First reference of Villiers Street as Norwich Place, owned by the Bishops of Norwich
Free Vintners - 1364 - Edward III's Charter: The result of his financial embarrassment at being unable to repay a loan made by the Vintners to him some years earlier which granted the Vintners the ability to set up and sell wine anywhere without applying for a license.
Owned by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk.
Becomes York House as its ownership is taken over by the Archbishop of York and keeps its name until 1674
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
Francis Bacon born in the house, 1561 Sir Thomas Bromley, Lord Keeper.
Robert Devereaux, Earl of Essex.
Sir John Puckering, Lord Keeper.
Sir Thomas Egertan, Lord Keeper.
Sir Francis Bacon, Lord Keeper
Duke of Buckingham and family.
Thomas, Lord Fairfax, and son-in-law, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
George VILLIERS, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Site leased to Sir Thomas Estcourt .
Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset.
Robert Harley (Earl of Essex, 1711).
Arthur Herbert, Earl of Torrington.
George Henry Lee, 2nd Karl of Lichfield.
Edward Harrison, postmaster general, Salt Office.
River view of Waterwalk Gate
Minier, Minier & Co. - seedsmen.
Seedsmen using building as warehouse - Minier & Fair.
Enter story info here
River was embanked and warehouse was landlocked.
Turned into accommodation: Embankment Chambers - Up to 50 tenants including R. Kipling and Angus Gordon (our very own, which makes us the longest running tenants)
Famous tenant - Rudyard Kipling wrote "The light that failed" in the parlour above the bar
Angus Stafford Gordon opens Gordon's Wine Bar. Angus Gordon one of the last remaining "free vintner". To learn more about Free Vintners travel back to 1364!
Angus Gordon (son) takes over.
Angus Stafford Gordon (grandson) aka Staff takes over.
+ 3 years - Staff embarks on acting career.
Recruits marching through Villiers St.
Recruits marching along Villiers St.
In the early 20th century, the residential population of the building levelled out at 17 or 18 but the clientele deteriorated: one Alfred Frederick Joyce was convicted and fined in 1923 for keeping a brothel at this address.
Renumbered as 14-47 Villiers Street.
Enter story info here
Luis Gordon, wine importer, publican and owner of the bar, born in Crawley.
This tavern need never close.
Where he crashed a gigantic model plane in a ball of flame in the centre of the 1st XI cricket pitch.
Met and fell in love with Wendy - He said that when he first saw her he knew it was not necessary to approach her immediately because he also knew he was destined to spend the rest of his life with her.
Aged 16, gained his private pilot's licence.
Aged 17, he was given an Avro Prefect biplane which he dismantled, towed home from nearby Gatwick Airport and tried to fly. He taxied around a field behind his house, but the plane was so unstable that it lifted off, then hit the deck and turned upside down. Gordon walked away unscathed.
Enter story info here
Joined the RAF as a rear-gunner in Shackleton aircraft.
Joined the family sherry business Luis Gordon & Sons, sole importer of the Domecq range of sherries, as a salesman and in 1971 became Chairman. Under Gordon's reign the company became the biggest player in the fast-expanding UK sherry market with the distinction of receiving a Royal Warrant from the Queen and also from King Alfonso of Spain.
During 47 years together they were blessed with 6 children and 13 grandchildren.
The company back was among the first to embrace the spirit of corporate entertainment, typically hiring a Comet to take more than 200 guests on wild trips to Jerez, an awesome combination of wine traders, publicans and journalists. Typically these three-day marathons would end with a demonstration of small-scale bull fighting - testing out young, but fierce animals - in a private ring on the Domecq estates. When Gordon judged that his watching guests had sipped enough sherry he'd invite them to have a go themselves as matadors, roaring with laughter as tipsy hacks staggered about waving handkerchiefs and diving for cover. Once he took over the rooftop of the five-star Hermitage Hotel in Monte Carlo for the annual Powerboat Race. Only halfway through lunch the claret seemed in short supply. Gordon summoned the waiter for more wine to be told: "But Sir, we have run out of Latour".
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