Brompton Sq. & Kensington

  


 

Brompton Square, Kensington

Brompton Square, Kensington

Directory entry for 1915 showing the address

15, Brompton Square, Kensington

15 Brompton Square, London

15, Brompton Square, Kensington

15 Brompton Square, London

Brompton Square, Kensington

Brompton Square, London from Brompton Rd entrance

Brompton Square, Kensington

The lovely residents gardens in the centre of the Square

Brompton Square, Kensington

15, from the residents gardens in the centre of the Square

A short walk to Harrods, Brompton Road

A short walk from Harrods - a few yards away in fact

 

Before they married, Winifred Fortescue was tasked with finding a suitable home in London. She settled on a delightful house at 15, Brompton Square, off Brompton Road, only a short walk from Harrods. Apologies to Dirk Bogarde - (who, co-incidentally, lived very close to Winifred's Domaine in France years later). John liked the house at once and after having it properly surveyed they took it. Winifred and John split their time between London and Windsor castle. When in London John would write in his garden study and when WWI arrived they kept chickens on the study roof to provide their own supply of eggs. Winifred, in common with every other woman, did various kinds of war-work including packing parcels of foodstuffs for prisoners of war in a great concrete floored building in Brompton Rd. John & Winifred stayed at Brompton Square until they moved to Admiral's House, Hampstead Heath in 1916. John had been told by his doctor that he should find a house with a large garden so that when his eyes prevented him from writing he could work outdoors instead of wandering around noisy London streets.

Brompton Square is still an extremely pleasant and beautifully preserved haven. The residents garden in the centre is kept locked and, considering it is fronted by the very busy Brompton Rd, it is amazingly quiet. There are a number of houses in the road with interesting connections, some bearing blue plaques. Some examples include No. 25, the home of the writer E. F. Benson, No. 6, Stephane Mallarme, poet, and No. 21, Francis Place, Political Reformer.

Outside Holy Trinity Church an awning had been put up and a carpet laid down for an important wedding in the afternoon, and, as John walked up to the side door of the church, a reporter accosted him - 'I beg your pardon, sir, but could you tell me if this awning is put up for the wedding of the Hon. John Fortescue ?' 'Yes, I can assure you that it is not' replied John with perfect truth. 'Thank you, sir, you've saved me from wasting my time kicking my heels here' said the reporter gratefully, and walked off.

On the 30th April 1914, John and Winifred were married at Holy Trinity Church, Sloane St, Kensington. John was very shy about the wedding. Being a member of the Royal Household and coming from a large family he was concerned that a London wedding would become a pageant. His brother, Seymour, had quarters in St. James's Palace and wanted the wedding to be in the Chapel Royal. John firmly declined. He favoured a private ceremony in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle but the Special Licence was too costly. His London flat being in Brook St, he was within the parish of St. George's, Hanover Square - one of the most fashionable churches for weddings in all London, and therefore to be avoided. To secure a quiet wedding the only option was to find another church. John decided to dump a bag of clothing in his elder sister Susan's flat in Burton Court, which would give him the right to have his banns called in the church of Holy Trinity, Sloane St. Arrangements were made by Winifred with the rector for her father and brother, Guy, to perform the marriage service in the side chapel. The wedding took exactly seven and a half minutes - John informed Winifred afterwards. Only eleven people were present including the happy couple!

Holy Trinity Church is a masterpiece. It was described by John Betjeman as 'The Cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement' and it is just that. Building commenced in 1888 to a design by John Dando Sedding. Sedding was an inspirational speaker on the ideals of the Arts & Crafts Movement but always paid tribute to the person who offered him so much inspiration: the versatile and meteoric Pugin. The message of the Arts & Crafts Movement was to make everyday things beautiful and to revere nature through crafts, painting and architecture. Prominent members of the, movement included John Ruskin, William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Henry Wilson, Armstead and Pomeroy.

Sloane Street, Kensington

Burton Court, Fitzroy Gardens

Burton Court in Fitzroy Gardens where John's sister lived

Burton Court, Fitzroy Gardens

Burton Court in Fitzroy Gardens

Holy Trinity Church, Sloane St, Kensington

Holy Trinity Foundation stone

Holy Trinity, Sloane St, Kensington

Side Altar where the Fortescue marriage was held

Side altar where the Fortescue marriage was held

Side Altar where the Fortescue marriage was held

Side altar where the Fortescue marriage was held

High altar and east window

High altar and east window

Holy Trinity Church, Sloane St, Kensington

Holy Trinity, Sloane St - 'The Cathedral of the Arts & Crafts Movement' John Betjeman

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Pictures - P. Riley Notes Holy Trinity Church