Front elevations of 15-16 Grafton Street, City of Westminster. The street is named after the 3rd Duke of Grafton who owned and developed the land in the late eighteenth century. The road runs east to New Bond Street and south where it becomes Dover Street. 15 Grafton Street a four-storey late eighteenth-century corner building with the same shop front continuing on New Bond Street. Wrought-iron decoration above the shop front with decorative cast-iron pillars as window frames. The shop is Asprey, founded in 1781 as a silk printing business by William Asprey, in Mitcham Surrey. In the window is a display of clocks. It has a Blue Plaque to the actor Sir Henry Irving who lived there from 1872 to 1899. The door to the left of the shop window has two brass plaques Clowes and Jauncey; horological dealers, and Ker-Seymer, Photographer. This was the studio of Barbara Ker-Seymer, a British photographer and society figure, considered one of the groups designated by the tabloid press as 'Bright Young People'. Number 16, a four-storey late eighteenth century building, four windows wide with balustrades to the first-floor windows, one with a sign for 'Morning Coffee'; and a wrought-iron balcony to the second floor. In the foreground a van with a sign for Kilgour, French and Stanbury, Saville Row tailors founded in 1882, and made the iconic tailcoat for Fred Astaire in the film ‘Top Hat’; they had many famous customers. Driving north along New Bond Street are two Black Cabs and a number 25c omnibus. 16 Grafton Street Grade II listed number 1357037
