Plaque

V&A façade foundation stone, Edward

Erection date: 1909

Inscription

This building, being the completion of the Victoria and Albert Museum, was opened by His Majesty Edward VII, King of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the seas, Emperor of India, on the 26th day of June 1909,in the 9th year of his reign.

Site: Victoria & Albert Museum façade (38 memorials)

SW7, Cromwell Road

Excluding the allegories (such as Knowledge) there are 36 statues on the two public façades of the V&A Museum, on Exhibition Road and Cromwell Road. This building was designed by Aston Webb and built 1899-1909. Each statue has the subject's name on a label beneath the feet and the sculptor's name inscribed in the wall of the niche to the right of the statue. Starting in Cromwell Road and reading right to left:

Group of 6 British architects:
Chas. Barry
W. Chambers
Chrisr. Wren
Inigo Jones
John Thorpe
Wykeham

Group of 5 British painters:
J. E. Millais
Ld. Leighton
G. F. Watts
J. Constable
J. M. W. Turner

And flanking the entrance:
Queen Alexandra (to the right)
King Edward VII (to the left)

Albert (below the arch)
Victoria (in the arch)

On either side of the arch, at eye level there is a foundation stone:
Stone laid by Edward VII (to the right)
Stone laid by Victoria (to the left)

Group of 5 British painters:
R. Cosway
G. Romney
T. Gainsborough
J. Reynolds
W. Hogarth

Group of 6 British sculptors:
Alfred Stevens
John H. Foley
F. L. Chantrey
John Flaxman
John Bacon
Grinlg. Gibbons

And around the corner in Exhibition Road:

Group of 5 British craftsmen:
William Morris
Roger Payne
J. Wedgwood
T. Chippendale
Thos. Tompion

Group of 5 British craftsmen:
Huntingn. Shaw
George Heriot
William Caxton
William Torel
St. Dunstan

Note that there are more Johns than women but that's not difficult since, excluding royalty, there are no women!

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
V&A façade foundation stone, Edward

Subjects commemorated i

Victoria & Albert Museum

The South Kensington Museum opened on this site in 1857. It expanded and was ...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
V&A façade foundation stone, Edward

Created by i

King Edward VII

Reigned: 1901 - 1910. Born and died at Buckingham Palace. Victoria's eldest s...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
V&A façade foundation stone, Edward

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Braeside - nursery

Braeside - nursery

IG10, Connaught Avenue, 1, Godiva House

2023: the building seems to be used by the Monkey Puzzle Day Nursery and also by the Godiva Printing Shop.

Leysian - 3

Leysian - 3

EC1, Errol Street, 12

The stone is somewhat damaged which means the G of Holman's name is uncertain.

2 subjects commemorated
Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst

SE11, Old Paradise Street, Newport Street Gallery

The plaque is on the end wall of the Gallery in Newport Street. We think this plaque was erected as part of the “Gavin Turk: Who What Wh...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Walter de la Mare - Montpelier Row

Walter de la Mare - Montpelier Row

TW1, Montpelier Row, 30

Walter de la Mare, 1873 - 1956, poet, lived here, 1940 - 1956. English Heritage

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Sir Alec Guinness - WC2

Sir Alec Guinness - WC2

WC2, Upper St Martin's Lane, Guild House

The building is offices for Equity, the actor's union.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator

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John Alderson
War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Bobby Abel

Bobby Abel

Cricketer. Born Robert Abel at 18 Commercial Street, Rotherhithe. He was the first England player to "carry his bat", i.e. opening the batting and remaining not out at the end of an innings, and th...

Person, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Sir Frank Brangwyn

Sir Frank Brangwyn

Artist. Born Bruges, Belgium where his father was working as an architect/artist but his Anglo-Welsh family moved back to London in 1874. Largely self-taught he was skilled in various mediums and c...

Person, Art, Belgium, Wales

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Siemens at IC

Siemens at IC

SW7, Prince Consort Road, Imperial College

The Siemens produced a number of successful men who are candidates for this memorial. We hope we have selected the right one but would b...

1 subject commemorated