Plaque

This sign is suffering from being so low down. It would have originally been on a building at first or second floor level, well ventilated and not susceptible to moss, etc.

We don't normally collect these original street signs, especially when they are still on the original buildings.  But this one has been carefully rescued from a demolition and re-erected.

The name plaque looks as if it was originally erected on a house, in 1688. John Stype's 1755 map shows houses along this street. For the history of the site Wikipedia gives: c.1818, the site housed the Chartered Gas Works of the Westminster Gas Light and Coke Company, as well as a laundry yard, but maps show there were houses along Marsham Street. 1960s-1971 developed into the three Marsham Towers - government offices. These were demolished and replaced with the current building, designed by Terry Farrell, which opened in March 2005 and is occupied by government offices. It is remarkable that the plaque has survived all those changes.