Explain the Name: Soho

How did Soho come by that name?

[geoffreypiltz]

"If you don't like the history, well, there'll be new history along soon enough" well said.

[RLV]

In 1660 the area now known as SOHO London was entirely open countryside. The King gave the 1st Duke of Southampton some of his stag hunting ground in reward for his services. In the early 1660s Thomas Wriothesley the 4th Duke of Southampton, had this area developed for him, and Southampton House was built. This low but impressive building influenced by Inigo Jones, was finally pulled down in 1802. It was replaced by an even larger grand house, which bankrupted the owner, so forcing him to sell some land for development. It was around the late 1660s, that this newly developing area south west of Southampton House was called SOHO. So SOHO comes from Southampton House.

[SkepticalSteve]

In 1981 I spent a year in a walk-up third floor flat in Soho, and worked for Marshall Cavendish on their Photo magazine.
Sunday mornings were particularly delightful – the actual locals would come out and get about their business, socialise and such, before being swamped at midday by hordes of tourists in puffer jackets desperately searching for porno mags. I’d pack up my washing in a bag, pick up the Observer and the Sunday Times, have a pain au raisin and a coffee at the original Patisserie Valerie, then head over to a laundrette near Seven Dials. Halcyon days!

[PokhrajRoy.]

“Entertainment District, with ‘Entertainment’ being a very broad term.” - Jago has thrown the gauntlet.

[tobbs]

If you're ever in Soho Square and happen to spot a little green, Georgian style building amongst all of the others, you might be interested to know that this is the former animation studio of the late Richard Williams, who animated for Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Pink Panther movies, Charge of the Light Brigade and The Thief and the Cobbler. Animation giants such as Art Babbitt, Ken Harris and Emery Hawkins have also worked there.

[RogersRamblings]

There is also a Soho in Birmingham, the location of Messrs Bolton and Watt's manufactory. As every schoolboy of yore knows James Watt improved the efficiency of steam engines and his development of converting the linear motion of a piston into the rotative motion of gears and wheels led to the creation of powered vehicles including Trevithick's road and rail locomotives.

I understand that Soho Birmingham is a contraction of South House.

Apart from a name in common, railways and industrial history there is no connection between the two places but I thought it might be of interest.

[AverytheCubanAmerican]

New Yorker here! Yes, SoHo in NYC is short for SOuth of HOuston Street, very different from the origin of the London one. And Houston Street itself is unique as it's not the pronunciation of the famous Houston in Texas, Hyoo-stun. But rather, HOW-stun. WHY? Well, because these two things were named after two different people! Houston in Texas was named after Sam Houston, who was the seventh governor of Texas from December 1859 to March 1861. While Houston Street in Manhattan was named after William Houstoun, who was delegate to the Continental Congress for the Province of Georgia and later the State of Georgia to the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. However, being a Revolutionary War patriot wasn't what got the street named after him (although NYC WAS the first capital of the US so it makes sense), but rather who he married.

He married Mary Bayard, a member of a prominent family that traces its city roots to the Stuyvesants. They owned a farm in what's now SoHo. Mary Bayard's father, in need of money, decided to carve up the western portion of the farm into a grid. Originally the north-south streets were numbered, before they were named for generals. Although not a general, Mary wanted to name one after William.

[Froobyone]

My last employer's main office is situated in Golden Square, Soho. As a native of Kingston Upon Hull, my first day at work, some three and a half years ago now, was gilded by the fact I was heading for Soho. It added a new frisson of excitement to six hours in a office. On a glorious August day I took some time during my lunch break to explore a little. Headed for Carnaby Street and drank in some of its history. Thoughts of the swinging sixties, when London was at the epicentre of culture and coolness. I kept having to pinch myself that this was were I was spending my lunch hour. It certainly beat the edge of city industrial estate I'd spent the previous five years enduring. Unfortunately, being, as I was based in Yorkshire, I would work remotely for the rest of my tenure there. That would be my only visit, but it's one I'm thankful to be reminded of. Thank you.

[bugsby]

Like Carnaby St and Covent Garden, what was once an exciting community had its heart ripped out by developers and turned into a souless tourist trap.

[phaasch]

This was my ground in the 80s, working in the theatres up and around Shaftesbury Avenue. There was still a real community feeling there, beyond the clip joints. I loved the history of the place, the "spielers" and nightclub empire of Kate Merrick in the 30s, where jazz musicians and hostesses rubbed shoulders with the more raffish aristocracy, and some of that atmosphere still remained. We never thought it would be "tamed" and brought to heel in the mainstream of London, but we sadly underestimated the power of the developers. I'm just glad I knew it when it was still brash, grubby and real, and full of genuine Londoners.

[richcolour]

3:15 wow, there's something I've not seen in a very long time. Was working in St Anne's Court when this mural was painted in the late 80's. Thanks for the time travel!

[ravenfeeder]

There used to be a fantastic SF bookshop in Soho called Dark They Were and Golden Eyed. You had to go past several doorways advertising personal services to get there, so I'm not surprised it didn't last after Forbidden Planet opened in a nearby but more pleasant location.

[J_PhD]

Soho, if I remember well my latest visit from Belgium, is also the natural habitat of the Drunken Essex Girl. A nocturnal mammal, they roam in groups (called a Bacardi) of up to a dozen individuals in the small hours and can be very territorial and agressive to passers-by who don't know any better and actually acknowledge their presence.

[pierremartini]

"You are the horn to my hunt" just after talking about Soho. Dear oh dear. Great video as always.

[peabody]

SoHo in NY is "South of Houston" (HOW-stun). 😃 And yes, different from the city in Texas pronounced "HYOO-stun". Kinda like how the Thames in London is "temz" and the one in Connecticut is "thaymez".

Soho has been another place I've been (twice, both times to the King's Arms pub 🏳‍🌈and once to the Wagamama nearby).

[mcarp]

Soho is one of the more magical parts of London, in my opinion. It was the true heart of 'Swinging London' in the Sixties. If you're taking suggestions for future videos, what about Knightsbridge? Was there a bridge there only for knights?

[benjones]

"If you don't like the history, there'll be new history along soon enough" - I like that

[SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

Specifically, Henry VIII bought the land for a royal park for the Palace of Whitehall. The Palace of Whitehall (also spelt White Hall) at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, except notably Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, were destroyed by fire. Henry VIII moved the royal residence to White Hall after the old royal apartments at the nearby Palace of Westminster were themselves ironically destroyed by fire. Although the Whitehall palace has not survived, the area where it was located is still called Whitehall and has remained a center of government. Henry didn't start the fire...it was always burning since the world's been turning!

[Rog]

I remember Carnaby Street when you could park a car at any time of day as there was plenty of space, no yellow lines and no parking meters. On my first visit there, there were three clothes shops and two shoe shops and the famous (in the 60s) Roaring Twenties Club.

[hyperdistortion]

I’m with you on the ‘renaming to hide history’, for sure. Linking to your Houston reference, the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City is now being referred to by real-estate developers as ‘Midtown West’ - Daredevil would disapprove.