Category: Uncategorized

Parliament Square, London

A view of Parliament Square – taken in 1961 by Heinz Zinram. The statue on the left in the foreground represents the three-time Prime Minister Edward Smith-Stanley, the 14th Earl of Derby. The sculptor was Matthew Noble, and was unveiled on 11 July 1874 by the then Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Derby is depicted wearing his robes as Chancellor of Oxford University.
The figure on the left is a representation of Jan Smuts. The statue depicts him in a Field Marshal’s uniform, leaning forward with his left leg advanced, as if walking. The figure stands on a pedestal of South African granite, and has the inscription JAN/ CHRISTIAN/ SMUTS/ 1870–1950. When Winston Churchill returned to power in 1951 he proposed a statue to Smuts. However, Churchill was unable to perform the unveiling due to illness.
Image: Heinz Zinram
Sixty years later, the Square is much greener and the Queen Elizabeth Tower is obscured – not only by trees, but also by scaffolding. Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Trafalgar Square, London

A 1958 photograph of Trafalgar Square, taken from in front of the National Gallery. More pigeons than people.
Image: Photographer unknown

The same view in July 2021. The pigeons have long gone and the stone is much cleaner.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Whitehall, London

Frank Zappa (on the right) and members of his band – the Mothers of Invention – are seen walking along Whitehall towards Trafalgar Square in 1967. There are some curious bus passengers!
Image: Photographer unknown (Alamy)

In July 2021, the street furniture has increased, and the trees have grown dramatically. Interestingly, the horse’s bridle looks virtually identical to the 1967 version.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Buckingham Palace, London

Buckingham Palace in 1951. The photograph was taken from The Mall with the Victoria Memorial in the centre. Cars were allowed to park that close!
Image: Photographer unknown
The same view of Buckingham Palace taken in May 2019.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Westminster Bridge, London

On the corner of Victoria Embankment and Westminster Bridge (opposite the Palace of Westminster) is a bronze sculpture of ‘Boadicea and her Daughters’. It was designed by Thomas Thornycroft who worked on the sculpture from 1856 until his death in 1885. Thornycroft had made an equestrian statue of Queen Victoria for the Great Exhibition in 1851. The Queen had admired the statue and, together with Prince Albert, she took an interest in this project. Albert died in 1861 – long before its completion.
Following the ‘discovery’ of Boadicea’s Grave near Parliament Hill in 1894, it was suggested (by Thornycroft’s son) that this would be an appropriate site for the sculpture. Once the cash had been raised for the casting, the statue was eventually installed in 1902. It is mounted on a large granite plinth, and inscriptions were added in 1903. On the front of the plinth is – BOADICEA/ (BOUDICCA)/ QUEEN OF THE ICENI/ WHO DIED A.D. 61/ AFTER LEADING HER PEOPLE/ AGAINST THE ROMAN INVADER. However, in recent years this has been obscured by a souvenir stand. The statue became Grade II listed in 1958. This photograph was taken in 1967.
Image: Photographer – Margaret Bates
In July 2020, the London Eye dominates the view from the same location. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of tourists, the souvenir stalls were closed when I took this photograph.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Overton Drive, Wanstead, London

St. Mary’s church in Wanstead, East London is considered to be one of the finest Georgian churches in the country. It is the third church to stand on the site with the first one dating back to 1200. This building was designed by Thomas Hardwick and the foundation stone was laid on July 13 1787. The church was consecrated in 1790. Since then, it has hardly altered and the interior still has the original pews as well as other original architectural features including – the steps and portico main entrance, and some high box pews.
In the churchyard there are a number of Grade II listed structures. The earliest tombstone is that of James Waly, who died in 1685. Also, Thomas Turpin (perhaps the uncle of Dick Turpin?) is buried here. A stone sentry box – a memorial to the Wilton family – originally provided shelter to the armed guard who was employed to deter body-snatchers.
Image: Photographer unknown
St. Mary’s church in June 2021. I wonder what happened to the little girl.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Soho Square, London

A photograph of Soho Square taken in 1992. The Square is a public park which was originally called King’s Square. Indeed, a statute of King Charles ll has been in the Square since 1661 – the year after the restoration of the monarchy. It was temporarily moved to another location between the years 1875 and 1938.
At the centre of the Square is a listed mock ‘market cross’ building. Completed in 1926, it was intended to hide the above-ground part of an electricity sub-station. During World War ll, it was the entrance to an underground air raid shelter. Today, it is used as a store room for gardening tools. Telecom Tower can clearly be seen towards the left of the image.
Image: Rodhullandemu
A largely unchanged view in March 2019. Although Telecom Tower has been obscured by an office development.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
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Mansion House, London

A view of Wellington’s statue and Mansion House taken from in front of the Royal Exchange building in (probably) the 1950s. The Mappin & Webb building can be seen just above the buses.
Image: Photographer unknown
The July 2021 version – taken from approximately the same spot, some 70 years later.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

King Edward Street, London

This statue of Sir Rowland Hill, KCB, FRS was created by Edward Onslow Ford in 1881. It was originally placed near to the Royal Exchange building in the City of London (above) and later moved (see photograph below) to King Edward Street – near to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Hill (1795-1879) was best known for his campaign for reform of the UK postal system. His idea was for a pre-paid, uniform Penny Post. He proposed to introduce an adhesive stamp (to indicate pre-payment of postage) – the first being the ‘Penny Black’, introduced in 1840. In that year, the number of letters sent in the UK more than doubled. Before 1850, it had doubled again. By 1860, pre-paid adhesive postage stamps were being used in 90 countries.
Image: Photographer unknown (1910)
The statue was moved to its present location (King Edward Street) in 1923.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.

Bank, London

Another view of the Royal Exchange building in the Bank area of the City of London. The Bank of England and Threadneedle Street is to the left of the photographer and the equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington can be seen to the right.
Image: Photographer unknown (1950s)
In the July 2021 photograph taken from the same position, it is apparent that modern London is discouraging traffic from passing through this area. The proliferation of ‘street furniture’ can be seen. However, the buildings look much cleaner.
Image: © Steven Miell (TimeViews)
A merged version of the two photographs. Use the slider in the centre.