Cottages and Villas The Birth of the Garden Suburb Mireille Galinou

The garden suburb has its origins in London, and, contrary to widespread belief, its earliest phase took place not at the beginning of the 20th century, with the much discussed garden-city movement, but one century earlier, with the creation of the Eyre brothers' villa estate in the London suburb of St. John's Wood. Drawing on the resources of the newly catalogued Eyre archive, Mireille Galinou describes how London acquired one of its most attractive and influential suburbs and how generations of the Eyre family shaped, fought over, lost, and revitalized their inheritance. Little did they know that they were making world history with their winning formula, which set the green suburb agenda for middle classes around the world.

"This is a beautiful book, full of sumptuous images, including several works by St John’s Wood local artists, reproduced large and in ravishingly good colour…exceptional value"—Colin Thom, London Topographical Society Newsletter

"Mireille Galinou is to be congratulated on sifting the results of her extensive research into the Eyre archive and collating them into beautifully illustrated chapters devoted to every aspect of the history of the area." —Michael Pick, Apollo

"This impressive volume is an account of the building and life of the Eyre estate in St John’s Wood, London, from its foundation around 1800 to the present day……a first-rate urban biography, one which will certainly become the definitive history of the area."—Elizabeth McKellar, The Victorian

"This is an important, detailed study of unchartered archive material mapping the evolution of St Johns Wood."—Sue Wilson, Landscape History

"The book is an immense quarry of facts as well as a good read. And, as we have come to expect from Yale, it is handsomely illustrated…It’s the best book on London I’ve seen for some time." Frank Kelsall, London Society Journal No.463

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