Holford House was built in 1832 and, after the death of its wealthy
owner, it became a Baptist teaching college. It was demolished in
1948, after suffering bomb damage during WW2.

When did the Baptists move out and who followed them as tenants?

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Request for Question Clarification by aceresearcher-ga on 17 Feb 2003 03:46 PST

Bryan, now? ;-)

---

Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 17 Feb 2003 07:13 PST

Hi, Ace

Yes NOW!

I have so busy organising the masked ball, that I'd forgotten Holford House.

BTW Janeane Garofalo says that she will honoured to play you.

Kindest regards

Bryan

Hi, Bryan! 

Thank you for inviting me to post my Comment as an Answer.
 
From the UCLA Department of Epidemiology pages on Victorian London
during the time of prominent epidemiologist and anesthesiologist John
Snow (1813-1858):
"Built in 1832, the Holford House was designed by Decimus Burton for
James Holford, a wealthy merchant and wine importer.  At the time, it
was the largest house in Regent's Park.  Holford lived here until his
death in 1853, when the house became Regent's Park College, a Baptist
school for the training of ministers."
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/1859map/holford_house_a2.html 
 
Here is a map (circa 1868) of Holford House's location on the
northwest corner of Regent's Park:
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/1859map/holford_house_a3.html 
 
From "Regent's Park College - Profile": 
"In 1927 it moved to its third site, in Oxford, and in 1957 became a
'Permanent Private Hall' of the University of Oxford."
http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/rpc/profile.htm 
 
From Regent's Park College "The Regent's character": 
"In 1856 the college acquired a new site and a new name in Regent's
Park, where it was affiliated to the University of London. It retained
its name when it moved to Oxford after the purchase of the present
site in 1927."
http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/rpc/under/under_01.htm 
 
From Gen-UKI's "Theological Colleges attended by Welsh ministers and
priests" page:
"Regent's Park College is a notable exception being a C19th London
area college not mentioned in DWB [The Dictionary of Welsh Biography,
1941-70], it moved to Oxford in 1927 after previously being in
Regent's Park, London (1856) and in Stepney (1810)."
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/TheoColl.html 
 
Holford House almost became the home of Quintin Kynaston Polytechnic
School in 1944:
"With the war coming to an end, it was time to return to London. But
it was clear that the Polytechnic building at 309 Regent Street was
unsuitable for housing a school: increasingly noisy traffic, an
overcrowded site (the adult Institute was expanding) and no
playground. In the closing months of the war, a plan emerged to
acquire premises near Regents Park. Architects' plans were drafted and
costs of alterations agreed. But a flying bomb fell on Holford House,
the proposed site. It would need completely re-building, not just
altering. Neither money, nor workers, nor materials were available.
This was to be just one of several proposals which came to naught."
http://www.qkschool2.org.uk/history/origin22.html 
 
I was unable to determine who or what occupied Holford House between
1927 when Regent's Park College moved out and 1944 when it was
destroyed. However, given that a school was considering moving into
Holford House in 1944, I believe that during the intervening time the
property served as the location for one of Oxford's other Colleges, or
possibly some other private school, rather than a private residence.
 
I hope that you find this information helpful!
 
Regards, 
 
aceresearcher

Hi, Ace

You are a real star!

kindest regards

Bryan

Hi, pbp!

Since I believe that I have found only part of your Answer, I am
posting this as a Comment rather than an Answer.

From the UCLA Department of Epidemiology pages on Victorian London
during the time of prominent epidemiologist and anesthesiologist John
Snow (1813-1858):
"Built in 1832, the Holford House was designed by Decimus Burton for
James Holford, a wealthy merchant and wine importer.  At the time, it
was the largest house in Regent's Park.  Holford lived here until his
death in 1853, when the house became Regent's Park College, a Baptist
school for the training of ministers."
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/1859map/holford_house_a2.html

Here is a map (circa 1868) of Holford House's location on the
northwest corner of Regent's Park:
http://www.ph.ucla.edu/epi/snow/1859map/holford_house_a3.html

From "Regent's Park College - Profile":
"In 1927 it moved to its third site, in Oxford, and in 1957 became a
'Permanent Private Hall' of the University of Oxford."
http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/rpc/profile.htm

From Regent's Park College "The Regent's character":
"In 1856 the college acquired a new site and a new name in Regent's
Park, where it was affiliated to the University of London. It retained
its name when it moved to Oxford after the purchase of the present
site in 1927."
http://www.rpc.ox.ac.uk/rpc/under/under_01.htm

From Gen-UKI's "Theological Colleges attended by Welsh ministers and
priests" page:
"Regent's Park College is a notable exception being a C19th London
area college not mentioned in DWB [The Dictionary of Welsh Biography,
1941-70], it moved to Oxford in 1927 after previously being in
Regent's Park, London (1856) and in Stepney (1810)."
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/TheoColl.html

Holford House almost became the home of Quintin Kynaston Polytechnic
School in 1944:
"With the war coming to an end, it was time to return to London. But
it was clear that the Polytechnic building at 309 Regent Street was
unsuitable for housing a school: increasingly noisy traffic, an
overcrowded site (the adult Institute was expanding) and no
playground. In the closing months of the war, a plan emerged to
acquire premises near Regents Park. Architects' plans were drafted and
costs of alterations agreed. But a flying bomb fell on Holford House,
the proposed site. It would need completely re-building, not just
altering. Neither money, nor workers, nor materials were available.
This was to be just one of several proposals which came to naught."
http://www.qkschool2.org.uk/history/origin22.html

I was unable to determine who or what occupied Holford House between
1927 when Regent's Park College moved out and 1944 when it was
destroyed. However, given that a school was considering moving into
Holford House in 1944, I believe that during the intervening time the
property served as the location for one of Oxford's other Colleges, or
possibly some other private school, rather than a private residence.

I am sorry that I could not find a complete Answer for you -- however,
I hope that you find this information helpful!

Regards,

aceresearcher

Hi, Ace!

Well done! Much more than I expected .... 

But you missed the really titillating stuff when, from 1910 to 1942
(both dates approximate), the West Wing was occupied by **** *****
with the rent paid by her friend ****** *******.

Any more ideas?

Kindest regards

Bryan

Bryan,

At this point, as I am a resident of the "Colonies", I'm not sure how
much else I would be able to find for you. Perhaps another Researcher
who lives on the other side of the pond might have some resources to
check for the missing 17 years.

Regards,

aceresearcher

Hi, Ace

OK ... leave the question open for a while to see if anyone can trump an ace.

If not ... please collect your reward.

Kindest regards

Bryan

Thank you for the generous tip, Bryan!

ace

Hi Bryan
I notice there was a second Holford house in London. Built about
1854/60 by an R.S. Holford.  Probably a son. It was on Park Lane where
the Dorchester Hotel is now.
The architect was Lewis Vulliamy.
Just thought you would like to know this,
Regards Simon

Hi, Simon

Many thanks for your info.

However, it was the one in Regent's Park that I was interested in ...

But I bet nobody knows why ...

KR
Bryan

Hi Bryan
Something to do with Edward the Eighth or one of his lovers/confidentes
Regards Simon

Hi Bryan 
Saw this and thought of yew
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:866xDvEJ6UkJ:www.dgillan.screaming.net/stage/allan/allan-m2.html+%22Holford+House%22&hl=en&start=19&ie=UTF-8
Maud Allan
In keeping with her new found status she rented luxurious apartments
in Holford House, overlooking Regent's Park. These were for a number
of years paid for by Margot Asquith, wife of Prime Minister Herbert
Asquith, one of Maud's many patrons and with whom she developed a
close friendship.
KEMLO