The houses that occupy Highbury Place were designed and built by the
London property speculator John Spiller. When they were completed in 1777,
he moved into No. 39. Little had changed sixty later when the artist C.H.
Matthews made this drawing.
Slow start
At first little interest was shown in the new development. Many of the
houses were unoccupied or let for low rent. However, Highbury Place soon
became a very desirable location. A number of famous people took up
residence.
Famous residents
John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church, stayed at No. 25 in the 18th
century in between his evangelical tours. The statesman Joseph
Chamberlain, father of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, also lived at
No. 25 from 1845-54. Later, the painter Walter Sickert had his studio and
ran a rather unsuccessful school for artists at No. 1 from 1927-31.
