Other

Barbican frieze

Erection date: 1975

Inscription

{On a plaque to the right of the frieze:}
This frieze was removed from numbers 53 and 54 Barbican when it was demolished in 1962 and re-erected by the Corporation of London in 1975. Numbers 53 and 54 Barbican were the premises of W. Bryer & Sons, gold refiners and assayers whose trade is depicted in the frieze. The building was one of the few which survived when the area was largely destroyed by incendiary bombs in December 1940.

Our photo shows just one section of the frieze which covers the full width of this structure, behind the word "Barbican".

Site: Fann Street corner (2 memorials)

EC1, Aldersgate Street

For 56 years this junction had a substantial drinking fountain on the south-east corner (pictured), but now has a plaque on the west side commemorating that fountain, and this south-east corner displays a frieze rescued from the buildings demolished to make way for the Barbican.

In this section Aldersgate Street is effectively a dual-carriageway, which we're sure it was not in 1878, or even in 1934.  This excessive road widening probably happened when the Barbican was built.

A London Inheritance looks at the history of this street.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Barbican frieze

Subjects commemorated i

World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

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W. Bryer & Sons

Gold refiners and assayers who occupied 53 and 54 Barbican. One of the few b...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Barbican frieze

Created by i

Corporation of the City of London

The municipal governing body of the City of London. Officially the 'Mayor and...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Barbican frieze

Also at this site i

Besley memorial fountain - lost

Besley memorial fountain - lost

This drinking fountain was erected in 1878 in memory of Robert Besley, who ha...

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Nearby Memorials

Police bricks

Police bricks

EC1, Myddelton Passage

Brought to our attention by View from the Mirror which has a very good, thorough post about these strange bricks.  The graffiti is appare...

1 subject commemorated
Newgate Street Clock

Newgate Street Clock

EC1, Newgate Street

The size of this "wandering hour" clock, a 2 metre diameter, makes it unique. The arms of the Clockmakers company are at the centre of th...

2 subjects commemorated, 4 creators
Octavia Hill seat

Octavia Hill seat

GU8, near Hascombe, Hydon's Ball

Well outside the M25, by no stretch of the rules is this in London but Octavia is a London person so we had to collect this giant seat wh...

1 subject commemorated
Mo Farah gold post box - Teddington

Mo Farah gold post box - Teddington

TW11, Broad Street

This is Mo's post box for the 5,000m; he has another one for the 10,000m at 477 London Road, TW7 (still to collect).

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
New Gravel Pit Chapel - plaque

New Gravel Pit Chapel - plaque

E9, Mead Place

In our photo the plaque is lost behind the bramble branches to the right of the right-most panel. We have captured 2 of the c.5 sculpted ...

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators

Previously viewed

Avanti

Avanti

Architects. Projects include the restoration of the Natural History Museum facade, Liverpool Street Station concourse and the Isokon Building.

Group, Architecture

1 memorial
W. Purnell

W. Purnell

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Jean Scott

Jean Scott

Founder of The Finchley Society.  Andrew Behan found their website very informative: Jean Leslie Scott, The Finchley Society’s founder, was born on 21 March 1921 and lived in Finchley since her ch...

Person, Community / Clubs, Politics & Administration, Science

1 memorial
Sir John Cass's Foundation

Sir John Cass's Foundation

From the picture source website: "In 1710 Cass set up a school for 50 boys and 40 girls in buildings in the churchyard of St Botolph-without-Aldgate. Intending to leave all his property to the scho...

Group, Education

4 memorials
Lionel Logue

Lionel Logue

SW1, Harley Street, 146

Mark Logue, Lionel's grandson, was present at the unveiling.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator