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Since reading about Cormoran Strike's Denmark Street office in the detective series from Queen Rowling (sorry...Robert Galbraith), I wanted to know more.
What's this Soho street got to do with Denmark?
Apparently it was named after Prince George of Denmark in the 17th century. He married Queen Anne of Great Britain - she ruled from 1702 to 1708.
Tragically Anne was pregnant 17 times, but only one of her children survived birth. Their son, Prince William, Duke of Gloucester, had poor health, which was a huge worry to the couple. William died, aged 11, leaving Anne and George heartbroken. And Heirless. So England had yet another succession crisis.The governement were set on securing a protestant succession, and passed the Act of Settlement in 1701. So when Anne died in 1714, the crown was taken by a German Protestant prince, George.
In more recent times, Denmark was the 20th century hub of the music industry. The Giaconda Cafe was the meeting point for the legends of their day: David Bowie, Jimie Hendric, Elton John, Marc Bolan to name but a few.
And many more - including Black Sabbeth, The Sex Pistols and The Rowling Stones recorded songs in the studios of Denmark Street (or Tin Pan Alley as it was known).
Fittingly, a blue plaque has been placed above the Giaconda Cafe - London's first blue plaque with a QR code. How wonderful that the street is remembered with something more vibrant than a static plaque.
You can still visit the Giaconda Cafe for delicious food, a great atmosphere and the chance to feel like a rockstar! Denmark Street and the Giaconda Cafe - a tucked-away gen in the heart of London. Well worth a visit!
This research on Denmark Street is part of a free DIY running tour called Finding Europe in London - I challenged myself to find as many street names that contained EU country names and create a beautiful running route for you to enjoy at your leisure. I hope you enjoy it.