The Berners Street Hoax, featuring a dozen chimney sweeps, 2,500 raspberry tarts, numerous pianos and the Archbishop of Canterbury

54 Berners Street London has long since been demolished with the site built over as part of the Sanderson Hotel development that spans the old number 54 and adjoining properties.

Lost under this five star hotel is the scene of one of London’s most audacious hoaxes, though now largley forgotten.

In 1810 author Theodore Hook bet his friend, writer and architect Samuel Beazley, that he could make 54 Berners Street the most talked about address anywhere in London.

His method was one that may sound rather familiar to modern marketing or political ears, for it was to send out 4,000 letters.

They were all in the name of a Mrs Tottenham and requested all manner of deliveries, services and other callers. The joke started to unfold at around 5am on 27 November when the first person – a chimney sweep – turned up (or, according to other versions, a coal delivery man). Then another. And another. And another – until a dozen sweeps had appeared and been turned away. This was then followed by a succession of coal deliveries (or chimney sweeps), wedding cakes, fishmongers, bootmakers, fifty or so chefs (bringing 2,500 raspberry tarts), assorted professionals such as lawyers and doctors, a clutch of vicars and priests enquiring after the person who was near death, the Duke of York, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Chairman of the East Indian Company, the Governor of the Bank of England, the Lord Mayor of the City, other dignitaries and numerous pianos. One organ was also delivered.

Traffic jams and crowds spread out over neighbouring streets with wig-makers, gardeners and undertakers amongst the many others who had all been drawn in by the 4,000 letters. Scuffles broke out in the crush and it was only after dusk that the crowds dispersed and normality returned.

Hook and Beazley meanwhile has spent an enjoyable day watching events unfold from a house opposite. As for Mrs Tottenham? She was a real person, living at 54 Berners Street, but history has not preserved any explanation as to why she was the chosen victim of this hoax.

The venue of this hoax is only a few minutes walk away from the site of Britain’s first cybercafe, which I wrote about previously.

The whole episode rather reminds me of the famous Marx Brothers scene in A Night At The Opera: