Page 27 - Ian Marshall - London Coffe Houses - Standing Display January 2016

The British Coffee House
25, Cockspur Street, Charing Cross

(1702 - 1886)
This coffee house was one of the longest in existence although, latterly, it
morphed into a hotel rather than a coffee house. The earliest mention
comes in 1702 as "opposite Suffolk Street". In 1711 an announcement in
a newspaper read "The British Coffee House over against Suffolk Street
at Charing Cross being a large commodious new-built brick house is to
be sold". It became a favourite haunt for visiting Scots and a diversity of
interests centred in the house: masonic lodge meetings; auction sale of
pictures; sales of theatre tickets; and political intrigue with many famous
visitors. The House was re-built in 1770 to designs by Robert Adam and
in 1777 the lease was sold to David Morley, coffeeman. In 1791 it was
described as "an elegant coffee-house resorted to by Dukes and Earls".
By 1809 it was also recorded as the British Hotel under the name ofD. &
H. Morley and was famed for the excellence of its wines. In 181 7 the
premises were considerably extended to the rear. From 1822 the name E.
Morley appears. By 1886 a commentator wrote "now commonly known
as the British Hotel, deserted by the Scotchmen, the hotel became a
favoured resort of Americans; the clubs of men of wit and learning gave
place to the shows of canary fanciers". Its glory days were departed and it
was demolished in 1886 to clear a site for Stanford's new premises - the
map publisher.