Perhaps you know that Dame Agatha Christie lived here. This is 58 Sheffield Terrace. A plaque marks the spot where the Queen of Crime resided from 1934 to 1941.
Agatha Christie was one of the best-selling writers of all time. She is renowned for her detective novels. While living here at 58 Sheffield Terrace she wrote some of her most famous works. These include Murder on the Orient Express in 1934 and Death on the Nile in 1937.
Born Agatha Mary Clarissa Miller in Devon she began her writing journey early. In 1917 she wrote her first detective novel. It was titled The Mysterious Affair at Styles and was published in 1920. From 1920 to 1965 she wrote at least one book every year.
The Murder of Roger Ackroyd in 1926 cemented Christie’s reputation. Her most famous characters soon followed. Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple became familiar to households across the world.
Agatha Christie caused a sensation in 1926. She disappeared for 10 days. This prompted a nationwide search and rumours of murder. Her mother’s death and her husband’s unfaithfulness traumatized her. She fled her home in Surrey to the Hydropathic Hotel in Harrogate. Staff members eventually identified her. In later years she maintained she had no memory of the episode.
Number 58 Sheffield Terrace was Christie’s home with her second husband. He was the archaeologist Max Mallowan. They lived here from 1934 until 1941. Bombing drove them out. Christie described it as a happy house. She wanted to live there as badly as she had ever wanted to live in any house. It was perfect except it had a basement. It had not many rooms. However they were all big and well-proportioned. It was just what they needed.
It was the only address where Christie had her own workroom. She declared what the room would contain. It would have a grand piano and a large firm table. A comfortable sofa or divan would be there too. There would be a hard upright chair for typing. One armchair for reclining completed the room. There was to be nothing else.
Here at second-floor level she completed some of her best-known stories. These included Murder on the Orient Express, The ABC Murders and Death on the Nile.
Christie confessed she had a passion for houses. She favoured Kensington and Chelsea. She lived at numerous addresses in London. In her autobiography she claimed to have lived at 48 Sheffield Terrace. She actually lived several houses further west. The cause of confusion may have been her previous address. It was nearby at 47-48 Campden Street where she lived from 1930 to 1934.
So next time you are reading Agatha Christie remember this house. It was here that some of the most famous books were written. The Agatha Christie Plaque reminds us of her genius. It marks a place where imagination and mystery came to life.