Bickford’s: Baltimore’s ’10 Downing Street’

The cafeteria Bickford’s was once the ‘Kibitzing Capital of Baltimore City.’

Located on the east side of Calvert Street between Baltimore & Fayette Streets, it first opened its doors in 1933, and ended its run as a eatery in 1973. In 2006, what was left of the structure took some compelling direct hits from the wrecking ball.

Bickford’s got its nickname, “10 Downing Street,” because of its reputation as a political/legal meeting spot par excellence. (1) The real “10 Downing Street” is in London, where the Prime Minister resides and the government’s headquarters are located.

At 3 N. Calvert Street, Bickford’s was a regular hangout for the local Democratic Party politicos; court clerks; bailiffs; office holders; judges, sheriffs; court reporters; journalists and lawyers galore. The majority of its repeat customers were of Jewish descent. Some were very articulate and colorful, and most hailed from the Pikesville area of the city.

As the Jewish word “kibitzing” indicates, Bickford’s was a place to chat and to talk in a friendly manner. Besides the food, very moderately priced, and its ideal location, kibitzing was the essence of Bickford’s. The other Democratic stronghold in Baltimore was the Emerson Hotel. It stood directly across the street from Bickford’s.

Read’s drugstore was on the south side of Bickford’s, fronting on Baltimore St. On its north side was the Munsey Building. And, just across the street from the Munsey Building were the two Court Houses – one back then was State, now the Mitchell Court House; and the other Federal, now Court House East. The federal court house moved on May 1, 1978, to 101 West Lombard St. and now occupy the new Garmatz Building.

Judge Howard Arron was one of my fave fellow patrons at Bickford’s. He was, first, a Municipal Court judge and later a District Court jurist. Judge Aaron, a bachelor, literally “held court” in Bickford’s. Sometimes, I thought he couldn’t tell the difference between the two venues. He would show up there for breakfast, at noon for a quick lunch and sometimes after court before heading home for supper.

Sitting quietly close by, however, would be the Judge’s older brother, Sam Aaron. He was a lawyer, power broker and real estate mogul. Sam knew, so to speak, “where all the bodies were buried.”

Bickford’s is the place you went to for a quick bite to eat and/or also if you wanted to hear the latest political/legal gossip. When I first starting working in the court house (the Baltimore City Court), as a deputy clerk, in 1961, I was a regular at Bickford’s.

My patronage continued on when I was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney (Court House West), under Charley Moylan; and right up to my days in the City Solicitor’s Office (City Hall), under Mayors Tommy (The Younger) D’Alesandro and William Donald Schaefer.

I was smart enough back then, to do more listening. I liked to sound off at the now-defunct Stonewall Democratic Club on South Charles St. At Bickford’s, watching and listening suited me best.

The main celebrity habitué at Bickford’s was the late Governor of Maryland, Marvin Mandel. His reign in office lasted from 1969-1979. He was sure to get a window seat and the very best table at Bickford’s. His law office was once located across the street in the Equitable Building. Even as governor, he couldn’t stay away. I think It helped him keep in touch with the pulse of the people. (2)

It was in Bickford’s, too, where I first met the inestimable Alan Murrell, a top criminal defense lawyer in town. He loved driving around Baltimore in his fancy Jaguar, dressed up like a movie star. Murrell, who father’s was a famous Welsh sea captain, became the state’s first “Public Defender.” Who to you think appointed him to that office in 1971? Try Governor Mandel!

Murrell, then law associate, James “Jim Bo” Murphy, was also a steady at Bickford’s. Like some others who hung out there, he later ended up with a Circuit Court judicial appointment from Governor Mandel.

(I recall one civil case that I had with the late Judge Murphy. I was defending the city. Murphy ruled against us and I took an appeal. The appellant court reversed him in a stinging opinion. I don’t think Murphy ever forgave me for it. Go figure.)

Judge Edgar Silver, now deceased, was also a constant at Bickford’s. Back then, he was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. There is nobody I’ve ever met on this planet that loved talking politics more than him! He lived and breathed politics. Judge Silver later became a very successful lobbyist in Annapolis.

Occasionally, political boss James H. “Jack” Pollack would make an appearance at Bickford’s. By this time, his star was in decline and he was at odds with Governor Mandel. One of Pollack’s top lieutenants was Dave Sherman. He ran the interference for him. I had worked with Sherman in the court house from 1961-64. Sometimes you could feel the tensions between these two political camps.

I once attended a fund-raising breakfast at Bickford’s. I think it cost me all of ten dollars. Then-Maryland State Delegate, Alan Resnick, was the host/candidate. He was running for a seat in the U.S. Congress that he didn’t have a chance in hell of winning. He did, however, get some much needed “free p.r.” out of the gig.

Resnick went on to become a District Court Judge in the city. You’re right! He, too, was appointed by – Governor Mandel.

If today, you stood in the empty space that was once Bickford’s, I’d swear that you might still hear the echoes of the cursing that went on so loudly there back in 1970. A popular Congressman, Sam Friedel, lost his 7th District Democratic primary election to an African-American challenger – Parren J. Mitchell by – 38 votes!

The main reason Friedel lost to Mitchell was that a Jewish State Senator foolishly decided to put his hat into the ring. He became the spoiler. The boy-ohs from Bickford’s cursed him out to the high heavens. Even though he had a law office in the area, the “spoiler,” (whose name will not be mentioned here), never returned to Bickford’s for the daily kibtizing sessions. Who could blame him.

There were other eateries and taverns around the two court houses that were favored by the politicos and the legal eagles. But none of them, in my opinion, had the character and the Baltimore-sourced ambiance of – Bickford’s.

Sure, Bickford’s has been gone, physically, from the scene for ten years now. But, its memory as Baltimore’s “10 Downing Street” lives on.
Notes:

“’10 Downing St.’ on Calvert Street,” article by reporter Frederick Rasmussen, “Baltimore Sun,” August 12, 2006.
Governor Mandel ran afoul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the mid-70s. While he was in a federal prison, I wrote a number of articles defending his innocence. His conviction for Mail Fraud was later overturned. One of my commentaries on Governor Mandel, which recapped the failed case against him, can be found in my book, “Baltimore Iconoclast.”