Subject

The IRA bomb at 30 St Mary Axe, the Baltic Exchange building, went off at 9.20 pm. The Baltic Exchange was built in 1903 by Smith and Wimble in a very ornate style. It dealt in imported cereals, oilseeds and oils, tallow and turpentine, etc. The bomb exploded the day after the general election that returned John Major to power. It partially demolished the Baltic Exchange building and damaged others. Eventually the decision was made that the Exchange was too badly damaged and so was demolished but much of it was salvaged and, 20 years later bits were still available for sale.

At IanVisits we learn that the building contained a memorial to 60 members of the Exchange who lost their lives in WW1, a magnificent stained glass dome. Much of this was damaged in the explosion but it was restored and can now be seen at the Greenwich Maritime Museum.