Albany was built between 1770-1774 by Sir William Chambers for Viscount Melbourne, as Melbourne House.

It is a three-storey mansion seven bays wide, with a pair of service wings flanking a front courtyard. In 1791, Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany abandoned Dover House, Whitehall and took up residence. In 1802 the duke gave up the house and it was converted by Henry Holland into 69 bachelor apartments (known as “sets”). This was achieved not only by subdividing the main block and the two service wings, but also by adding two parallel sets of buildings running the length of the garden.

I was commissioned to carry out paint analysis on the finest set, which sits above the main entrance.

The Evangeline Bruce set, which had been decorated by John Fowler

As with so many of my projects this relates to another house – Dover House – where I have also worked.

Clifford Bax the playwright, journalist, critic, editor, poet, lyricist and hymn writer lived in set F2 after living in South Edwardes Square Studios.


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