Postcards of the Past
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London - City of Westminster (2)
"The Houses of Parliament are a most imposing pile of buildings viewed from the river. On their site once stood the ancient
Royal Palace of Edward the Confessor, which, however, was considerably altered and rebuilt by William Rufus and Stephen
and Henry VIII. Part of these buildings were (sic) destroyed during the Great Fire of 1666, and the "New Palace of
Westminster" was erected by Sir Charles Barry at a cost of £3,000,000 in 1840". I wasn't aware that the 1666 fire spread
this far !!
The Four O'Clock parade at the Horseguards.
The Cecil and Savoy Hotels from Waterloo Bridge.
The Houses of Parliament, with Westminster Hall, form a single pile of buildings on
the north bank of the Thames, erected in 1840 from Sir Charles Barry's design.
The earlier Palace of Westminster was burned down in 1834. In the Clock Tower,
next to Westminster Bridge, hangs "Big Ben", a bell weighing 13 tons.
Westminster Bridge is one of the handsomest in London, and was erected in
1856-62."
"This is one of the most charming views in London, and the whole great mass of
buildings (covering twice the are of the old palace of Edward the Confessor which
once stood here) is seen at its very best, softened by the river mists. The Houses
contain 1,100 rooms and in the Clock Tower is the enormous bell known as "Big
Ben". Along the river front stand statues of all our English Sovereigns from William
the Conqueror to Queen Victoria."
Westminster Hall.
A super view of the Terrace at the Houses of Parliament.
Three views of Parliament and Big Ben.  The postcard on the left was mailed in 1928 - no dates for the other two.
One of the two Sphinxes by Cleopatra's Needle on the Embankment.
Another view of Shell-Mex House and Cleopatra's Needle.
The naval training ship "Buzzard" moored alongside the Embankment - no date for
this one.
This postcard of Trafalgar Square was posted in 1906.
Admiralty Arch - a postcard mailed in August 1937 with an Edward VIII stamp.
The National Gallery in a postcard mailed in 1906.
Waterloo Place about 1910.
A 1908 postcard of Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square - an early view of the National Gallery.
An early 20th Century postcard of Admiralty Arch and the Mall.
The "new GPO", just off Trafalgar Square.
Trafalgar Square. "Nelson's Monument on the south
side, facing Whitehall, is 165 feet high and surmounted
by a statue of the naval hero 17 feet high."
A 1911 postcard of Trafalgar Square by moonlight.
"The New General Post Office. This spacious edifice, opened in October, 1910, is
situated on a portion of the site of the old Bluecoat School, and has the distinction
of being the first Government establishment to consist solely of concrete and
steel. This building was rendered necessary by the continually increasing postal
business of London, and is directly opposite to the old General Post Office of St.
Martin's-le-Grand."
An unused and thus undated view of St Martins-le-Grand and the Post Office.
To see more old postcards of the City of
Westminster,please follow these links  1  3  4  5  6
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