Keystone

ICI - 6 - Alfred Mond

Inscription

Alfred Mond

Site: Imperial Chemical House - 9 portrait keystones (10 memorials)

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

For an idea of what this area used to be like see this 1894ish map. It was all redeveloped following the 1928 flood. This block was designed by Sir Frank Baines and built in 1929-31 as HQ for Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (ICI). Aka 'Nobel House' it is now, 2016, occupied by Ofgem, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. The frontage boasts 9 portrait keystones of chemists and ICI directors: Cavendish is on the Horseferry Road frontage, Mendeleeff on the junction corner, the other 7 are on the river side, left to right: Lavoisier, McGowan, Nobel, Alfred Mond (ICI), Ludwig Mond, Priestley, Liebig. Each 5th floor keystone decorates an integrated window arrangement with the identifying name on the 4th floor balcony. In his book on London statues Osbert Sitwell reports a journalist  writing that these "masks" are "four times life-size" but he also writes that they are "seven storeys above the ground" so we have to allow for some exaggeration.

On the 5th floor are four magnificent statues by Charles Sergeant Jagger. See A London Inheritance for photos. As well as these keystones Fagan did most of the other sculpture on the building, including the massive bronze entrance doors.

2017: We watched the 1947 film "Mine Own Executioner" which uses a few London locations. We recognised that of the last scene - a suicide at the top of a building - and thought it might be this one. But it's actually the MI5 building immediately to the south of Lambeth Bridge, Thames House, which was built by ICI at the same time as IC House and not used by MI5 until 1994.

There are two more portrait keystones on Nobel House, behind this building.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
ICI - 6 - Alfred Mond

Subjects commemorated i

Alfred Mond, Baron Melchett

Born in Lancashire, where his father Ludwig had a factory.  Studied law and t...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
ICI - 6 - Alfred Mond

Created by i

William Bateman Fagan

Born Bermondsey. Andrew Behan's researches have found that when he was baptis...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
ICI - 6 - Alfred Mond

Also at this site i

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

These doors are in the centre of the river frontage of the building. Mapping...

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Nearby Memorials

ICI - 1 - Cavendish

ICI - 1 - Cavendish

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

For an idea of what this area used to be like see this 1894ish map. It was all redeveloped following the 1928 flood. This block was desig...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Grimaldi keystone

Grimaldi keystone

N1, Pentonville Road, Grimaldi Park House

Grimaldi's grave is just around the corner, in the churchyard.

1 subject commemorated
ICI - 7 - Ludwig Mond

ICI - 7 - Ludwig Mond

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

For an idea of what this area used to be like see this 1894ish map. It was all redeveloped following the 1928 flood. This block was desig...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Hugo Wood keystone

Hugo Wood keystone

WC2, Southampton Buildings, Old Patent Office

But who is he? Is this his portrait? He looks rather wild. We can't identify him.

Carpenters' Hall - unknown

Carpenters' Hall - unknown

EC2, London Wall, 1 Throgmorton Avenue

The building projects over the pavement with an arched colonnade for pedestrians. On the keystone of each arch, at the ends and along the...

Previously viewed

Charles Booth - SW7

Charles Booth - SW7

SW7, Grenville Place, 6

London County Council Charles Booth, 1840-1916, pioneer in social research lived here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
WPC Jane Arbuthnot

WPC Jane Arbuthnot

Andrew Behan has researched this woman: Woman Police Constable Philippa Jane Arbuthnot was born on 8 October 1961, the youngest of the four children of Lieutenant Commander John Keith Arbuthnot O.B...

Person, Armed Forces, Tragedy

1 memorial
Sir Frederick Wigan

Sir Frederick Wigan

Merchant based in Southwark. First treasurer of Southwark Cathedral. He had homes at Clare Lawn, Mortlake, and at Purland Chase in Ross, Herefordshire. This image shows Wigan's memorial in that ca...

Person, Commerce

1 memorial
Edward Gibbon - SW15

Edward Gibbon - SW15

SW15, Upper Richmond Road, 139

Plaque unveiled by Professor David Wormersley who has written many books on Gibbon.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Alfred H. Warren, OBE

Alfred H. Warren, OBE

Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man: Sir Alfred Hamer Warren, O.B.E. was born on 6 February 1856 in Poplar, London and educated at the local Wesleyan School. In 1896 he ma...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial