History of Oxford Street

On old Oxford Street appears variously as Tyburn Road, Uxbridge Road and Oxford Road. The road was an old road linking Hampshire with Colchester. This one mile and a half long, was formerly bounded at its extremities by St. Giles’s Pound and old Tyburn turnpike and so called from its being the highway from London to Oxford.

In 1708 it was known as Tyburn-road. Later, it was formed into a continuous line of street and in was fist called Oxford Street.

It was said that the 2nd Earl of Oxford, Edward Harley, bought the land surrounding the road in the 18th century, and developed it into a residential district, renaming the street after himself in the process.

As wealthy Londoners began to move out of the city during the 1780s century in favor of the newly developed West End, so Oxford Street, gradually replaced Cheapside as London’s main shopping street. 

Oxford Street became a main streets contained wide range of shops, though from the 1820s the northern side of Oxford Street began to be dominated by linen drapers and haberdashers.

Drapers led the way. At 54 Oxford Street, Dickins and Smith opened in 1790 at the sign of Golden Lion. In 1833, Peter Robinson, A Yorkshireman opened a linen-drapers shop at 103 Oxford Street.

Oxford Street is still, one of the world’s most profitable retailing districts despite numerous recession and very high rents.

There are also a number of good quality department stores such as the flagship store of Marks and Spencer, Selfridges John Lewis and Debenhams.
History of Oxford Street