Fountain

First drinking fountain

Erection date: 21/4/1859

Inscription

{Carved in the red marble arch:}
The Gift of Saml. Gurney M.P. 1859

{Carved in the red marble base:}
Replace the cup.

{Carved on the curved stone behind and below the spout:}
The first Metropolitan public drinking fountain erected on Holborn Hill in 1859 and removed when the viaduct was constructed in 1867.

DrinkingFountains gives two pictures from the 'Illustrated London News' of this fountain when it was originally installed. From a close examination of these pictures and Streetview, we deduce that the fountain was originally installed in the railings around the church at the Snow Hill/Holborn Viaduct junction. The widening of Snow Hill at this junction meant that the fountain and the railings were removed to be replaced by more ornately Victorian railings closer in to the church. And the fountain was remodelled and reinstalled at its current site.

Site: St Sepulchre's Church (2 memorials)

EC1, Holborn Viaduct, St Sepulchre's Church

The plaque to the Royal Fusiliers is in the garden on the south-west facing wall of the church. The fountain is on the street corner.
A modern information board in the garden informs: The garden of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate has retained its ties with the Eighth Battalion Royal Fusiliers (the City of London Regiment) TA since 1953 when the garden's railings were painted in the regimental colours. The church itself was made famous in the old nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons' in which St Sepulchre's bells were 'the Bells of Old Bailey'.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
First drinking fountain

Subjects commemorated i

First drinking fountain

The Picture Source website gives the story.

Read More

Samuel Gurney

Banker, philanthropist, M.P. Set up the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Ca...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
First drinking fountain

Created by i

Samuel Gurney

Banker, philanthropist, M.P. Set up the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Ca...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
First drinking fountain

Also at this site i

St Sepulchre's Church - Royal Fusiliers

St Sepulchre's Church - Royal Fusiliers

A large board in the garden announces: The Royal Fusiliers (City of London R...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Ward drinking trough

Ward drinking trough

SW16, Streatham Common South

There is a non-working drinking fountain at the other end of the trough.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Charles Walker & Lady Graham

Charles Walker & Lady Graham

EC1, Northampton Square, Northampton Square Garden

Compare this memorial with the one in Wilmington Square.

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Andrew Gibb drinking fountain and shelter

Andrew Gibb drinking fountain and shelter

SE3, Charlton Way / Prince Charles Road

{On the (non-working) drinking fountain, on the top surface on the north side:} The Andrew Gibb drinking fountain {On the plaque:} The A...

1 subject commemorated, 8 creators
Lord Drogheda

Lord Drogheda

SW1, St James's Street

If this rather barren 60s paved area looks familiar perhaps you recognise it from the first scene in Antonioni's Blowup, from 1966.

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Lyttelton Fountain

Lyttelton Fountain

W1, Piccadilly

Standing in Piccadilly one sees 4 memorials on the wall: from left to right: Sotheran Fountain, Garden, Lyttelton Fountain, Railings. The...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Holy Trinity Stroud Green - information board

Holy Trinity Stroud Green - information board

N4, Granville Road, Holy Trinity church garden

This Peace Garden, opened on 27 March 2011, commemorates the 1944 V1 bomb, the people who died, the church that was destroyed and the sub...

Civilian war dead | WW2
19 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Anthony Hicks

Anthony Hicks

Son-in-law to Agatha Christie, being the second husband of her only child Rosalind.

Person, Friend / family

1 memorial
Farm Lane - Number 101

Farm Lane - Number 101

SW6, Rainsborough Square

101 Farm Lane This site was first developed in the 1890s as a horse bus company depot. It was then used by various motor bus companies an...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator