Petty France, London facts for kids

Petty France is a busy street in London.

Petty France is a well-known street in the City of Westminster, a central part of London. It connects important areas like Buckingham Gate and Broadway.

Many important buildings are located here. For example, the 102 Petty France building is home to the Ministry of Justice. This government department helps make sure laws are fair. The Charity Commission for England and Wales, which oversees charities, also has its main office on this street.

The Story of Petty France

What's in a Name?

The name "Petty France" has an interesting history. Some people think it refers to Huguenot refugees who settled there. Huguenots were French Protestants who came to England to escape religious persecution.

However, the writer John Stow mentioned Petty France in 1598. It's unclear if many Huguenots lived there at that time. Another idea is that the name came from French wool merchants. They used to live and work in the area.

In 1708, a writer named Edward Hatton noted that Cornelius Van Dun, a guard for several English kings and queens, built 20 houses on Petty France for poor women to live in for free.

From Petty France to York Street and Back

In the late 1700s, the street's name changed to York Street. This was to honor Edward Augustus, Duke of York, a son of King George II. He had lived in the area for a while.

The street kept the name York Street until about 1925. Then, its original name, Petty France, was brought back.

Firsts and Famous Residents

This old drawing shows the back of a house on York Street in 1848.

In 1719, a house on Petty France became the Westminster Infirmary. This was a place where sick people could get care.

Petty France was also the first street in London to have paved paths for people to walk on. This made walking much easier and cleaner!

In the late 1890s, the first custom-built artificial ice-rink in London opened here. It was called Niagara. Imagine skating on ice in central London!

A plaque honors Jeremy Bentham, who lived near Petty France.

Many famous people have lived near Petty France. In 1651, the famous writer John Milton moved into a "pretty garden-house" here. He lived there until 1660. Later, this house became No. 19 York Street. The well-known philosopher Jeremy Bentham owned it. Other famous thinkers like James Mill and William Hazlitt also lived there. The house was taken down in 1877.

For 50 years, until 2002, the London passport office was located on Petty France. It has since moved to a different location in London.