Number 2 Charing Cross

Historic Jersey buildings

2 Charing Cross, St Helier

1920s

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Property name

2 Charing Cross

Location

Charing Cross, St Helier

Type of property

18th century shop building

Valuations

No recent transactions

Families associated with the property

Larbalestier: As well as running their perfumery business here, the Larbalestier family also lived on the premises. In 1941 Alma Beatrice Larbalastier, née Belam (1884- ), widow of Philip (1885,1932), was living here alone
Philip Larbalestier was living here in 1861 when his will was drawn up
Maurice Larbalastier was living here in 1928 when his will was drawn up
Alma Beatrice Poncon, nee Belam, was living at No 2½ in 1955 when her will was drawn up. She had previously been married to Philippe Larbalestier

Census returns

1861 - Philippe Larbalestier (35), artist and perfumer; Evamilda (35), Philippe (5), Eva (3), Marie Louise (1); Mary Le Bourdon (66) mother. Sophie Elizabeth Godfray (45), draper, Clement Dumaresq Godfray (43), brother. Le Gros Family, Mary (43), mariner’s wife, two sons and three daughters
1871 - Evamilda Larbalestier (44) widowed perfumer; Philip (15), Evamilda (13), Marie (13), Thomas (9)
1881 - Philip Larbalestier (52), eau de cologne manufacturer, two sons
1901 - Philip Larbalestier (48) perfumer, Elizabeth (40), five sons and one daughter

Historic Environment Record entry

Listed building

An early town building of 18th century origins maintaining exterior features and character. Also of interest associated with the site of Charing Cross Prison.

A rare survival from the early town, of at least 18th century origins. Shown on the Peter Meade Map of 1737 and the Richmond map of 1795.

The old 'town wall' forms part of the boundary wall.

The design of the reconstructed fireplace suggests circa 1700 origins. Old cells from Charing Cross Prison survive beneath the rear yard buildings.

The main building was originally split into two or three shops. The shopfront to the left-hand side is largely Georgian/early Victorian, unusually with remnants of bowed windows. It is likely that the off-centre doorway originally accessed a throughway to the rear yard.

The property was altered in the mid-late 20th century, including restoration of the pitched pantile roof with traditional pattern dormers, and rebuilding of the two right-hand bays and shopfront which had collapsed.

Along the northwest side of the rear yard is a range of two-storey buildings (ten bays in total), running perpendicular to the main building.

Of interest in the interior is the reconstructed granite fireplace (the pieces of which were discovered on the first floor) whose corbels and chamfered uprights suggesting circa 1700 origins - which although altered is a rare survival in town; and the three cells from the former prison beneath the rear yard buildings.