Public Monument and Sculpture Association National Recording Project
Sir Joseph Bazalgette
Region ID | UEL | |
Work ID | 751 | |
Manual Reference | BE035 | |
Type | Sculpture | |
Title | Sir Joseph Bazalgette | |
Architect | Driver, Charles Henry | |
Date of design | ||
Year of unveiling | 1865 | |
Unveiling details | ||
Road | ||
Precise Location | On Beam Engine House at Crossness Pumping Station, on end capital of row of columns between first floor windows on west exterior wall. Another one on east wall | |
A to Z Ref | 65 9J/K | |
OS Ref | ||
Postcode | SE2 | |
Work is | Extant | |
Listing Status | I | |
Duty of Care | ||
Commissioned by | ||
Notes | ||
Two heads purported to be the face of Joseph Bazalgette carved on two sides of capitals between windows on west? and east? walls of the Beam Engine House. They comprise a face with a scroll on either side. Sir Joseph had a rather square-headed appearance as do these. Each of the capitals, situated to either side of each window along the building at first storey height, is carved differently. | ||
The building is in Romanesque style, of Suffolk White brick from the Sudbury area which was extensively used in the city in the mid-nineteenth century. The company that made these is still in business and has the original moulds. In 1865 the River Thames was an open sewer. Joseph Bazalgette designed the extensive engineering works commissioned by the Metropolitan Board of Works to cope with this problem, using a large collection sewer on either side of the river. The Southern Outfall Sewer (1860-62) terminated at the Crossness Pumping Station where sewage from south London was pumped out at the appropriate time to be taken out to sea on the outgoing tide. The Beam Engine House housed the four steam pumps which carried out this operation, the largest in the world. One has been restored to working order and repainted in the original colours, together with some of the amazing ironwork in the building. It was opened by the Prince of Wales on 4 April 1865. Charles Henry Driver (1832-1900) was the architect and William Webster (1823-88) was the building works contractor. The site was abandoned in 1953 and subject to decay and vandalism until restoration began in 1985. The whole area of pre-1956 structures was designated a Conservation Area in 1996. | ||
Sir Joseph Bazalgette (1819-91), Chief Engineer to the Metropolitan Board of Works who planned the London Main Drainage scheme. | ||
circa | ||
raw year | 1865 | |
Condition | Good | |
At risk | No known risk | |
Inscriptions | ||
Signatures | ||
Elements
Element Details
Part of work | Material | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
Whole work | White stone | |
Assessment of Condition
Surface Character
Detail | Comment |
|---|---|
Accretions | Very dirty but intact |