Relief

Phoenix Fire Office

Site: Cornhill pump (5 memorials)

EC3, Cornhill

Around the top are some delightful reliefs in iron of the badges of early fire insurance companies: Sun, Phoenix, London and Royal Exchange. These are all crudely coloured with red, gold, blue.  See 'Also at this site'.

This water pump, designed by architect Nathaniel Wright, is Grade II listed, where it is described “Obelisk of cast iron with canted corners, slight decoration and long inscriptions. Granite trough probably of later date.” As you can see from our photos the pump is (2011) in a dreadful state of repair. Let's hope someone notices soon and perhaps the modern day equivalents of its original erectors will fund its restoration.

2015: prompted by Jon Pettigrew on Facebook we must report that the pump was indeed restored not long after we photographed it.  (Keeping London Remembers up-to-date could become a full-time job.)  But the splendid A London Inheritance has photographed it for us, and provided some earlier photos and history.

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:
Phoenix Fire Office

Subjects commemorated i

Phoenix Fire Office

Bryan Mawer says "In 1782, the Phoenix Fire Office was established by sugar r...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Phoenix Fire Office

Also at this site i

Cornhill pump

Cornhill pump

We understand "the neighbouring fire officers" to mean the four fire assuranc...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Sir Jacob Epstein - Roper's Garden

Sir Jacob Epstein - Roper's Garden

SW3, Old Church Street, Roper’s Garden

The text is inscribed on the reverse of the relief.

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
Niblett Pegasus

Niblett Pegasus

EC4, Inner Temple

Niblett Hall was replaced with Littleton Building in 1994.

1 subject commemorated
Novello's printing works - music

Novello's printing works - music

W1, Hollen Street

These reliefs are high up, at either end of the building. Not really memorials so normally we would not have collected these lovely cheru...

1 subject commemorated
Chiswell Archer

Chiswell Archer

EC1, Chiswell Street, 14-20, Longbow House

In 1315 a large area known as Bunhill Fields was leased to the City of London, probably to be used, amongst other things, for archery pra...

1 subject commemorated
1 Poultry - Frieze C - Charles II

1 Poultry - Frieze C - Charles II

EC2, Poultry, 1

Number One Poultry, built in 1995 in a post-modern style, and voted by Time Out readers the fifth worst building in London. Designed by t...

1 subject commemorated, 4 creators

Previously viewed

Reg Rigden

Reg Rigden

Cornet player. He was part of George Webb's Dixielanders jazz band. In later years he was curator of the Plumstead Museum.

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial