What do you think?
Rate this book
Scandal at Dolphin Square: A Notorious History
The first book to tell the scandal-filled story of Dolphin Square, the UK's most notorious address
In 1937 Dolphin Square was built in London's Pimlico, a major development offering 1,250 flats to well-to-do private individuals. From the outset, it attracted the great and the good - in particular, a long roll-call of Members of Parliament and celebrities. It was perhaps inevitable that scandal would follow not far behind. In fact, in less than a century Dolphin Square has established itself as arguably the most notorious address in the country.
This, then, is the story of the Square - not of its topography, but of its people, an extraordinary array of characters who have borne witness to and been pivotal in some of the most scandalous episodes in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is a story replete with mysterious deaths, espionage, illicit love affairs, glamour, politics and scandal - from Oswald Moseley, the Carry On gang and Profumo, to allegations of VIP sexual abuse rings.
A saga of color and shade, populated by a cast of Dickens-esque larger-than-life characters, that shines a light on the evolving nature of British politics and society over the last century.
In 1937 Dolphin Square was built in London's Pimlico, a major development offering 1,250 flats to well-to-do private individuals. From the outset, it attracted the great and the good - in particular, a long roll-call of Members of Parliament and celebrities. It was perhaps inevitable that scandal would follow not far behind. In fact, in less than a century Dolphin Square has established itself as arguably the most notorious address in the country.
This, then, is the story of the Square - not of its topography, but of its people, an extraordinary array of characters who have borne witness to and been pivotal in some of the most scandalous episodes in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is a story replete with mysterious deaths, espionage, illicit love affairs, glamour, politics and scandal - from Oswald Moseley, the Carry On gang and Profumo, to allegations of VIP sexual abuse rings.
A saga of color and shade, populated by a cast of Dickens-esque larger-than-life characters, that shines a light on the evolving nature of British politics and society over the last century.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
288 pages, Hardcover
Published August 1, 2022
17 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 2, 2022
This is an interesting social history of Dolphin Square, opened in 1936, and boasting thirteen blocks of deluxe flats, gardens, shops, restaurants, a pool, library, beauty parlour, theatre booking office, laundry service, childcare, postal collections, in the heart of Pimlico. Westminster. Tenants cannot buy apartments outright, which perhaps has led to a great change of those living there than might have occurred otherwise.
Author Simon Danczuk takes readers through the thirties, into the war years, the glamorous fifties, swinging sixties, slightly uncertain seventies and into the present. Along the way, the tenants range from the famous to the infamous, including names such as Oswald and Diana Mosley, Bud Flanagan, Sid James, Diana Dors, Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies, spy John Vassall and Maxwell Knight.
Wartime London saw those with strongly opposing viewpoints crossing paths, with Mosley renting an apartment, while neighbours included the opera loving sisters, Ida and Louise Cook, who travelled to the Third Reich to smuggle out the jewels and furs of Jewish refugees, unable to take any of thie assets out of Germany. When bombs fell, Dolphin Square wisely organised bomb shelters into snorers, non-snorers and pet owners.
Of course, a book like this can only touch, fleetingly, on many of the events that have links to Dolphin Square, from IRA bombers, the Free French Government, spies, scandals, politics, theatre, music, film, affairs and accusations of child abuse. All of life can be shown through the mirror of a certain place, especially if that place was as central as Dolphin Square - close to Central London with all its amenities, theatres, and the Houses of Parliament. I enjoyed reading this and, even if it could not contain enough depth about all the people that populate the pages, then it could prompt you to discover further books on certain subjects that particularly interest you.
Author Simon Danczuk takes readers through the thirties, into the war years, the glamorous fifties, swinging sixties, slightly uncertain seventies and into the present. Along the way, the tenants range from the famous to the infamous, including names such as Oswald and Diana Mosley, Bud Flanagan, Sid James, Diana Dors, Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies, spy John Vassall and Maxwell Knight.
