Engraver, painter and publisher of illustrated books, and property developer in Bayswater. Born Manchester. c.1800-24 he published and sold many books of aquatints and etchings, in his own shops in Conduit Street and New Bond Street.
He developed Moscow Road and St Petersburgh Place, both possibly named in honour of the 1814 visit by Tsar Alexander I of Russia during which, there is a suggestion that, Orme met the Tsar and exchanged shiploads of Kensington gravel for Russian jewellery. In 1815 he published a volume of views of St Petersburg, and in 1819 published 'Historic, Military and Naval Anecdotes of ... particular incidents ... in the last long-contested war, terminating with the Battle of Waterloo'.
Orme developed Orme Square 1823-6. Died at home, 6 Fitzroy Square (on the east side).
Information mainly from the ODNB and the London Encyclopedia.
2022: Edward Kegg drew our attention to a letter in ‘Notes and Queries’ July 11, 1896, as follows: “Column in Orme Square (8th S.ix 507). – The History of the column, as it has been told to me by several of the oldest residents hereabouts, is as follows. Early in the century Mr Edward Orme became possessed of the land in this immediate neighbourhood, and at the time – after Waterloo – that the basements of the houses in Orme Square, St Petersburg Place, Moscow Road etc., were being excavated, the Emperor of Russia (Alexander I), who was on a visit to London, happened to be driving by and noticed the beautiful colour and quality of the grave. A contract was arranged between the Czar and Mr Orme that the gravel should be sent to Russia for the grounds of one of the royal residences, a contract carried out so much to Mr Orme’s satisfaction that he named two of the streets after Russian cities and put up the eagle in his own square. H. G. Griffinhoofe, 34 St Petersburg Place, W.”
We note that H. G. Griffinhoofe was the author of history books (e.g. 1892 ‘Queen Anne Boleyn’) and surely was related to Benjamin Griffinhoofe, a joint MP for Yarmouth 1807-12.
