IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): LMA/4608
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: CUBITT ESTATES LIMITED
Date(s): [1820]-1959
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 0.5 linear metres
Name of creator(s): William Cubitt and Company
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Thomas Cubitt (1788-1855) was one of London's leading master builders. He was born in Buxton, Norfolk, son of a carpenter. He opened his business in 1810 in Gray's Inn Road. The first major building was the London Institution, Finsbury Circus. He later began speculative housing at Camden Town, Islington and Stoke Newington.
He also developed Bloomsbury around Gordon and Tavistock Squares for landowners including Duke of Bedford. In 1824, Richard Grosvenor, Marquess of Westminster commissioned Cubitt to create housing in Belgravia (Belgrave Square and Pimlico). He was responsible for the east front of Buckingham Palace and was an organiser of the Battersea Park Scheme. He also funded part of the River Thames Embankment. Outside London he developed Kemp Town, Brighton, Sussex and Osborne House, Isle of Wight.
In 1827 Thomas Cubitt withdrew from estate management leaving matters to his brother William Cubitt (1791-1863). He lived on Denbies Estate, Dorking, Surrey where he died in 1855. His affairs continued to be managed by his executors and later trustees under his will. In 1881 George Cubitt of Denbies, Surrey and William Cubitt of Fallapit, South Devon were trustees.
The business later moved from Gray's Inn Road to Westminster, operating from 3 Lyall Street, Belgrave Square (1850-1855); Grosvenor Road, Pimlico (1855-1859); 71 St George's Square (1859-1860); 127 St George's Square (1860-1864).
In 1883 the building business of Cubitts was acquired by Holland and Hannen and renamed Holland and Hannen and Cubitts, later incorporated as Holland, Hannen and Cubitts Limited. This firm was later acquired by Drake and Gorham Skull (1969) and then by Tarmac in 1976 and subsequently integrated into Tarmac Construction.
The estates were managed by the firm founded by William Cubitt, namely William Cubitt and Company which operated from Gray's Inn Road, Holborn (1843-1851). This later became Cubitt Estates Limited.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Outgoing letter books including a letter book of William Cubitt and Company, and lease books containing plans of estates.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English.
System of arrangement:
Arranged as follows:
LMA/4608/01 CUBITT, THOMAS
LMA/4608/02 WILLIAM CUBITT AND COMPANY
Conditions governing access:
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright held by the City of London.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Gifted to London Metropolitan Archives in January 2010 and received May and June 2012.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Publication note:
See Thomas Cubitt, master builder by Hobhouse, Hermione. Published Didcot: Management Books 2000, 1995. Originally published, London: Macmillan, 1971 (LMA Library reference: 45.69 (CUB)). Further corporate publication titles include Holland and Hannen and Cubits - The Inception and Development of a Great Building Firm (1920) and Cubitts 1810-1975 (1975).
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: Added to AIM25 August 2012.