SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW CARNABY?

WHEN THE GREAT  PLAGUE STRUCK IN THE  17TH CENTURY, much of Carnaby was used as a  burial ground. Carnaby also had a pesthouse that cared for people suffering from the plague. 

THE PINSTRIPE CLUB IN KINGLY COURT was the place that infamous British politician John Profumo met Christine Keeler in 1961,  sparking one of the biggest scandals of the decade. 

John Stephen print by Art & Hue at artandhue.com

NO, IT WASN’T DANNY ZUKO WHO INVENTED THE HAND JIVE, but in fact a group of teens dancing the night away in The Cat’s Whisker, a coffee bar at 1 Kingly Street. It played  rock ’n’ roll and skiffle and saw the invention of hand-jiving, said to have been started due to the lack of space in the club. 

CALLING ALL ECO-WARRIORS! Kingly Court’s free water refill station was the first spot in London to house a public water station as part of the Mayor of London’s initiative to rid the capital of single-use plastic water bottles. It has so far saved the use of over 87,000 water bottles. 

THE 1966 SONG “DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION” BY ENGLISH ROCKERS THE KINKS poked fun at the fashionistas in Carnaby, dubbing them the “Carnabetian army.” 

CARNABY STREET’S FIRST WOMEN’S FASHION BOUTIQUE, LADY JANE, CAUSED A STIR IN 1966 by having live models changing outfits in the windows. Ooh la la! The shop used to attract iconic stars including Nancy Sinatra and Jayne Mansfield. See the green plaque at 29 Carnaby Street. 

See here for more history on Carnaby...