Only after Professor Childermass read the name Sloane Square on a map of the London Underground did he piece together something about the family history of Evaristus Sloane, the local inventor of the baseball-pitching machine in the shape of a person. The villain of The Eyes of the Killer Robot (1986) shares a name with a London Underground station. More so, with a prominent area in London.
The London x London blog touches on how the Sloane Square area was historically a piece of land owned by Henry Holland and what it's blossomed into today:
During the 17th century, Holland specifcally bought the area as a safe passage that would make travel from Knightsbridge through to Kings Road more accessible. Little did Holland know that he would pave the way for centuries of development, industrialisation, and improvement. The affluent areas of Belgravia and Chelsea now lie to the west and east of the square. It's no surprise then that due to its importance throughout the history of London, Sloane Square has become synonymous with opulence.
Attractions within the square include the Venus Fountain, constructed in 1953, and a stone cross known as the Chelsea War Memorial. Around the square are sights such as Cadogan Hall, the home of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; the 150-plus-year-old Royal Court Theatre; and the contemporary Saatchi art Gallery, to name a few.
Oh. The aforementioned underground station on the southeast side of the square opened in 1868. Of note is the River Westbourne, which flows above the station in a large iron conduit.
All said, I'm still curious about who Evaristus Sloane was named after. Who was the Sloane of Sloane Square? Maybe the fact the area was originally called Hans Town is a clue. Well of course it is. Stay tuned.
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