For the musical of the same name, see Baker Street

Baker Street is a street in the City of Westminster, London. It is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at 221B Baker Street. People who come to see 221B are always disappointed because it doesn't exist. The street takes its name from the builder William Baker who laid the street out in the 18th century.

Baker St is in postcode areas NW1/W1 and is a busy thoroughfare. It runs south from Regent's Park, the intersection with Park Street, parallel to Gloucester Place, intersecting with Marylebone Road, York Street, Portman Square and Wigmore Street. At the intersection with Wigmore St, Baker St turns into Orchard Street, which ends when it intersects with Oxford Street.

Notable residents

In 1835, the first permanent exhibition of Madame Tussauds waxworks was opened on Baker St. The museum moved, just around the corner, to Marylebone Road in 1884.

In 1940 the headquarters of the Special Operations Executive moved to 64 Baker Street; they were often called "the Baker Street Irregulars" after Sherlock Holmes's gang of street urchins of the same name.

In 1991 the Sherlock Holmes Museum opened at 239 Baker Street; they currently receive mail addressed to Sherlock Holmes and reply that he has retired to raise bees in Sussex. The street is served by the London Underground by Baker Street tube station, at the entrance to which stands a statue to Holmes.

Other uses

Baker Street is a Sherlock Holmes musical which, in 1965, earned Inga Swenson a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

Baker Street is the title of a hit song by Gerry Rafferty.

Related articles

• Baker Street tube station
• 64 Baker Street - headquarters of the SOE
• 221B Baker Street - Sherlock Holmes's residence
• The Baker Street Irregulars - Holmes's urchin detectives

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