No. 69 Pall Mall: Hammersley's Bank

In 1726 Thomas Ripley, Comptroller of the King's Works, had also petitioned the Crown for a lease of a plot on the south side of Pall Mall on which stood three other houses, two fronting the street and one at the back. In the following year he was granted a reversionary lease from 1740 to 1776 (ref. 262) but rebuilding does not seem to have been carried out, and in 1742 Ripley's term was extended to 1792. (ref. 265) In 1772, when another lease was granted to the trustees of the marriage settlement of Richard Ripley, Thomas Ripley's son, the Surveyor General reported that the old buildings had been taken down and two substantial brick messuages erected; (ref. 271) the ratebooks indicate that this rebuilding had been completed by 1746.

In 1795 Thomas Hammersley acquired both the houses. (ref. 272) Hammersley had been a partner in the firm of Ransom, Morland and Hammersley, a banking house on the north side of Pall Mall (ref. 273) where No. 50 now stands. (ref. 214) Owing to the difference in the floor levels of the two houses, Hammersley completely rebuilt the smaller and united it with the larger, which he partly rebuilt. (ref. 272) Coney (pocket, drawing B) shows the house with an arcaded shop-front of four bays, and a plain front above containing three storeys, each with four windows, finished with a cornice and balustrade.

Here Hammersley established a new bank (ref. 273) which later became Hammersley, Greenwood and Brooksbank. In 1840 the firm stopped payment; the business was absorbed by Coutts and Company, and the house was taken over by the London Joint-Stock Bank in 1841. (ref. 274)

In 1888–9 the building was refronted and thoroughly renovated, the architect being R. Creese Harrison. (ref. 275) It and the adjoining house occupied by the Guards' Club were demolished shortly after 1922 to make way for the present building (see page 425).

References