St James' Square: Ormonde House

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1956 New London Harbor - Thames River Connecticut, Large Nautical Chart
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London 1917 Brass Antique Nautical Sextant & Box- 2 extra Telescope sextant
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Sir Walter Besant, in The Fascination of London, published in 1903, continues his survey of St James' Square with a look at the building which was, successively, St Albans House, Ormonde House, then Chandos House:

No. 8, St James' Square, has had many vicissitudes.

It was for a time occupied as the French Embassy, later by Sir Cyril Wyche, President of the Royal Society, also by Monmouth's widow, Josiah Wedgwood, and by many intervening tenants of distinction.

After the occupancy of Wedgwood, the second Earl of Romney was here for eight years, until 1839, and then the house became successively the home of the Erectheum Club, of the Charity Commissioners, the Junior Oxford and Cambridge Club, Vine Club, York Club, Junior Travellers' Club, and at present (1903) it is the Sports Club.

Ormonde or Chandos House, which took up three numbers at the west corner of York Street, has a history.

It was built by Lord St. Albans in place of his first house in the south-eastern corner of the square, and passed into the possession of the Duke of Ormonde, the only man who was four times Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Entertainments on a large scale took place during this period.

Perhaps the most interesting fact in the history of the house is that a meeting of noblemen and gentlemen was held here in 1688, at which an address of welcome to the Prince of Orange was drawn up, in which he was besought to carry on the Government until a Convention could meet.

The Spanish Embassy was here in 1718.

The Duke of Chandos bought the mansion a year later, and in 1735 it was pulled down, and the present three houses built on its site.

These three houses have been well tenanted, especially the centre one, No. 10, which can boast the successive occupancy of Pitt, Lady Blessington, the great Earl of Derby, and Mr. Gladstone.

Here old link-extinguishers still remain on the posts before the door.

No. 9 is now (1903) the home of the Portland Club.

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