Prince of Wales Drive, London
Encyclopedia
Prince of Wales Drive is located in Battersea
, in the London
borough of Wandsworth
. The drive is situated on the southern perimeter of Battersea Park
.
, and the remainder was to be let on building leases - the area now covered by Prince of Wales Drive, which was previously known as Prince of Wales Road, was part of Battersea Fields.
The original idea was for Battersea Park
to be surrounded by middle-class villas, as seen in other contemporary parks in Britain. Land was allocated for building, but nothing was built for about 30 years. One villa, Carlton Lodge, was built in 1884.
In the 1890s Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea
, began to acquire vacant land on the south side of Prince of Wales Drive from the Commissioners for Development. His first mansion block to be developed along Prince of Wales Drive was Overstrand Mansions, which was begun on 11 January 1893. In 1894, most of the other mansions blocks were begun by Cyril Flower, Cyril Mansions was started on 26 April, Norfolk Mansions was started on 27 October, and both Sidestrand Mansions (now Park Mansions) and Primrose Mansions in November. These blocks were under construction, by different builders, at much of the same time, and are of an architecture style inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. The leases for these buildings were taken up with enthusiasm when built.
The names of these five mansion blocks were selected by Cyril Flower, and his wife Constance. Sidestrand Mansions (now Park Mansions), Norfolk Mansions and Overstrand Mansions were named after "Poppyland", which was popularised by Clement Scott
, the theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph. "Poppyland" was a fashionable holiday destination during this time, and the names would have appealed to the first residents of Prince of Wales Drive. Cyril Mansions was named by Cyril Flower after himself, and Primrose Mansions was named after Constance's Rothschild cousin, Hannah, who was married to Archibald Primrose, Earl of Rosebery
(Rosebery Villa abuts Primrose Mansions on Alexandra Road).
York Mansions
and Prince of Wales Drive Mansions were constructed at a later time, and were built on the reclaimed land from The Albert Palace
.
Frederick's father, was Thomas Anderson, who was an actor who went under the stage name of Weldon Atherston. Thomas had previously had an affair with Elizabeth Earle in 1899, she had been a young struggling actress when she had the affair. After the affair was over, Thomas' son, Frederick, and Elizabeth became friends.
The murder remains a mystery, and it is not known why Thomas Anderson was in the adjoining garden flat to Elizabeth Earle. Some surmise that he was spying on his son and ex-girlfriend.
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, in the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
borough of Wandsworth
London Borough of Wandsworth
The London Borough of Wandsworth is a London borough in southwest London, England, and forms part of Inner London.-History:The borough was formed in 1965 from the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Battersea and much of the former area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth, but...
. The drive is situated on the southern perimeter of Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
.
Overview
The southern side of Prince of Wales Drive is lined with late-Victorian mansion blocks and villas. When moving east from Albert Bridge Road to Queenstown Road, the building order is as follows:- Park Mansions (started November 1894)
- Norfolk Mansions (started October 1894)
- Cyril Mansions (started April 1894)
- Overstrand Mansions (started January 1893)
- Carlton Lodge Villa (started 1884)
- Primrose Mansions (started November 1894)
- York MansionsYork MansionsYork Mansions is one of the seven Victorian blocks of flats located on Prince of Wales Drive, London, between Albert Bridge Road and Queenstown Road, in Battersea, in the London borough of Wandsworth. The building is four storeys tall and is of a Victorian High Gothic Revival style...
(started 1897) - Prince of Wales Drive Mansions
History
In 1846, The Commission for Improving the Metropolis, acquired 320 acres of Battersea Fields, of which 198 acres became Battersea ParkBattersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
, and the remainder was to be let on building leases - the area now covered by Prince of Wales Drive, which was previously known as Prince of Wales Road, was part of Battersea Fields.
The original idea was for Battersea Park
Battersea Park
Battersea Park is a 200 acre green space at Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth in England. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea, and was opened in 1858....
to be surrounded by middle-class villas, as seen in other contemporary parks in Britain. Land was allocated for building, but nothing was built for about 30 years. One villa, Carlton Lodge, was built in 1884.
In the 1890s Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea
Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea
Cyril Flower, 1st Baron Battersea was a British Liberal politician and patron of art.-Background and education:...
, began to acquire vacant land on the south side of Prince of Wales Drive from the Commissioners for Development. His first mansion block to be developed along Prince of Wales Drive was Overstrand Mansions, which was begun on 11 January 1893. In 1894, most of the other mansions blocks were begun by Cyril Flower, Cyril Mansions was started on 26 April, Norfolk Mansions was started on 27 October, and both Sidestrand Mansions (now Park Mansions) and Primrose Mansions in November. These blocks were under construction, by different builders, at much of the same time, and are of an architecture style inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. The leases for these buildings were taken up with enthusiasm when built.
The names of these five mansion blocks were selected by Cyril Flower, and his wife Constance. Sidestrand Mansions (now Park Mansions), Norfolk Mansions and Overstrand Mansions were named after "Poppyland", which was popularised by Clement Scott
Clement Scott
Clement Scott was an influential English theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph, and a playwright and travel writer, in the final decades of the 19th century...
, the theatre critic for the Daily Telegraph. "Poppyland" was a fashionable holiday destination during this time, and the names would have appealed to the first residents of Prince of Wales Drive. Cyril Mansions was named by Cyril Flower after himself, and Primrose Mansions was named after Constance's Rothschild cousin, Hannah, who was married to Archibald Primrose, Earl of Rosebery
Earl of Rosebery
Earl of Rosebery is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1703 for Archibald Primrose, 1st Viscount of Rosebery, with remainder to his issue male and female successively...
(Rosebery Villa abuts Primrose Mansions on Alexandra Road).
York Mansions
York Mansions
York Mansions is one of the seven Victorian blocks of flats located on Prince of Wales Drive, London, between Albert Bridge Road and Queenstown Road, in Battersea, in the London borough of Wandsworth. The building is four storeys tall and is of a Victorian High Gothic Revival style...
and Prince of Wales Drive Mansions were constructed at a later time, and were built on the reclaimed land from The Albert Palace
The Albert Palace
The Albert Palace was located in Battersea, in the borough of Wandsworth, London. It faced, and formed a backdrop to the lake in Battersea Park, and was a re-erection of an iron and glass building, like The Crystal Palace of 1851, which had partly housed the Dublin International Exhibition of...
.
Events
On Wednesday, 13 July 1910, Frederick Anderson and Elizabeth Earle heard two gunshots ring out from the neighboring garden flat, number 17 Prince of Wales Drive Mansions. Frederick, who was visiting Elizabeth, went to investigate, saw a body, and called the police. He recognised the body to be his father upon arrival of the police.Frederick's father, was Thomas Anderson, who was an actor who went under the stage name of Weldon Atherston. Thomas had previously had an affair with Elizabeth Earle in 1899, she had been a young struggling actress when she had the affair. After the affair was over, Thomas' son, Frederick, and Elizabeth became friends.
The murder remains a mystery, and it is not known why Thomas Anderson was in the adjoining garden flat to Elizabeth Earle. Some surmise that he was spying on his son and ex-girlfriend.