Pinehurst Court
Encyclopedia
Pinehurst Court is a portered Victorian
mansion block at 1-9 Colville Gardens
, just off Colville Terrace and near the Portobello Market in Notting Hill
, London
, England
.
, who also developed much of the rest of the neighbourhood. The houses were intended as single family homes for the well-to-do but from the beginning it proved difficult to attract wealthy buyers to the area, and as early as 1888 the buildings began to be subdivided into flats.
In 1885 Tippett was declared bankrupt. He attributed his failure to "his inability to let a large portion of his property and to the pressure of secured creditors". Gradually the character of the buildings changed as wealthier tenants left the area.
Further decline set in as many residents moved away during World War II
to escape The Blitz
. One of the buildings at the end of the terrace was destroyed during a bombing raid; it has since been rebuilt in the modern style. The same raid severely damaged other neighbouring buildings including All Saints Church
.
In 1953 1-9 Colville Gardens was bought by Fernbank Investments Ltd (a subsidiary of Davies Investments Ltd) for £8,000. Some questionable business practices followed, mostly involving attempts to displace sitting tenants (in some cases by intimidation) which however significantly increased the income from the property. At the same time the quality of the building deteriorated, and in around 1966 some of the residents began to approach the Council in order to attempt to improve living conditions.
In 1967 Fernbank Investments declared bankruptcy. Its owner, Bowen Davies, took his own life, saying that he had "caused suffering... to very many, and the burden on my conscience is intolerable".
In October 1967 1-9 Colville Gardens was sold to another investment company, Trade and General Investments (Bahamas) Ltd, for £65,000. The building continued to deteriorate and in February 1969 it was again sold, this time to Cledro Developments for £120,000, whose Director Robert Gubay described conditions in the buildings as "truly terrible". In 1970 the block was sold to Crown Agents of Overseas territories, who renamed the building Trident House. The building was then again sold, changing hands several times before being purchased by Elkington's (PIF) Ltd in 1972 and renamed "Pinehurst Court". Elkington's began to invest in the building, selling off the flats on long leases, mostly to the occupying tenants.
Today the building comprises around 105 one and two bedroom flats, mostly leased to private tenants on long leases of 100 years or more. The building is currently well maintained and forms a part of one of London's most fashionable neighbourhoods.
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
mansion block at 1-9 Colville Gardens
Colville Gardens
Colville Gardens is a Victorian cul-de-sac street in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, located north of Colville Terrace and east of the Portobello Market in Notting Hill, London, England...
, just off Colville Terrace and near the Portobello Market in Notting Hill
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is an area in London, England, close to the north-western corner of Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
History
The terrace was initially built in the 1870s by the builder George Frederick TippettGeorge Frederick Tippett
George Frederick Tippett was a Victorian builder and enterpreneur who developed much of the former St Quintin Estate in Notting Hill, London. He is responsible for the construction of many buildings in the area which remain today, including Pinehurst Court, a portered Victorian mansion block at...
, who also developed much of the rest of the neighbourhood. The houses were intended as single family homes for the well-to-do but from the beginning it proved difficult to attract wealthy buyers to the area, and as early as 1888 the buildings began to be subdivided into flats.
In 1885 Tippett was declared bankrupt. He attributed his failure to "his inability to let a large portion of his property and to the pressure of secured creditors". Gradually the character of the buildings changed as wealthier tenants left the area.
Twentieth Century
By 1928 the neighbourhood was described as "rapidly becoming poorer", and by 1935 as a "largely slum area... large houses turned into one-room tenements and small flats".Further decline set in as many residents moved away during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to escape The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
. One of the buildings at the end of the terrace was destroyed during a bombing raid; it has since been rebuilt in the modern style. The same raid severely damaged other neighbouring buildings including All Saints Church
All Saints Notting Hill
All Saints Notting Hill is a Victorian Anglican church in Talbot Road, Notting Hill, London. It is a Grade II* listed building, built of stone with polychrome decoration in the Victorian gothic style. The west tower has five stages with the stump of a spire, and the sanctuary features paintings by...
.
In 1953 1-9 Colville Gardens was bought by Fernbank Investments Ltd (a subsidiary of Davies Investments Ltd) for £8,000. Some questionable business practices followed, mostly involving attempts to displace sitting tenants (in some cases by intimidation) which however significantly increased the income from the property. At the same time the quality of the building deteriorated, and in around 1966 some of the residents began to approach the Council in order to attempt to improve living conditions.
In 1967 Fernbank Investments declared bankruptcy. Its owner, Bowen Davies, took his own life, saying that he had "caused suffering... to very many, and the burden on my conscience is intolerable".
In October 1967 1-9 Colville Gardens was sold to another investment company, Trade and General Investments (Bahamas) Ltd, for £65,000. The building continued to deteriorate and in February 1969 it was again sold, this time to Cledro Developments for £120,000, whose Director Robert Gubay described conditions in the buildings as "truly terrible". In 1970 the block was sold to Crown Agents of Overseas territories, who renamed the building Trident House. The building was then again sold, changing hands several times before being purchased by Elkington's (PIF) Ltd in 1972 and renamed "Pinehurst Court". Elkington's began to invest in the building, selling off the flats on long leases, mostly to the occupying tenants.
Modern Revival
Over recent years the quality of the building gradually improved, reflecting the general revival of Notting Hill.Today the building comprises around 105 one and two bedroom flats, mostly leased to private tenants on long leases of 100 years or more. The building is currently well maintained and forms a part of one of London's most fashionable neighbourhoods.