Under Oxford Street

Does anybody know anything about the supposed Victorian High Street underneath the present Oxford Street? Evidently Oxford St was raised up years ago but there is a tunnel underneath where the original cobbled road still stands and the part facias of Victorian shops. Or is this just an urban myth?

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Hi charleyboy,

Welcome to The Knowledge


Can't say I've heard of this before. There are a few London history experts lurking on this board who might know about it.

Chip-in if you know anything.


Cheers,
The All In London Team

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I've heard of this too, it was mentioned by the guy that plays Ricky on Eastenders last night on a programme about Christmas TV moments, apaprently he went there, through a hole in the basement of Selfridges, be interested to find out more

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I was watching a program on C4 last night, the hundred greatest christmas moments or some such thing, and one of the entries was a film by Malcolm Mclaren called The Ghosts of Oxford Street http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101948/ which there doesn't seem to be much info about on the net. Anyway, John Altman who played Nick Cotton in Eastenders (I think that's who the guy who posted above me meant when he said Ricky) was in a bit of the film apparently actually under Oxford Street where there still exists part of this Victorian Street. As the gu before me said, He claimed Malcolm McLaren let him through a hole in the basement of Selfridges. If anyone can find some stills from the Film, they will be able to see what supposedly is the old Victorian Street. I am quite intrigued by this, and would love some more info if anyone has any.

Cheers.

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Right, this one has got me going too, as I much what the same crap TV as the rest of you...
One of my clients works in the building department of Selfridges and she is going to check it out (they have the plans after all).
If I get anywhere I'll let you know
js

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Hi my mum worked in Oxford st in 1937 and she said "It waas there in 1937/38 roads underground. Down ladders to underground, postal workers sent goods to customers. You could come up to other streets like Harley street"She used to walk them herself, so they are there.Any one get more info on it.
Andy

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This is starting to get us interested here in the office.


If anyone knows more about this please post away here. If we get enough info about it we can do a write up on the subject or better still one of you guys can write it up for our Life In London Magazine.


All the best,
All In London Team

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say what? and i suppose they'd be closed to the public wont they? or is there a chance selfridges could start doing guided tours for a tenner? lol. Well they can employ someone pay them what... say what £10.00 -£15.00 an hour and have guided tours can't they?I haven't been around London much but EC1 and Farringdon leave me to believe there's a lot beneath our pitter patter on London's streets.

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Has anybody managed to find out about this yet? Did you speak to your friend at Selfridges?

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Hi,

I think this is a myth. At least there is no definitive proof.. yet!

What is even stranger is this film seems to have disappeared. I would love a copy. I have the soundtrack on cassette, but it is pretty worn down and on its last legs. I think you can still buy the soundtrack, but the film is nowhere to be found.

It was a C4 film, made around 1980. Does anyone know where a copy might be for sale?

Regards Chas

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This is a very old thread and i hope some people are still involved in this, it may have been settled but i have my fingers crossed that someone may get a reply in their email box.

Sadly the film ' Ghosts of Oxford Street 'has disappeared into the vaults and was only ever shown once by C4 and has never aired since apart from a very small clip.

All is not lost though, I have a copy !!!!!, adverts removed and recoded to dvd. It's NOT FOR SALE THOUGH, but you can have a copy for FREE !!!!!!!!

:thumbsup:

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