This week at little something about the history of the area Worlds End in Chelsea; location of the eponymous Worlds End Shop & commonly thought to be named after the public house built there in 1897 although apparently the name goes much further back in time.
Some time ago Murray here at Westwood gave me some photocopies from a 1953 book entitled ‘Looking at London’ which mentioned the area. The book was written by the husband & wife team of illustrator Ronald Searle & Kaye Webb. Ronald Searle is better known as the creator of St Trinian’s school, the infamous British boarding school for girls immortalised in a number of British films, which Searle started with his cartoons (fitting really for Vivienne & Malcolm’s designs).
The second bit of history is an archive documentary on BBC IPlayer which Stuart from Conduit St Shop suggested to me. It relays a journey on the number 31 bus from Camden Town to Worlds End in 1985 & tells the story of several local people on the way, ending with a Mr Tobias who ran a newsagents near to the shop.
See it here.
Thanks for the post, Ben! It’s nice to know some of the history of World’s End.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey