Ernest George’s Old London
Aldgate
Stefan Dickers, Archivist at Bishopsgate Institute, brought out these fine copper plate etchings by Ernest George (1839-1922) to show me this week. In the eighteen-eighties, George set out to immortalise those fragments of London which spoke of times gone by and Londoners long dead, recording buildings and views which have for the most part now disappeared.
I realise that my affection for these images sets me in line with the generations of chroniclers who have made it their business to document the transience of the city, starting with John Stow who wrote the very first Survey of London between 1560 and 1598 to describe the streets of his childhood that were vanishing before his eyes.
Ernest George’s etchings were published by the Fine Art Society in New Bond St in 1884, a magnificent temple of culture designed by Edward William Godwin which survived through the twentieth century only to close in August 2018.
Bishopsgate
Wych St, Strand
Fouberts Place, Soho
Crown Court, Pall Mall
St Bartholomew, Smithfield
Warwick Lane, City
Tower of London
London Bridge
Staple Inn, Holborn
Drury Lane
St John’s Gate, Clerkenwell
Limehouse
Shadwell
Images courtesy Bishopsgate Institute
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Wonderful images; thank you very much.
To think that our London ancestors lived in places like these …..
Alan
A wonderful glimpse into the past. Valerie
Fantastically atmospheric drawings of bygone London. They would be a great reference for a stage set depicting that time and place – it is difficult to imagine just how ramshackle the old buildings were!
Absolutely beautiful work. Each one has such life in it, wonderful!
This was such a fascinating look at Old London. Always helpful when looking for small details of everyday life in the 18th and 19th centuries. I always share a screen shot or two with my 18th century reenactors friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed these – I keep going back to examine all the detail. Thank you for posting them.
As well as being a very fine artist Ernest George was an influential architect who was known as the ‘Eton of architects’. As well as being responsible with his partner Harold Peto for many fine late victorian buildings amongst his pupils were Edwin Lutyens, Guy Dawber, Herbert Baker and Ethel Charles who became the first woman to be elected a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
What beautiful etchings. Its as though they have a life of their own and draw you into a world which is pulsating with activity. I ask myself why streets have become so bland and desolate now. Perhaps the answer lies in the path we have taken with corporate entities dominating our every twist and turn. Perhaps the intricacies of the buildings reflect the nature of the times and the
inner life of people that walked the Earth then .
From what angle is the etching of the Tower drawn? I am trying to reconcile it with today and of course there are no water steps…
Wonderful drawings. My Great Grandfather G F Malins was an artist employed by Ernest George at Maddox Street, and his work was commissioned by HRH Prince of Wales and many of the other clients of Ernest George during this period. To think that they designed buildings the other side of the world n New Zealand too, its remarkable. These drawings really do bring to life the times and history of London. I really enjoy visiting London and walking around the architecture is beautiful in my eyes.