David Bowie’s childhood home in South London, where the rock legend lived from age 8 to 20, is being restored and will open to the public in 2027. The project of its restoration and opening is being carried by The Heritage of London Trust, which announced the acquisition of the property, located at 4 Plaistow Grove in Bromley, Kent, on Thursday, January 8th, which would have been Bowie’s 79th birthday.
A young David Jones lived at the house from 1955 to 1967. This time period included the early years of his music career, including when he famously changed his stage name to David Bowie to avoid confusion with the Monkees’ Davy Jones.
Due for completion in late 2027, the project will restore the two-up, two-down railway workers’ cottage to its early 1960s appearance. According to curator Geoffrey Marsh, “the restoration will recreate the interior layout exactly as it was when Bowie’s father commuted to work at charity Dr. Barnado’s and his mother worked as a waitress.”
In addition to an immersive experience in Bowie’s 9-foot by 10-foot teenage bedroom, the tour will feature never-before-seen archival items, including the artist’s collection of books on music and architecture, photos of inspirations like Little Richard, and his vinyl collection.
“It was in this small house, particularly in his tiny bedroom, that Bowie evolved from an ordinary suburban schoolboy to the beginnings of an extraordinary international stardom,” Marsh explained. “As he said, ‘I spent so much time in my bedroom. It really was my entire world. I had books up there, my music up there, my record player. Going from my world upstairs out onto the street, I had to pass through this no-man’s-land of the living room.’”
