Plaque

St James's war damage

Erection date: 19/6/1954

Inscription

This church, built by Sir Christopher Wren, consecrated on July 13th 1684, damaged by enemy action on October 14th 1940, was rededicated by William {stet}, Bishop of London, on June 19th 1954.
A.E. Richardson - Architect for the reconstruction
Charles E Lambert, rector, Nov.1922 - April 1954.
Geoffrey Bostock, Janet Scrutton - Churchwardens.

Site: St James's Church Garden (4 memorials)

SW1, Piccadilly

Looking at the cafe picture:
- The war damage plaque is on the wall that you can just see on the left.
- On the right you can see one of the four cherubs belonging to the Southwood fountain.

The wooden memorial would be seen in the photo of the Southwood fountain, were it not for the green caravan drop-in.

This former graveyard was opened as a garden, funded by Viscount Southwood, in 1946 by the Queen Mother.

On a visit in about 1998 we found a small hand-made memorial in amongst the plants, to Taffy, a tramp who had made the garden his home and had recently died. When we went back some years later with our camera this, not surprisingly, had gone so we sadly cannot include it here. 2012 - Discovering London (dead link) have a picture of Taffy's sign plus one for Mackerel the Rectory Cat.

2022: Watching the 1952 film, The Last Page, we recognised this garden as the location for an assignation for two of the characters (at about 1.5 hours in, on the TV version of the movie). The space looked fresh and clear of all the clutter that was there when we last visited.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
St James's war damage

Subjects commemorated i

The Blitz

During WW2 Britain came under heavy bombing from Germany for 8 months, 1940-1...

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World War 2

Sorry, we've done no research on WW2, it's just too big a subject. But do vis...

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Sir Christopher Wren

Born East Knoyle, Wiltshire, died London.  Designer of 54 London churches, o...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
St James's war damage

Created by i

Geoffrey Rowley Bostock

Born Stafford.  A chartered accountant, in 1916 we find him appointed to wind...

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Charles E Lambert

Rector of St James's, Piccadilly, Nov.1922 - April 1954.

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Sir Albert Richardson

Architect. Born London. Our picture shows him as 'professor' in 1956.  Apart ...

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Janet Scrutton

Churchwarden of St James's, Piccadilly

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William Wand, Bishop of London

Bishop.  Born Grantham.  Bishop of London, 1945 - 1955. Died Lingfield, Surrey.

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
St James's war damage

Also at this site i

St James's Church Garden opening

St James's Church Garden opening

Mary of Nazareth by Sir Charles Wheeler P.R.A., presented in 1975. This gard...

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St james's Garden - people of London - wood

St james's Garden - people of London - wood

The garden on this bomb-damaged site was given by the late Viscount Southwood...

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Viscount & Viscountess Southwood - St James's

Viscount & Viscountess Southwood - St James's

The ashes of both Southwoods are in the memorial at the top of the steps. Th...

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