNice christmas treat Sean, thanks
ReplyDeletevery interesting, as always! all the best to everyone - with much love from a very hot rio de janeiro!
ReplyDeleteI always loved that pic of Eppy having breakfast!
ReplyDeleteWhat a treat to see more of Whaddon House, how do you manage to gain access to these places?
Happy xmas Sean!
Wow - where do you always get those new shots...
ReplyDeleteHad never worked out exactly where Whaddon House was in Knightsbridge - was surprised it see that it's a (hidden) stone's throw from one of my favourite pubs that I've been visiting regularly- the Nags Head in Kinnerton St. Could this be one of the lost 'pubs associated with the Fabs'?
ReplyDeleteSomething about these shots suggest that they're on their way to receive their M.B.E.s -- Perhaps it's Paul's overcoat, or their hair...
ReplyDeleteIt almost certainly is the MBE morn - Lonnie Trimble says that he very rarely saw Ver Fabs in Flat 15, but one such occasion was this very day. If so, these pics were taken early on Tuesday 26 October, 1965.
ReplyDeleteBrian's "pad" would have been chosen as the meet-up point due to its proximity to Buckingham Palace. Funnily enough, he already had Chapel Street by then, but kept the lease on Whaddon House until the end of '65. Why they didn't meet in Chapel Street, which is, in London terms, just round the corner, remains a mystery; possibly renovation and/or redecoration were still underway in the newer place.
I think Tony Hancock lived at 9 Whaddon House, at least for a small period around 1966/67.
ReplyDeleteIs someone living there now?
ReplyDeleteIs someone living there now?
ReplyDelete