Building    From 1854  To 30/11/1936

Crystal Palace

Originally erected in Hyde Park to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was on the section south of Rotten Row and east of West Carriage Drive with the mid-point opposite Rutland Gate.  The cast-iron and glass building was then taken down and reconstructed, modified and enlarged, in 1854 at Sydenham Hill in what was then known as Penge Park. The area around then became known as Crystal Palace. In 1936 the Palace burnt down and was not rebuilt. What remains are the terraces, the steps and some sphinxes.  The BBC reported that the UK's first fatal car accident happened at "Dolphin Terrace" at the Crystal Palace in 1896 but we can't discover exactly where that was.

The distinctive curved roof above the central transept, running north-south, was added to the design of the building to enable several elm trees in Hyde Park to be retained within the building rather than felled.  The trees are not there now and were presumably lost to Dutch Elm disease some time 1970-90.  (But London does still have elm trees - see the Londonist article and this pdf with map.)

Some good pictures and quotes at: The Library Time Machine.

Caroline's Miscellany on the model of Crystal Palace - in Paris.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Crystal Palace

Commemorated ati

Crystal Palace fatal accident

{Around an illustration of the Crystal Palace:} The grave beneath this yew tr...

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Crystal Palace workmen's grave

Twelve workmen were killed, but we are unable to find out where the other two...

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HMS Crystal Palace

This trophy was originally placed on the old quarter-deck (presumably constru...

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Sir Joseph Paxton - giant bust

The Carrera marble bust is 8ft high.

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Other Subjects

Leyton Library

Leyton Library

Designed by John Knight, this originally opened as Leyton Town Hall. It was outgrown and a replacement town hall was built next door in 1896. The empty building was later repurposed as a library.

Building, Architecture

1 memorial
William Brannan Collins

William Brannan Collins

Housing developer. Son of William Jefferies Collins. He and his brother Herbert designed the Rookfield Garden Estate - see there for more information. Local History has an 1975 interview with 'Bil...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Recycling the nations' railings - WW2

Recycling the nations' railings - WW2

As WW2 wore on, there was an increasing need for metal to make bombs, planes and tanks. To this end, the gates and railings around parks and open spaces were reclaimed as part of the war effort. Li...

Event, Architecture, Property

2 memorials
Giotto di Bondone

Giotto di Bondone

Italian painter and architect from Florence.

Person, Architecture, Art, Italy

1 memorial
William Ramsay

William Ramsay

Royal mason. In 1332 designed the Chapter House and Cloister at St Paul's.

Person, Architecture, Property

1 memorial