Keystone

ICI - 5 - Nobel

Inscription

Alfred Nobel

Site: Imperial Chemical House - 9 portrait keystones (10 memorials)

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

For an idea of what this area used to be like see this 1894ish map. It was all redeveloped following the 1928 flood. This block was designed by Sir Frank Baines and built in 1929-31 as HQ for Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (ICI). Aka 'Nobel House' it is now, 2016, occupied by Ofgem, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. The frontage boasts 9 portrait keystones of chemists and ICI directors: Cavendish is on the Horseferry Road frontage, Mendeleeff on the junction corner, the other 7 are on the river side, left to right: Lavoisier, McGowan, Nobel, Alfred Mond (ICI), Ludwig Mond, Priestley, Liebig. Each 5th floor keystone decorates an integrated window arrangement with the identifying name on the 4th floor balcony. In his book on London statues Osbert Sitwell reports a journalist  writing that these "masks" are "four times life-size" but he also writes that they are "seven storeys above the ground" so we have to allow for some exaggeration.

On the 5th floor are four magnificent statues by Charles Sergeant Jagger. See A London Inheritance for photos. As well as these keystones Fagan did most of the other sculpture on the building, including the massive bronze entrance doors.

2017: We watched the 1947 film "Mine Own Executioner" which uses a few London locations. We recognised that of the last scene - a suicide at the top of a building - and thought it might be this one. But it's actually the MI5 building immediately to the south of Lambeth Bridge, Thames House, which was built by ICI at the same time as IC House and not used by MI5 until 1994.

There are two more portrait keystones on Nobel House, behind this building.

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:
ICI - 5 - Nobel

Subjects commemorated i

Alfred Nobel

Chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer.  Invented dynamite,...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
ICI - 5 - Nobel

Created by i

William Bateman Fagan

Born Bermondsey. Andrew Behan's researches have found that when he was baptis...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
ICI - 5 - Nobel

Also at this site i

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

These doors are in the centre of the river frontage of the building. Mapping...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Carpenters' Hall - Wren

Carpenters' Hall - Wren

EC2, London Wall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue

The building projects over the pavement with an arched colonnade for pedestrians. On the keystone of each arch, at the ends and along the...

1 subject commemorated
Martini Beati - keystone head

Martini Beati - keystone head

EC3, Change Alley

His ringlets are formed by coins. Loose copies of an old penny are placed at the bottom corners: head (a young Victoria) at the left, tai...

Life mask on keystone - Beethoven

Life mask on keystone - Beethoven

W10, Chesterton Road, 7

Our researches have drawn a blank. This looks to us like a death mask, or Churchill with his eyes shut which seems unlikely. Faces on key...

1 creator
Cadby Hall - 9 keystone heads - composers

Cadby Hall - 9 keystone heads - composers

W14, Hammersmith Road, Lyons Walk

Cadby Hall was built in 1873 as a piano factory. Our picture comes from Cadby Hall: "Built to the design of Lewis H. Isaacs, Cadby Hall w...

Henry Gage Spicer - keystone

Henry Gage Spicer - keystone

SW1, Old Queen Street, 20

In 2020 The Daily Mail was advertising this property for sale: "... originally built in 1909 as family home of paper mill tycoon. Townhou...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

The Beatles

The Beatles

George Harrison,  John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr.

Group, Music / songs, Seriously Famous

8 memorials
Chiswick National School

Chiswick National School

Much of the following information comes from the very helpful Gill Clegg's Chiswick History page. 1707 a charity school was founded at St Nicholas church near the river. It expanded until in 1813 ...

Group, Education

1 memorial
Catherine Howard

Catherine Howard

As lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves Catherine attracted Henry's ever-roving eye.  Anne was dumped (via the annulment method) and the obese, 49-year old Henry married the 20-year old Catherine.  Sh...

Person, Execution, Royalty, Seriously Famous

3 memorials
Cooks' Hall

Cooks' Hall

Cooks' Hall was built circa 1500, escaped the Great Fire and was rebuilt and enlarged 1674. In 1764 a fire partially destroyed the Hall which was again rebuilt but it was totally destroyed by fire...

Building, Liveries & Guilds

2 memorials
Annie Besant

Annie Besant

Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule. Born Annie Wood at 2 Fish Street Hill. Married, aged 19, Frank Besant (brother to Sir Walter) bu...

Person, Gender Issues, Nationalism, Paranormal, Politics & Administration, India, Ireland

4 memorials