Building    From 1566 

Royal Exchange

Categories: Commerce

The Royal Exchange was established by Thomas Gresham in 1566, following his, and his father's, favourable experiences of the Antwerp Bourse as a place where merchants could arrange credit and loans and so trade effectively.

The first building was lost in the Great Fire but replaced by 1669. A fire insurance company, Royal Exchange Assurance, was based in this building which is depicted on their insignia. Despite this, another, more localised, fire destroyed the second Royal Exchange building in 1838. Prince Albert laid the foundation stone of the third (and last, as of 2007) on 17 January 1842 and two years later Queen Victoria presided at the opening ceremony. This building is by Sir William Tite. If you want to know about the sculpture in the pediment, by Richard Westmacott, son of Richard Westmacott, then Ornamental Passions is the place to go.

Renovated in 2001, the Grade 1 listed building is now, it seems, mainly occupied by seriously expensive jewellery shops. IainVisits has (illicit) photos. 2017:Londonist visited the building and didn't like it very much.

Murals inside painted in 1892 by Lord Leighton and Frank Brangwyn. 2016: Londonist reports that these are at risk.

2023: Londonist's roving reporter found some statues from the building, the one destroyed in the 1838 fire, in the garden of a hotel in Swanage.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Exchange

Commemorated ati

Prince Albert - Holborn

Prince Albert, dressed as a field marshal, doffs his hat to the passing traff...

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G. R. Collis & Co

G. R. Collis & Co

Manufacturers of articles in gold, silver, bronze, electro-plate and crystallized bases of metals. George Richmond Collis purchased the business from Sir Edward Thomason (c.1769-1849) when Thomason...

Group, Commerce, Craft / Design

0 memorials
Crunchy the Credit Crunch Monster
2 memorials
Victor Tyre Company

Victor Tyre Company

See Ian Visits for the history of this short-lived company and an advertisement with the same image as the mosaic. Our advertisement, from Grace's Guide - a magnificent resource, shows a different ...

Group, Commerce, Transport

1 memorial
Sandra Esquilant

Sandra Esquilant

Landlady of the Golden Heart pub since 1978 and, in 2002, voted into 80th place in a list of the 100 most powerful figures in contemporary art. See the Telegraph for more.

Person, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Henry King Lewis

Henry King Lewis

Founded H.K. Lewis & Co. Ltd. in 1844 at 136 Gower St. 24 Gower Place added 1907. Incorporated 1915. Found on the web: "H K Lewis & Co Ltd, booksellers. Founded by Henry King Lewis in 1844...

Person, Commerce, Museums / Libraries

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Brabant weavers

Brabant weavers

The Brabant describes a part of the low countries to the east of Flanders.  Weavers had come to England from the Brabant and Flanders during the 12th century.

Group, Commerce, Craft / Design, Belgium, Netherlands

1 memorial
Mahomet Weyonomon

Mahomet Weyonomon

A Mohegan Sachem (chief), grandson of Sachem Oweneco and well-educated, writing several languages including English and Latin. The Mohegans became allies of the English, helping the first settlers ...

Person, Race Issues, Royalty, Tragedy

1 memorial
Mark Breslau

Mark Breslau

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - auxiliary ambulance driver. Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: Mark Breslau's birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1920 in Poplar. He ...

Person, Emergency Services

War dead non-military, WW2
1 memorial
Drake Navigators Guild

Drake Navigators Guild

The Drake Navigators Guild is the historical research group which has used multi-disciplinary methods to research Francis Drake’s visit to the west coast of North America in 1579 and related mariti...

Group, Exploring, USA

1 memorial
Anti-fascists

Anti-fascists

SE1, Borough High Street, 211, John Harvard Library

The Harvard plaque does not explain why it is here, on this particular spot. Possibly his father's butcher's shop was here. The Anti-fas...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators