Seven Dials Trust

The Punk scene began in Neal St, 1975 in LGBT club Chagueramas, (pre Roxy Club) and Lesbian club, Louise’s, Poland Street, Soho. These clubs drew early punks the Bromley Contingent, including Siouxsie and Severin, Soo Catwoman, Gene October and Sid Vicious.

In Charles Knight's 'London' (1842) Knight describes the lack of education for the children of the poor in St Giles. '… In Monmouth Street is a cellar into which a crowd of children are duly packed in the morning to keep them from amongst the horses' feet during the day…’

John Logie Baird and 100 years of television. After Frith St Soho, Logie Baird’s company Television Ltd moved to Motograph House (2-6 West St) from 1926-28 and he transmitted his 2TV 250 watt station from here, three years before going to work for the BBC.

At 33 Neal Street is the 'People's Plaque' for Ellen Keeley Co. who invented and made the famous costermonger barrow used at Covent Garden market. This company dates from 1830 in Ireland but were at Neal Street from 1900-1982!

Our Monmouth Street History Plaque records some notable residents of the 18th and 19th centuries! During the 18thc it was home to many Huguenot craftsmen, such as the watchmaker Francis Barraud. Seven Dials also had numerous astrologers, infamous quack doctors and mystics.

From 1928-28, the Bunch of Grapes pub hosted the Cave of Harmony club founded by the actress Elsa Lanchester (later famous in films as The Bride of Frankenstein). It was a popular meeting place for London intellectuals, including H G Wells, Aldous Huxley and Evelyn Waugh.

Sir Terry Farrell, 1938-2025 and Ching Court: ‘Many of us knew Terry via his work on the Comyn Ching Triangle, a project which spanned ten years. It was probably the most successful conservation and regeneration project during the period of the Covent Garden Plan.’ - David Bieda

In October, the Seven Dials Trust was invited to the launch of John Dore's new novel, 'SEVEN DIALS – The Past, The Present, and The Puzzle of Thomas Neale’. Available from all good bookshops now.

Seasons greetings to everyone from the Seven Dials Trust! Again this year we have some lovely Xmas lights crowning the Sundial Pillar. We wish you all a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year! #sevendialstrust #sevendials #coventgarden #coventgardenlondon

Our Street History Plaque for Long Acre tells that it dates from Charles l time after the length of a pathway across the land. From pasture in 1614, it rapidly transformed to be the centre of the coach-building trade by 1755 and the motor car trade by 1916!

'At No.3 Endell Street, in the rear of the premises occupied by Messrs. King, ironmongers, is an ancient bath, said by local tradition to have been used by Queen Anne….It was fed by a fine spring of clear water, which was said to have medicinal qualities.’

London’s Underworld Unearthed at Camden Archives: final weeks! ‘A rather special exhibition... a splendid, rounded exhibition of 18th and 19th century slum life. One not to be missed by anyone interested in London;s social history’ - Matt Brown, Londonist lovecamden.org/whats-on/londo…

On Saturday 15th November join author Matt Houlbrook and Stanfords CEO Vivien Godfrey for a walking tour of Seven Dials to learn about this iconic neighbourhood.  Walks last 1 hour and are at: 11:00 – 12:00 12:30 – 13:30 14:30 – 15:30 Please book at: stanfords.co.uk/event-songs-of…

A Seven Dials Trust's 'People's Plaque', commemorates Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, who lived at 2 Earlham Street from 1966-67. This period proved his most creative: he wrote songs for the band's first album, 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' and his first solo album ‘The Madcap Laughs'

Our Street History Plaque for Langley Street tells the story of the Woodyard Brewery (established 1740) between Long Acre and Shelton Street. By the 19thc the buildings on each side of Langley Street were part of the 4 acre brewery site producing 500,000 barrels of beer per year.

Odhams Walk, Covent Garden is a social housing development built in the late 1970s by the GLC. Before construction, the site was developed as a Japanese garden by the CGCA. A much loved local resource, it was the first of a number of local temporary community gardens. @phnxgdn

On the night of 28-29th January 1918, during WWl, a single RVl bomb destroyed the Odhams Press building, on the present day site of Odhams Walk, Endell Street. Some 38 staff and local people died sheltering in the basement when heavy print machinery and the building collapsed.

Odhams Press was situated in two large 4 storey buildings which dominated the end of Endell Street from 1890 to 1970. This successful business published The Daily Herald, Women's Own, Debrett's, Sporting Life and John Bull, the most popular magazine in Britain from 1916 to 1934.

On the 10/7/25, our latest 'People's Plaque' was unveiled at 7 Langley Street, commemorating Debbie Moore's renowned Pineapple Dance Studios! Photo: Debbie Moore OBE and the Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Westminster, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg. Ballerina: Agnes Rose Lamb

Tomorrow! Huge congratulations to @pineappledance and #debbiemooreobe on their @SevenDialsTrust #peoplesplaque !Unveiling at 2.30pm 10th July, Langley Street, Covent Garden!