Debenham & Freebody
building in Westminster, London, England, UK
Debenham & Freebody was a department store at 27–37 Wigmore Street, London, which became part of the Debenhams chain. The building, first opened in 1908, is now used by a variety of occupiers and is grade II listed by Historic England.
In popular culture
In Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, a suspect gives the name Freebody in a fumbled attempt to divert suspicion away from another suspect, named Debenham.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Debenham & Freebody” is building in Westminster, London, England, UK. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Debenham, Freebody and building, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “building in Westminster, London, England, UK” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Mar 4, 2024. The linked authority identifier is Q26319089. VIAF identifies the subject as 1183154380947830290697. Authority coordinates are 51.516, -0.148. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1908.
Architectural summaries often privilege surviving fabric and can understate demolished phases, contested use or displaced communities. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Debenham & Freebody”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Debenham & Freebody primary sources, Debenham & Freebody archive and Debenham research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Debenham & Freebody”?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Debenham & Freebody” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.