Sherlock on Oxford

Oxford street

I chose to look into the history around oxford street because its near the Cumberland gate. Oxford street is home to one of the biggest markets in London. “For two centuries been one of the worlds largest shopping streets.”[1] This street has a mile long shopping section which would probably seem more packed than our New York’s Time Square today. This street would have a high population volume which would be an ideal place for Sherlock to be a master of disguise once more. Public executions ceased to take place circa 1780[2], around the same time that it becomes a center for retail and shopping.

You can see how this street develops from before it was a prime shopping district to when it is an established shopping center.

This is a map of 1746 Oxford street

This is a map of 1869-1880 London

You can visualize the tremendous amount of renovation it must have took develop this street so drastically.

From this research I was able to learn that London had an early fashion atmosphere since the 18th century and that Oxford street was at the center of this development.

Works Cited

1. ‘Oxford Street: Introduction’, Survey of London: volume 40: The Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings) (1980), pp. 171.

2.’Oxford Street: The Development of the Frontage’, Survey of London: volume 40: The Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings) (1980), pp. 171-173.