Even as far back as 1641 Soho had a rather dubious reputation - the first recorded mention of it in 1641 concerns an immoral woman who was fined one shilling for threatening to burn down some houses in “Soho Fields”. A century earlier these same fields were used for hunting by King Henry VIII who, with his fellow-riders, galloped across the land shouting their hunting cry of “Soho!” - which is how the area got its name.
London - Soho - A Dubious Past
Visitors are sometimes doubtful about whether or not it is the kind of place they should go to. This impression is a hangover from the 1950’s and ‘60’s when crime and pornography took over and Soho became known as London’s ‘Red Light’ district. Fortunately, those days have almost disappeared. Some years ago Soho residents got together with the city planners to force out the criminals and the corruption. Coffee houses, patisseries, delicatessens and small specialty shops gradually took over the streets again and today, although there are still a few ‘strip joints’, the area is one of the liveliest, and safest, in London.
London - Soho - Peace and Quiet in Soho Square
Nothing could be further from the outdated idea of Soho as a place of sin and corruption than Soho Square. Entering the peacefulness of the Square from the frantic bustle of the intersection where Oxford Street meets Charing Cross Road is like entering another world. In the 17th century several aristocratic families owned beautiful houses here, but only two of these have survived - Nos. 10 and 15.
The cute little ‘Tudor’ cottage is set in the centre of the square amongst green lawns, flowers and trees, was actually built in 1947 from the timber of an old galleon and was designed after a building that was there long ago. Its romantic exterior is the cover for the ventilation shaft of an electricity transformer station. Not very romantic!
London - Soho - Famous People
Nearby Greek Street contains some of London’s best restaurants, including the Gay Hussar which serves delicious, but very hearty, Hungarian food. (Order carefully - the portions are large).The great lover, Casanova stayed on Greek Street when he visited London in 1764 and he too probably enjoyed good food here as the street was known for the quality of its coffee houses and taverns since it was first laid out in the 1670’s.
Soho is full of history. On the other side of Soho Square is Dean Street where Karl Marx lived in two rooms above the Quo Vadis restaurant with his wife and children - here he wrote Das Kapital. Other famous former residents include Samuel Johnson and Oliver Goldsmith who used a coffee house at number 33 and next to this at number 33a was Walker’s Hotel where Admiral Lord Nelson stayed before setting off for Trafalgar.
London - Soho - A Cup of Tea
Usually, when discovering new places, one gets a bit footsore. A nice cup of tea in a comfortable cafe is what most English people look for. Patisserie Valerie at number 44 Old Compton Street has been here since the early 1900’s. It’s a small, informal place with superb cakes and pastries.
Old Compton Street is Soho’s main shopping area, famous for its exotic food stores and variety of restaurants. It has always been a street full of shops and taverns, some of which were frequently visited by the French émigré poets Verlain and Rimbaud. A famous London fish restaurant, Wheelers, is at number 19.
For great Italian coffee head for the Bar Italia at number 22 Frith Street. This is the most authentic Italian café in Soho - vibrant and lively. The nine-year-old Mozart stayed with his father and sister in the house next door in 1764-75.
London - Soho - Berwick Street Market
Berwick Street has a lively market, selling fruit and vegetables and scores of other stuff too. It has been here for over 200 years. In the 19th century Berwick Street was in the middle of a crowded slum and hundreds of people died of cholera. Today it is a typical Soho street. And close by, on Broadwick Street, is a typical English pub, the John Snow, The original John Snow was a Soho physician who realised that cholera was carried in water. He had the handle of the communal water pump chained up during the cholera epidemic of 1854.
There’s much more to see. Buy a good map (the ‘London A-Z’ is best’) and explore the labyrinth of streets for yourself.
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