Half Moon Street is a street in the City of Westminster, London. The street runs from Curzon Street in the north to Piccadilly in the south.
Contents
Map of Half Moon St, London W1J 7BH, UK
History
Half Moon Street was built from 1730. It takes its name from a public house that once stood on the corner with Piccadilly.
Notable inhabitants
James Boswell, biographer of Dr Johnson, had lodgings in the street in 1768 at the home of Mr Russell, an upholsterer. Lola Montez, mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, lived in the street in 1849. The street was known for its genteel lodgings and apartments which was still the case when Somerset Maugham visited in 1930.
In the twentieth century, Sax Rohmer (1883-1959) creator of Dr Fu Manchu, once lived in the street. A blue plaque marks the spot. Rohmer made repeated use of the street in his work. In other early 20th century fiction, Sapper's hero Bulldog Drummond, lived in the street.
Buildings
Among the listed buildings in the street are parts of Fleming's Hotel and Green Park Hotel. Other listed buildings include numbers 6, 7 and 8, 12a, 14, 15, 24, and 25.