The Pitt Estate in Dean Street: No. 73 Dean Street

No. 73 Dean Street

Demolished

Occupants of this house, built c. 1756 at the same time as the former Nos. 71 and 72 (see table on page 250), included George James, portrait painter, from 1763 to 1779, (fn. 1) and Antony Shepherd, D.D., Plumian professor of astronomy at Cambridge from 1787 until his death here in 1796. (fn. 2)

The front of the house was similar to that of No. 72 (Plate 30a). The plan on a lease of 1840 (fn. 3) shows a frontage of some twenty-three feet and a depth of about fifty-seven feet (fig. 52). The house was planned with an open-well staircase, top-lit, between the front and back rooms, these being connected by a closet on the north side of the staircase compartment. The back room was made slightly deeper than the front by a projecting three-windowed bay in the rear wall, similar to that at No. 71.

A photograph of 1901 shows that the originally plain front had by that date been faced with stucco, the tall first-floor windows being dressed with architraves, narrow friezes, and segmental pediments, whereas the second-floor windows were left plain. (fn. 4) The house is so shown in 1912 (Plate 102a).

From 1834 the history of the house was that of Miss Kelly's (later the Royalty) Theatre, described below. The site is now part of that of No. 72–74 Dean Street, Royalty House.