Eaton Square Belgravia, SW1

EATON SQUARE

BELGRAVIA, SW1

An impressive Grade II* listed Blue Plaque Belgravia residence once the London home of Mrs Henry Ford II, used by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and originally the home of Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin.

Comprising a four bedroom main residence and an interconnecting two bedroom mews house, this Eaton Square residence provides 7,489 sqft of living accommodation including grand reception rooms, elegant bedroom

THIS IMPRESSIVE RESIDENCE BOASTS AN OUTSTANDING HISTORY THAT INCLUDES THE 1936 ROYAL ABDICATION

London home of conservative politician Stanley Baldwin (1867-1947) and his wife Lucy (m 1892, 1869-1945). Upon Baldwin’s retirement in 1937 the couple moved to 69 Eaton Square where Baldwin lived between 1937 to 1947,

suites, a spacious patio garden and garage.

Located on the favoured northern side of Eaton Square, this impressive residence boasts an outstanding history that includes the 1936 Royal Abdication, two Prime Ministers, Royalty, captains of industry and celebrities. Eaton Square is London’s largest and most renowned garden square knowns for its palatial whitestucco terrace of grand residences. Designed in a classical style with projecting Doric colonnade and porches and originally built in 1827-1828 by Thomas Cubitt under the auspices of the Marquess (later Duke) of Westminster.

In 1913, 93 Eaton Square became the but it is 93 Eaton Square that holds the prestige of Baldwin’s official Blue Plaque.

In 1908 Baldwin, the son of a wealthy steel industrialist, was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Bewdley. Baldwin bought the Eaton Square residence in order to have a London home close to Westminster. Baldwin became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1922 and Prime Minister in 1923, a post he would hold three times (1923-1924, 1924-1929 and 1935-1937).

It is in the grand main reception room of 93 Eaton Square and the adjoining dining room that Stanley Baldwin entertained his cousin and close friend, author Rudyard Kipling, and

politicians including Winston Churchill, Neville Chamberlain (who lived at 37 Eaton Square) and Lord Halifax (who lived at 86 Eaton Square). 93 Eaton Square is also where Stanley Baldwin entertained the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, the two said to take an instant mutual dislike of each other. Another resident of Eaton Square was Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German Nazi Ambassador to London, who was allegedly having an affair with Wallis Simpson the lover of Edward VIII. Closely watched by MI5 Wallis Simpson’s visits to Ribbentrop in Eaton Square outraged Baldwin and the other conservative grandees, a scandal right under their noses, and so in Eaton Square the seeds of the famous 1936 Royal Abdication Crisis were sown.

Fast forward to the 1980s and the next famous residents of 93 Eaton Square, from one of America’s most celebrated dynasties, takes centre stage. Portrayed by Tracy Letts in the 2019 Hollywood movie Ford v Ferrari, Henry Ford II (1917-1987) was the eldest grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford and between 1945-1979 was the CEO of the world renowned firm and remained the ultimate authority at Ford until his death in 1987.

In the early 1980s Henry II purchased with his wife Kathleen DuRoss Ford (m1980, 19402020) 93 Eaton Square as their London residence to complement their UK country house, Turville Grange (see page 95), an 18th century manor house near Henley-on-Thames, that Henry II had owned since the 1970s. The couple also had a home at Palm Beach in Florida. Kathleen DuRoss Ford, a former model, accomplished photographer and keen aesthete, transformed the Eaton Square residence into one of the most elegant and gracious homes in Belgravia, commissioning architect Jeffrey Smith and renowned design house Colefax & Fowler to refurbish and decorate the interiors in English country-house style.

Henry II passed away in 1987 whilst the refurbishment of the Eaton Square residence was taking place. After 1987 each year Kathleen would spend six months during the summer at Eaton Square and Turville Grange and the winter in Palm Beach, with Eaton Square staffed by a housekeeper, chef and driver. Kathleen loved music, fashion, films and backgammon and alongside family members guests at 93 Eaton Square included Lee Radziwill, sister of Jackie Kennedy Onassis, actress Lily Tomlin and fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld.

When Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher left office in 1990 Kathleen generously lent her 93 Eaton Square which Thatcher and her husband Denis then used as their Belgravia home until they purchased a house in 1991 in nearby Chester Square. Kathleen and Margaret remained in touch and on occasion Kathleen would entertain Thatcher to lunch in the dining room of 93 Eaton Square.

This Blue Plaque residence at 93 Eaton Place has been the Belgravia home of two legendary Prime Ministers, played a role in the 1936 Abdication Crisis, and been the London home of one of America’s most celebrated dynasties. If extended and remodelled, a new super prime residence could be created that could significantly uplift the current value of the property.