History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

Kilburn attracted several tailors and outfitters with two leading concerns facing one another other across the High Road for many years. Both were family concerns and while there are images of some of their shops, no photos of the people involved appear to have survived. Neither family had any obvious links to the area so why choose Kilburn? Almost certainly they were attracted by the sales potential, it was a thriving neighbourhood with good transport links and an ever-increasing network of streets and customers on either side of the High Road. For both it proved to be a good choice. Alexander the Great: Jacob Alexander The more successful company, in terms of size of business, traded from Nos.122-126 on the corner with Quex Road for over half a century and was originally started by Jacob Alexander. Born in 1821, he lived in the province of Posen in Prussia (then part of the German Empire, now Poland). A tailor and outfitter by trade, he had four sons: Isaac b.1862, Adolph b.1865, The...