This building was erected in 1936 as the People's Palace. It was opened by King George VI on February 13, 1937, being His Majesty's first public engagement as King. It replaced the former Queen's Hall of the People's Palace, which was opened by Queen Victoria on May 14, 1887 and was destroyed by fire in 1931.
The People's Palace became part of Queen Mary College in 1954 and was named the Queens' Building by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, Chancellor of the University of London, on June 5, 1956. It now contains the Great Hall of Queen Mary and Westfield College.
The original People's Palace, built between 1887 and 1892, provided facilities for recreation, culture, amusement, sport, training and education for the people of East London.
The panels in low relief on the front of the building are by Eric Gill and depict Drama, Music, Fellowship, Dance, Sport and Recreation.
The plaque names only 6 relief panels but there are 7, music being represented twice.
Site: People's Palace (1 memorial)
E1, Mile End Road, Queen Mary College
Within a few months of us first spotting this plaque our colleague, Alan Patient, tells us it has gone missing, September 2010.
Good photographs of the relief panels, by Eric Gill, are available at the splendid Ornamental Passions.
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