Building    From 1854  To 30/11/1936

Crystal Palace

Originally erected in Hyde Park to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was on the section south of Rotten Row and east of West Carriage Drive with the mid-point opposite Rutland Gate. The cast-iron and glass building was then taken down and reconstructed, modified and enlarged, in 1854 at Sydenham Hill in what was then known as Penge Park. The area around then became known as Crystal Palace. In 1936 the Palace burnt down and was not rebuilt. What remains are the terraces, the steps and some sphinxes. The BBC reported that the UK's first fatal car accident happened at "Dolphin Terrace" at the Crystal Palace in 1896 but we can't discover exactly where that was.

The distinctive curved roof above the central transept, running north-south, was added to the design of the building to enable several elm trees in Hyde Park to be retained within the building rather than felled. The trees are not there now and were presumably lost to Dutch Elm disease some time 1970-90. (But London does still have elm trees - see the Londonist article and this pdf with map.)

Some good pictures and quotes at: The Library Time Machine.

Caroline's Miscellany on the model of Crystal Palace - in Paris.

Chapter IX of Dorothy Richardson's 1915 'Pilgrimage Volume 1, Backwater' describes a summer evening visit to Crystal Palace with fireworks, a calendar-clock, a winter garden, a concert room, etc.

2025: Londonist's post What's Left From the 1851 Great Exhibition? provides many answers, including the fact that the V&A holds 3,595 items, the museum having been created partly for that very purpose.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Crystal Palace

Commemorated ati

Crystal Palace fatal accident

{Around an illustration of the Crystal Palace:} The grave beneath this yew tr...

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Crystal Palace workmen's grave

Twelve workmen were killed, but we are unable to find out where the other two...

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HMS Crystal Palace

This trophy was originally placed on the old quarter-deck (presumably constru...

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Sir Joseph Paxton - giant bust

The Carrera marble bust is 8ft high.

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Other Subjects

Edward Monson, Jnr

Edward Monson, Jnr

This Edward Monson would have been 40 when St Albans was built. His father (Edward Monson) was a civil engineer. and junior's architect son, Edward Charles Philip Monson would have been 15. So we a...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
H & H. M. Lidbetter

H & H. M. Lidbetter

Architects. H. Martin Lidbetter was the son of Hubert Lidbetter (1885-1966), best known for the Euston Road Friends Meeting House (1927). Hubert designed many Quaker meeting houses. Father and son ...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
J. H. Evins

J. H. Evins

Architect active in the late 1800s.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Wilfred Mangan

Wilfred Mangan

Architect. Born Wilfred Clarence Mangan. He worked extensively in the Portsmouth diocese, and was an enthusiast for round-arched, predominantly Byzantine, styles which were highly popular for Roman...

Person, Architecture, Ireland

1 memorial
Essex Street, House & grounds

Essex Street, House & grounds

The site now covered by Essex Street and Devereux Court was once Essex House and grounds, named after Robert, Earl of Essex, Queen Elizabeth's favourite, who also led a rebellion against her which ...

Place, Architecture, Property

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

We believe this group now encompasses Comic Heritage, Musical Heritage, Sports Heritage and Films and Television Heritage. Its aim is to pay tribute to Britain's entertainers and raise funds for go...

Group, Cinema, History, Humour, Music / songs, Sport / Games, Theatre, TV & Radio

64 memorials
Artists Rifles

Artists Rifles

The 38th Middlesex (Artists') Rifle Volunteers was formed, in response to a threat of invasion by Napoleon III, by Edward Sterling in London with headquarters initially at Burlington House, where t...

Group, Armed Forces, Art

4 memorials
Netherlands Government in exile

Netherlands Government in exile

The Netherlands were invaded by Nazi Germany on the 10th May 1940. Queen Wilhelmina had planned to go to the southern province of Zeeland to co-ordinate resistance, but when it came under attack fr...

Group, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Henry Bidgood

Henry Bidgood

Businessman elected by Westminster St James Vestry to be a member of the Metropolitan Board of Works, 1856 - 1877.  Died at home in St John's Wood.  

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics actively promotes equal opportunities and cross-cultural, inter-generational mosaic art work. The studio aims to draw on the historic roots of local neighbourhoods traversed by Sh...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs, Craft / Design

26 memorials