View of the Mansion House, London; and View of the Royal Exchange, London

The view of the Mansion House was engraved by T. A. Prior and was published by John Robins of 57 Tooley Street, Southwark. It served as the headpiece for the authorised (as distinct from the official) Stationer's Almanac in circa 1861. Re-strikes from the original steel plate are still made periodically. On the left is the Mansion House while stretching westwards is Poultry and Cheapside: St Mary le Bow is on the left of the street, St Mildred Poultry is on the right. On the extreme right is a corner of the Bank of England. The foreground is populated with eight knifeboard omnibusses, a hansom cab, and what appear to be Bank Volunteers as opposed to the Bank Picquet.

The original drawing for this oil, in pencil with grey wash and bodycolour, is in the collection of the Museum of London, and is reproduced in George Chambers, 1803-1840: His Life and Work, by Allen Russett (Woodbridge, 1996), p. 195.

The Royal Exchange view was probably intended to serve as a headpiece to the Stationer's Almanac but in the event went unused. Stretching eastwards to the left is Threadneedle Street, and the Bank of England. In the centre is the third Royal Exchange, opened by Queen Victoria in 1844, behind an equestrian statue of Wellingon, also erected in 1844. To the right Cornhill stretches into the distance while on the extreme right is the Globe Insurance Company's headquarters.

We are grateful to Ralph Hyde for his help in preparing this catalogue entry.