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Thomas Kemp

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Thomas Cubitt

historical interest

Although Kemptown is named after Thomas Kemp (1782 - 1844) who conceived and developed this Regency style estate in the 1840's, there is a twist in the story.  

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Architect and builder Thomas Cubitt (1788 - 1855), best known for developing parts of Belgravia and Bloomsbury in London, was given £10,000 of land (including Belgrave Place) as payment for an outstanding debt by Thomas Kemp. Cubitt built Belgrave Place and more nearby.  

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Numbers 1, 2 and 3 Belgrave Place were built in 1845 before the other houses which followed a couple of years later.  They are also markedly different in style with their brick facades and were possibly built by Kemp.  The rest of Belgrave Place follows the Regency style characterised by Cubitt's London developments and those here along the seafront

For the last part of his life Cubitt lived nearby at the spectacular 13 Lewes Crescent.  At the time of his death he bequeathed over £1m to his son whereas in contrast Kemp fled to France to escape is creditors and is buried in Paris.

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Thomas Cubitt

Thomas Cubitt

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1926 view of Kemptown (Belgrave Place first road in from the left)

With a period in history when Kemptown could have been described as decadent, even seedy,.... now few residents would dream of moving away from what has become a physical, mental and spiritual centre for activists, artists, writers, performers, musicians, film-makers, web-designers and numerous other professions fascinated by the avant-garde.*

*Taken from https://www.kemptown.com/history.htm

With the help of various directories and censuses a history of all the residents of 12 Belgrave Place have been listed.  

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