Symbols & Secrets

I thought I was familiar with the names of all the archiects associated with the City but somehow one of the most eminent seemed to have slipped my mind – although I must have read about him on numerous occasions. Some of his greatest works will be well known to all my readers – for example the original market buildings at Smithfield, Billingsgate and Leadenhall. His greatest surviving achievement however, in my view at least, is the structure that represents London itself to many people throughout the world – Tower Bridge.

Jones was a brilliant artist as can be seen from this pen-and-ink drawing by him from his 1884 design …

^{© London Metropolitan Archives, City of London (ref COL/SVD/PL/03/0293})

This model at The London Centre gives some perspective as to its location …

The modern City framed by the Bridge …

In action …

From the River Thames heading east …

Serious engineering …

You can read about my tour of the bridge in March last year here.

My further interest in it was spiked, as it often is, by the current exhibition featuring Tower Bridge at the Guildhall Gallery …

The great man himself. Horace Jones 1819-1887 painted in the year before his death by Walter William Ouless …

Some of the fascinating items on display in the exhibition.

This dramatic photograph captures the hive of activity during construction …

Centre stage are the high-level footway bridges slowly coming together while in the background you can see the South Abutment Tower under construction. Work on the bridge had started in 1886 and work was completed in 1894 (seven years after Horace’s death).

Hot tickets …

The ‘Ceremonial’ document outlining the programme. I was intrigued by the occupants of the carriages. What’s the difference between a ‘woman of the bedchamber’ and a ‘lady of the bedchamber’? And there are examples of chaps who are ‘in waiting’. Two equerries, a groom and a lord to be precise. No doubt a precise pecking order has been established over the centuries!

A napkin from the opening Celebration Dinner …

A great selection …

Instructions on how to operate the raising mechanism, an engineer with a super king size spanner, a workman doing masonry repairs, a police officer pulling a rope across the road to close it to traffic, the Tower Bridge tug and the Bridge Driver in the control cabin.

For the people of London during the First World War the bridge was more than a metaphorical symbol of resistance. Perched atop the upper walkway sat an anti-aircraft gun, its height and tactical position aligning it perfectly to defend against German raids. Its presence brought comfort to Londoners in the area and this poster captures the sentiment …

Each of the men listed in the centre of the poster were presented with a print as ‘grateful recognition of their services in protecting London against hostile aircraft during the Great War of 1914-1918’.

Whilst I was visiting I treated myself to this book. It’s a great read …

It explains in interesting detail why, despite a knighthood and elevation to the Presidency of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Horace never really received the full recognition he deserved and this remains the case today. For example, the Guildhall Gallery now owns the Ouless painting above but it is not on display. I’m pleased to say, however, that there is an excellent bust of Horace that you can go and see. It really gives a hint of the powerful presence and personality that clearly upset some of his contemporaries …

Unfortunately, I’m sad to say that it is tucked away at the back of the cloakroom! You’ll find it by turning right as you leave the special exhibition.

It’s on until 19 September and is located in the Heritage Gallery. During your visit you can enjoy watching films from the London Metropolitan Archive. This one is of the 1928 Lord Mayors Show …

You can also inspect a superb back-lit copy of the ‘Agas’ map of circa 1561 …

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