Wartime London saw those with strongly opposing viewpoints crossing paths, with Mosley renting an apartment, while neighbours included the opera loving sisters, Ida and Louise Cook, who travelled to the Third Reich to smuggle out the jewels and furs of Jewish refugees, unable to take any of thie assets out of Germany. When bombs fell, Dolphin Square wisely organised bomb shelters into snorers, non-snorers and pet owners.
Of course, a book like this can only touch, fleetingly, on many of the events that have links to Dolphin Square, from IRA bombers, the Free French Government, spies, scandals, politics, theatre, music, film, affairs and accusations of child abuse. All of life can be shown through the mirror of a certain place, especially if that place was as central as Dolphin Square - close to Central London with all its amenities, theatres, and the Houses of Parliament. I enjoyed reading this and, even if it could not contain enough depth about all the people that populate the pages, then it could prompt you to discover further books on certain subjects that particularly interest you.
November 28, 2022
The subject was interesting for me, because the book proposal is to tell the history of famous personalities and the history of London through the building of Dolphin Square. The idea of reviewing the main historical facts through the characters who live (did live) in a large complex called Dolphin Square seemed very interesting.
Unfortunately the reading wasn't fluid, much less pleasant. There were many facts, names and situations that hindered the smooth reading of the book.
It can be seen that the writers did extensive research and made a point of reporting names, dates and events in the book.Perhaps for Londoners familiar with the characters, the reading was as pleasant as reading a gossip column in a newspaper with its gossip, scandals and corruption.
Better for the book if the wiretirs would have chosen to write a fiction, like The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany, the characters would have acquired independence and the reader would have much more interest. Nevertheless, it is a book written as a “reference” with many names that are only connected through scandals and the fact that they were, in a way, located in the building.
Unfortunately the reading wasn't fluid, much less pleasant. There were many facts, names and situations that hindered the smooth reading of the book.
It can be seen that the writers did extensive research and made a point of reporting names, dates and events in the book.Perhaps for Londoners familiar with the characters, the reading was as pleasant as reading a gossip column in a newspaper with its gossip, scandals and corruption.
Better for the book if the wiretirs would have chosen to write a fiction, like The Yacoubian Building by Alaa Al Aswany, the characters would have acquired independence and the reader would have much more interest. Nevertheless, it is a book written as a “reference” with many names that are only connected through scandals and the fact that they were, in a way, located in the building.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2023
I was really looking forward to reading this book having spent many lunchimes in Dolphin Square when working close by around 1990. The authors have thoroughly researched their subject and the book is packed with stories featuring those that lived in Dolphin Square. The problem is that there isn't a narrative thread so it ends up a long stream of snippets of scandal and intrigue, which seem at times disjointed. There is a lengthy chapter on allegations of sexual abuse, which sits uneasily towards the end of the book. In the end this seemed like a missed opportunity and would benefited from some more radical editing.
March 9, 2022
What an extraordinary place, the history of this square is amazing in terms of those that lived there and how it came to be ‘ the place to be’!
Death, love, careers lost and found all across the buildings of this SW1 residence
Little to many names / years to allow you to follow easily the story but the picture is created through the names of society that have lived within this prestigious address
Death, love, careers lost and found all across the buildings of this SW1 residence
Little to many names / years to allow you to follow easily the story but the picture is created through the names of society that have lived within this prestigious address
May 22, 2022
was a lot more political than I had anticipated
Nevertheless it was a fascinating read an insight into the social /economical/political antics of the days. Not as frivolous as I had thought it might be . A serious read for those interested in social history.
Nevertheless it was a fascinating read an insight into the social /economical/political antics of the days. Not as frivolous as I had thought it might be . A serious read for those interested in social history.
May 19, 2023
An intriguing history of a famous or infamous London residence - well written and researched. Ideal as a jumping-off point for finding out more about some of the characters involved as the breadth of the book is considerable - the authors could have written several books on the subject!
May 6, 2022
Extremely interesting
January 2, 2024
Borrowed from Mum. Lit Fest
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews