Blue Plaque unveiled by Mayor of Preston at Winckley Square Residences in recognition of entrepreneur

Born in 1782, Thomas Leach began his career on Fishergate as a merchant selling draperies, hosiery, and haberdashery before becoming a prominent local investor.His trade cards and biographical data are featured within the British Museum's archive of well-known national merchants.

In 1834, at the age of 52, Thomas built an impressive family home at 5 Camden Place, Winckley Square where he lived for over 20 years until his death in 1856.The Friends of Winckley Square (FoWS) and the Preston Historical Society (PHS) commissioned the blue plaque, which has now been unveiled at the site.

The formerly derelict Grade II listed Georgian townhouse has been painstakingly restored and expanded to include a newly-built contemporary townhouse over the original backyard. Both these townhouses, alongside a third adjacently sited Grade II listed townhouse, have recently opened as Winckley Square Residences, a luxury boutique aparthotel consisting of a curated collection of twelve residences ideal for solo travellers, couples, families and larger groups of up to 6 persons.

­­­­Mr Zulfiqarali Lokhat and Mr Oves Timol, managers of Winckley Square Residences commented: “We are delighted to have successfully opened a luxury boutique aparthotel in the heart of Preston. This has directly supported the regeneration of Winckley Square Gardens and has helped boost the local economy. As Prestonians born and bred, it has been an arduous but rewarding endeavour to painstakingly restore this historic and beautiful townhouse from its previously neglected state.”

Grade II Listed Building HeritageWith timber sash windows, stone lintels, and a Tuscan semi-column doorframe surrounding a panelled door, the property retains many of its original features.The drawing rooms incorporate elaborate marble fireplaces and plaster cornices on the ceilings and the original double dog-legged staircase boasts solid mahogany handrails with stick balusters.

Forest Inspired Residences

To represent the varied greenery of Winckley Square Gardens, which many of the Residences directly front, the dozen residences have each been styled after a different tree.

Childhood Home of Samuel LeachSamuel, one of Thomas's four children who grew up at 5 Camden Place, penned an autobiography titled "Old Age Reminiscences" in 1916. Lancashire Archives still holds a manuscript copy of this work. In the autobiography Samuel describes his life before getting married in 1923. This is a valuable primary source that helped inform much of what we now know about family life in one home on Winckley Square. Samuel wrote fondly about his earliest recollections, which include accounts of the night watchmen rapping on windows to wake residents and the maids rising at 2:30am to wash and dry clothes in the gardens throughout the night so that no laundry would be visible to neighbours when the workday began. At the time, the Gardens' original design consisted of ten distinct private gardens that belonged to the homes across the street.

Blind Windows

One of Preston's better examples of a blind window, an architectural and historical quirk, can be seen at 5 Camden Place, where the window awning has been intentionally bricked over. Due to the then Prime Minister's decision to raise a "window tax" to help fund the Napoleonic wars, this "blind window" architectural style rose to popularity in 1797.

Owing to this tax increase, many windows in homes across the nation were "bricked up" to reduce the amount of tax due. This practice became so widespread that it eventually broke out as its own distinctive architectural style unrelated to its original purpose of saving taxes, as reflected in the windows at 5 Camden Place designed in this fashion.

Patricia Harrison, Chair of FoWS & PHS Members Secretary said:

“We are delighted that another notable Prestonian has been recognised with a Blue Plaque. This is the third Blue Plaque to be unveiled in the last year thanks to the sponsorship of the business owners of each of the buildings who have taken a great interest in the wonderful Heritage of the Square and supported FoWS volunteers.”

Councillor Yakub Patel, Mayor of Preston said: “It’s wonderful to see Preston’s civic society being strengthened and proud history being celebrated through these collaborations between local business owners and FoWS volunteers who research, lead guided walks, give talks and run lots of exciting events attracting hundreds of people.”

For more information on the heritage of 5 Camden Place, and to view immersive 3D tours of the residences, please visit https://trippreston.co.uk