1930 London Telephone Number

[StuartLewis]

I wonder if there's anyone who can crack this little mystery? I have a great Aunt Fanny Lewis 1882-1964 who was always known professionally as Frances Lewis. She was a licensed restaurant manager in an age when few women held positions of power.

I've now discovered a business telephone number for Frances in the 1930 address book of my grandma (the two of them often met for lunch at Fanny's restaurant which, by all accounts was very smart).

The number was Regent 3519 - which means the restaurant (it could have been in a hotel) was in the Regent Street/Soho area of London's West End.

I've tried Ancestry's British Phone Books and drawn a blank. Is there any other way I could discover the name of this restaurant/hotel?

Stuart

[wimsey]

please don't take this reply too seriously ! - it is the product of googling

apparently Regent became code 734 and apparently there was a number 01 734 3519 at 175 Regent Street

do what you will with that information !!

[helachau]

The Times, 3 June 1957
The London and Westminster Loan & Discount Co
175 regent Street, W1, Regent 3519 (3 lines)

[helachau]

The Tatler, 11 July 1934
Artistic Brassiere Co. Ltd (Gt. Britain) Ltd,
175 regent Street, London W.1 - wholesale only

Imagine my initial delight (and subsequent disappointment) on initially reading it as "Artistic Brasserie"!!

[StuartLewis]

Brilliant to both of you two... And voluminous thanks.. Am amazed....

But what the eck do you think this nameless establishment was?

Any way of finding out?

Stu

[wimsey]

I'm finding 1930's newspaper advertisements for Flexees Ltd at 175 Regent Street (ladies undergarments again). Actually I can imagine a smart Regent Street emporium having its own in-house restaurant upstairs so that a lady of leisure could basically spend the whole day in the shop i.e. the restaurant not having a separate name to the shop below - but you may not fancy that idea.

[phillip]

Jewish Chronicle advertisement Sept 3 1948 Club..? Rhythm and Romance with intimate atmosphere of 175 Regent Street (nearly opp.Galleries Lafayette) Dancing till 11pm.
The name of the club is difficult to read but of course the changes in use pre and post WW2 are likely to be varied.The JC has post 1948 records on 175 Regent Street.
Phillip