Key Details

Overview

Liberty is a department store in Soho, London W1.

The shop opened in 1875 selling ornaments, fabric and objects of art. Within 18 months Arthur Liberty had repaid the loan and acquired the second half of 218 Regent Street. As the business grew, neighbouring properties were bought and added.

In 1885, 142-4 Regent Street was acquired and housed the ever-increasing demand for carpets and furniture. The basement was called the 'Eastern Bazaar' home to all things described as 'decorative furnishing objects'. He named the property Chesham House after the place in which he grew up.

The magnificent Tudor building was built so that trading could continue while renovations were being completed on the other premises and in 1924 it was constructed from the timbers of two ships: HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan. The frontage at Great Marlborough Street is the same length as the Hindustan.

The Tudor building was designed at the height of the 1920s fashion for Tudor revival by Edwin T. Hall and his son Edwin S. Hall.

Source: liberty.co.uk