Glimpse history through old images of Mayfair, London, England.
Mayfair Wedding (1949)
In 1949, the King’s nephew, George Lascelles, the Earl of Harewood, got married to Marion Stein at St James’s Palace. Thousands of people gathered to see them, some waiting overnight.
His mother, the Princess Royal, also appears in the newsreel, as do the prestigious guests, the King and Queen of England. Along with Princess Margarat, they had travelled through the night from Scotland to attend the wedding.
Marion Stein was born in Vienna, and the schoolgirls of Jewish descent was brought to England in 1938 as a schoolgirl, the year before World War II broke out.
We see her tall mother, Sophie Bachmann who was a clergyman’s daughter, and her short father, the musician Erwin Stein.
Stepping out of her home in Kensington, she’s about to become 11th in line to the throne of England. Their honeymoon will take in Paris, Rome, and Capri.
Unfortunately after three sons George started a new family and Marion eventually divorced him, going on to marry Jeremy Thorpe. And that’s a whole new story.
A Royal Wedding In Mayfair (1949) – British Pathé on YouTube
Parking Charges (1958)
On 14th July 1958, parking meters were introduced to Mayfair’s streets, so parking would no longer be free.
The newsreel includes the Mayor of Westminster, Mr Richard Nugent of the Transport Ministry, and various shots of local streets.
MAYFAIR METERS – British Movietone on YouTube
Restaurant Closure (1981)
On 1st August 1981, Thames TV reported on the closure of a restaurant run by British boxer John Conteh.
John Conteh | Restaurant Closure | Duke Street | TN-81-008-020 – Thames News on YouTube
Fernando Marino’s Home (1982)
On 15th April 1982, Thames TV News reported on the seven painting stolen from the home of Fernando Marino.
A short clip shows the front of his house.
ART THEFT | Seven paintings stolen | Thames News | 1982 – Thames News on YouTube
Collapsed Building (1985)
On 25th February 1985, Thames TV News reported on the collapse of an 18th century listed building at 12 & 13 Bruton Street, Mayfair in October 1984.
It was the 5th time that Mayfair’s historic buildings had suddenly collapsed with unxplained reasons during redevelopment projects.
The same thing had hapened at 24 Hanover Square.
Westminster Council, responsible for an area where roughly 70% of the buildings were listed, made the developers at Bruton Street recreate the same historic facade of the 200 year old building.
Ironically, when a later development project was submitted to the planning authorities in 2012, the ‘replica Victorian facades’ were used as an argument to tear the whole thing down.
The 2012 owners, O and H (Bruton Street) Limited seemed to have problems with insolvency in January 2021. As of September 2022, the buildings were vacant, with doorways boarded up, and looking ill maintained.
BUILDINGS, HISTORIC . 114iFRIR- Thames News on YouTube
Brown’s Hotel (1985)
In 1985, Mr Sterling, aged 39, was fatally stabbed in a nearby street after leaving Brown’s Hotel at 10pm. He was originally from Denver, Colorado, but lived in Saudi Arabia, and was in London for a business meeting.
If you find the subject upsetting, mute the sound. It is included on this page because the footage shows Dover Street and Albemarle Street.
BROWN’S HOTEL, MAYFAIR – Thames News on YouTube
Protestors (1986)
Footage (without commentary) recorded on 18th June 1986 shows protestors rounded by by police, following complaints by local residents, as many bystanders watch. Nice glimpses of the surrounding street.
Mayfair Resident Objections | Thames News – Thames News on YouTube
Flats (1986)
Short Silent footage filmed on 2nd September 1986, titled ‘burglars’, shows a block of flats.
MaYFAIR. – Mansion Flats. THAMES NEWS. 2.9.86 – Thames News on YouTube
Cork Street (1988)
Alicia Lamonthe was a 26-year-old woman from the Phillipinnes, who got married just 6 days before she was murdered on 8th May 1988 at PetroServices in Cork Street, where she worked as a cleaner.
Detectives thought she may have disturbed burglars, who killed her with great violence and then set fire to the offices.
A 17-year-old and a 15-year-old, both with long records for robbery and dishonesty, were known to be involved with the robbery which netted them just £500, but no-one was charged with Alicia’s murder.
Justice has never been found for this innocent young woman or her family.
THAMES NEWS.11.5.87.MURDER, PHILLIPINO WOMAN, ALICIA LAMOTHE, 26 & BRIDE OF ONLY 6 DAYS, FOUND BATTE – Thames News on YouTube
More City of Westminster
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- Old Images of Charing Cross, London
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- Old Images of Soho, London
- Old Images of Pimlico, London
- Old Images of Paddington Station, London
- Old Images of Paddington, London
- Old Images of Millbank, London
- Old Images of Mayfair, London
- Old Images of Marylebone Station
- Old Images of Marylebone, London
- Old Images of the Regent’s Canal, London
- Old Images of Maida Vale, London
- Old Images of Knightsbridge, London
- Old Images of Hyde Park and Hyde Park Corner, London
- Old Images of Belgravia, London
- Old Images of London’s Marble Arch
- Old Images of Covent Garden
- Old Images of London’s Trafalgar Square
- Old Images of Oxford Street, London
