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Description area
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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.