Biddulph Mansions

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History

Built on allotments Biddulph Mansions was designed by the architects, Boehmer and Gibbs. Eduard Boehmer (1861 - 1940) was born in Germany but trained as an architect in the USA. During the First World War he changed his name to Edward Bomer to avoid having a German sounding name. Between 1889 and 1903 he was in partnership with his brother-in-law, Percy Christian Gibbs (1864 - 1904).

When it was first built Biddulph Mansions was described as 'of modern construction and fitted for modern requirements'.

Biddulph Mansions was named after Biddulph Road. There was no particular reason for the name other than when Ashworth, Biddulph, Castellain and Delaware Roads were built or extended in 1893 the developers of the Paddington estate, the Paddington Trustees and the Church Commissioners, wanted the initials of their names to run alphabetically. The name of Biddulph was first approved in 1875 and adopted in 1893. The Biddulphs came from Ledbury Park, Herefordshire, and one member of the family, a partner in the banking firm of Cocks, Biddulph, was made a baronet in 1903.

Elgin Avenue (originally Elgin Road) acquired its name in 1863 when Lord Elgin opened 1 Elgin Road (now 255 Elgin Avenue). Lord Elgin was a descendant of the 7th Earl of Elgin who brought the famous Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Greece, bought in 1819 by the British Museum where they have remained ever since. Two days after the coronation of Queen Elizabeth on 4 June 1953 crowds lined the streets of Elgin Avenue when the new monarch visited the street as part of her tour around the suburbs of London.

The comedy writer, Barry Cryer, spent the early days of his career and life as a family man, in 57 Biddulph Mansions between 1962 and 1966.

He writes:
"[My wife Terry and I] went to see, a five-room flat on the fourth floor [of Biddulph Mansions], and it all happened so easily. These were the days when you could get good rental; we started off paying seven guineas a week and it reached the dizzy heights of nine guineas.

This was our first real home, our two eldest sons were born while we lived there and a lot was happening in my career. It was a solid, happy chapter and I was making friends that I’ve got to this day. The exotically named Paddington Recreation Ground was nearby and you could be straight into town on the Tube. It was perfect. “

In 1981 the Church Commissioners decided to sell the entire Maida Vale estate, offering tenants a 20 per cent discount on the assessed market value of their flats.