Bust

Victoria roundel

Inscription

Victoria D.G. Britt. Reg. MDCCCLXXIX

The unabbreviated text would read in Latin: "Victoria dei gratia Britanniarum Regina", which translates as: "Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the Britains Queen, 1879". 1879 was the year in which Victoria celebrated her 60th birthday. But looking at the whole roundel, it is extremely similar to the design of pennies in the latter part of Victoria's reign. However we can't explain what it is doing on this building. We've seen more attractive representations of the old dear. And why is that fishy looking creature going for her jugular?

Site: Victoria roundel (1 memorial)

EC2, London Wall, 66

On each of the four floors of this building are roundels containing reliefs of women's heads, labelled, from the top: America (Native American feathered headdress with stars on the headband), Africa (Egyptian style headdress in the form of a peacock), Asia (headscarf and jewellery in ears and nose), Europe (flowing locks and a rather dull crown) and on the ground floor, Victoria.

Searching for information on this building we came across an interesting site, Distant Writing where we learn that in 1857 Waterlow & Sons, a large firm of law stationers, letterpress and lithographic printers with government contracts, installed the first commercial private telegraph line connecting this address with their offices in Birchin Lane. Waterlow's first occupied this London Wall address in 1845 but we are not certain that the current building is the one that would have been there then, so we are no closer to understanding the decorations on the 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:
Victoria roundel

Subjects commemorated i

Queen Victoria

Reigned: 1837-1901, 64 years. Born Kensington Palace. Daughter of Edward, Duk...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Frederick Craufurd Goodenough

Frederick Craufurd Goodenough

WC1, Mecklenburgh Square

In a niche over the original central entrance (now mainly disused in favour of the north entrance).

2 subjects commemorated
Grosvenor Hotel - head 12

Grosvenor Hotel - head 12

SW1, Buckingham Palace Road, Grosvenor Hotel

This 1860 building, by architect James Knowles Snr, is studded with many portrait busts of which we believe only these 14 are representat...

National Portrait Gallery - Lawrence

National Portrait Gallery - Lawrence

WC2, Charing Cross Road

This building, 1896, designed by Ewan Christian, has 18 busts contained in medallions around the top of the facades. Starting at the east...

1 subject commemorated
Hoe Street - medallion of a woman

Hoe Street - medallion of a woman

E17, Hoe Street, 105

This shop front has, like a lot of shop fronts of this period, atop the flanking pillars, decorative capitals and corbels.  On this shop ...

RIPWC - Hunt

RIPWC - Hunt

W1, Piccadilly, 192-196

The building by E. R. Robson was erected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour, founded in 1831 (the crest in the centre of...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Donald W. Insall Associates

Donald W. Insall Associates

A firm of chartered architects, historic building and planning consultants. Donald Insall was knighted in 2010.

Group, Architecture

5 memorials
Olive Schreiner

Olive Schreiner

W2, Portsea Place, 16

Olive Schreiner, 1855 - 1920, author, lived here. London County Council 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Dr Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond

Dr Edward Haughey, Baron Ballyedmond

Millionaire businessman.   Born on 5 January 1944 in Kilcurry, County Louth, Ireland.  Owned Corby Castle and Carlisle Airport.  He's the one sporting the ermine in the picture. His Wikipedia page...

Person, Benefactor, Politics & Administration, Tragedy, Ireland

1 memorial
R. G. Mungeam

R. G. Mungeam

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Imperial Hotel - statue 10

Imperial Hotel - statue 10

WC1, Russell Square

On this site there used to be a sister hotel to Hotel Russell, also designed by Charles Fitzroy Doll and erected in 1898. It was demolish...

1 creator