The History of Hatton Garden

From the London Eye to the Big Ben, London is renowned for a number of iconic landmarks and sites – at Shining Diamonds, our favourite place in London is Hatton Garden! Located in the Holborn District of the London Borough of Camden, Hatton Garden has become the epicentre of the UK’s jewellery trade, and is synonymous with dazzling diamond engagement rings, glistening gemstone pendants and so much more glorious gold (and silver, platinum and palladium) jewellery. But how did Hatton Garden become reciprocal of London’s Jewellery Quarter? Read on to find out more about the history of Hatton Garden in London!

1500’s – Royal Roots

The tale of Hatton Garden begins in 1577, when Sir Christopher Hatton was given a property by Queen Elizabeth I. Formerly known as Ely Place, the property was occupied by senior members of the clergy from the 1200’s until Christopher Hatton was ordered to take residency by Elizabeth I. During the 1500’s, the surrounding area of Ely Place remained largely underdeveloped, aside from Ely Place, the chapel and the banquet hall. Ely Rents was built in the 1600’s, but this did little to improve the living quality for those in the neighbouring community.

1700’s – Development of the Gardens

Major developments of Ely Place and its surrounding zone didn’t take place until the 1700’s, when streets were built in the gardens, forming the foundations of the current Ely Place and the  Hatton Garden we recognise and love today.

1800’s – Business Starts to Grow

As Hatton Garden became more and more developed, it started attracting businesses from Clerkenwell, sparking its reputation as the area for jewellery and diamond production. This growth was even further fuelled by The East India Trading Company, who imported the majority of the world’s diamonds from India to Hatton Garden.

Hatton Garden’s global status as a leading place for diamond and gemstone jewellery took off in the late 1800’s. The most productive diamond mine in the world, The De Beers Mine (now known as the Kimberley Mine) was discovered in 1871. This discovery and subsequent exploitation gave Hatton Garden’s reputation a significant boost, but astonishingly an even larger catalyst that would make Hatton Garden an industry leader in the diamond and gemstone industry was just around the corner.

In 1888 “De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited” (now known as De Beers) was formed, after competitors Cecil Rhodes (on behalf of De Beers) and the London Diamond Syndicate (created by ten jewellers in Hatton Garden) merged their businesses. Two years later, Hatton Garden secured its cherished status as a global name in the diamond and gemstone industry. This deal meant that Hatton Garden could utilise De Beers’ monopolisation of the diamond industry, giving them the opportunity to buy De Beers’ entire supply of diamonds at a fixed price. This is why Hatton Garden in London is home to some of the world’s finest jewellers.

2015 – The Hatton Garden Heist

On Easter Weekend (3rd – 6th April) in 2015 one of the largest burglaries in English legal history (since 1066) took place. The Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company was burgled by a group of ten elderly men who were experienced thieves. According to the reports, the burglars entered the premises via the lift shaft while it was closed for the bank holiday weekend. They then drilled through 50 cm thick vault walls using a Hilti DD350 industrial power drill and stole £200 million worth of jewels. The heist was so significant that the Flying Squad, a branch of the Specialist, Organised & Economic Crime Command within London’s Metropolitan Police Service took over the case. Eight men have been sentenced in relation to the heist, but only £4 million worth of jewels has been recovered to date. In September 2015, The Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company announced that they had gone into liquidation as a result of the heist – after the robbery, trade had “dried-up’, causing them to become insolvent (The Telegraph).

Present Day

Even after two world wars, a great depression, numerous recessions, a huge heist and competition across the globe, Hatton Garden’s reputation has continuously grown. Whether couples are shopping for the perfect solitaire diamond engagement ring, looking for a fine ruby and diamond necklace or someone is simply after loose uncut diamonds, Hatton Garden is a destination in its own right and attracts millions of customers and tourists every year.

Shining Diamonds in Hatton Garden

If you’re visiting Hatton Garden, then be sure to visit Shining Diamonds jewellery store! We’re in the heart of the UK’s jewellery scene, and will happily create custom jewellery for you with ease. Alternately you can get in touch with one of our experts, who will help you with your request here.