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Site ID :- GTL00576
Key Words :- Engineers Offices, boilers
Linked Sites :-

Address :- 34-35 Farringdon Road, London, Greater London, EC1
Grid Reference :- TQ 3161 8144
Grid Co-ordinates :- Easting 531610 m, Northing 181440 m
Lat & Long (WGS84) :- 51.516559 , -0.104633
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Site Location :-
Viewing Site :-
Parish or Township :-
Administrative Area :- City of London
Pre 1974 County :- Greater London Council
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :-
Site Era :-

Site Dates :- -
Visit By :- -

Contributor :- GLIAS Database - 2 June 2018
Contributors Society :- Greater London Industrial Archaeology Society
Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © GLIAS Database

Record Status :- Complete
Reviewed By :- -

Description and History

Former head office of the major boilermakers, Babcock and Wilcox. Ornate building of c. 1875 notable for the putti at either side of the door one carrying a Babcock boiler and the other a steam engine indicator diagram.

Further Reading and References

No references provided

Previous Comments:-

http://www.glias.org.uk/news/319news.html#M - Robert Mason - 9 April 2022
Extract from officer's report (December 2021) on demolition of existing buildings at 14-21 Holborn Viaduct, 34-35 and 32-33A Farringdon Street, and construction of a new building arranged over 2 basement levels, ground and 10 upper floors to Holborn Viaduct and 12 upper floors to Farringdon Street to provide a new Commercial, Business and Service (Class E) building:

194. Nos 32-33 and 34-45 Farringdon Street are a pair of un-designated
Portland stone office buildings dating from 1921-2, which flank the service
road of Newcastle Close. They were designed by Victor Wilkins and
formerly occupied as the British office of US engineers Babcock and
Wilcox, known for their steam boilers.

195. Above the main door to Meridian House, 34-35 Farringdon Street are two
Portland Stone carved relief panels of 0.7m high and 0.4m wide by the
sculptor George Alexander. The relief panels feature infants and artefacts
including pencil, paper, compass, cog wheel, and technical drawings
which are symbolic of the activities of the firm which originally occupied
the premises and for whom the building was designed. The reliefs are of
some historic, evidential and artistic interest. The sculptor Alexander and
architect Wilkins also collaborated on war memorials.

196. The buildings have six-storey Portland stone elevations to Farringdon
Street with regular metal window openings and Portland stone dressings.
The side elevations are plainer and faced with white tiles. They possess
a traditional early 20th century classical style and motifs and are
considered to hold a low level of architectural significance as a wellexecuted
classical design, albeit simple example of the type. Furthermore,
it is considered that the building has a degree of historical significance in
the association with the architect Wilkins, as well as Babcock and Wilcox,
steam boiler engineers. The buildings are thus considered to be nondesignated
heritage assets.

Impact Assessment

197. Objections have been raised to the demolition of these buildings and the
removal of the relief panels. The objections note that the buildings make
a positive contribution to the local streetscape and historic interest of the
area. They raise concern that no justification has been provided for the
demolition of the buildings.

198. The applicant has explored re-use options for the Farringdon Street
buildings as is set out in further detail in the sustainability section of this
report. The assessment demonstrates that the existing buildings have
been found to be unsuitable to be transformed into an attractive and
sustainable development for a 60+ year period. The sustainability
credentials combined with the modest historic and architectural
significance of the buildings comprise the applicants justification for their
demolition.

199. The proposed demolition would result in the total loss of the Farringdon
Street buildings as non-designated heritage assets (with the exception of
the relief panels). These buildings are considered to hold a low level of
historic and architectural significance as a well-executed classical design,
albeit a simple example of the type. The proposed demolition would result
in the total loss of this low-level heritage significance.
200. The two carved stone relief panels at the entrance of Meridian House have
artistic, evidential and historic interest and it would be appropriate to
reinstate the panels in a similar location on the new building. Should
planning permission be granted a condition is recommended to cover their
removal, secure storage, and reinstatement on the proposed building.

- Robert Mason - 12 December 2021
Duplicate with GTL01184 - Robert Mason - 8 October 2019

Babcock and Wilcox also had works in Easton Street, Islington. See https://planning.islington.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/00410600.pdf
"The long three-storey range at Nos 2837 was built in 19256 as a garage and
engineering workshops for Babcock & Wilcox Ltd, boiler makers. It has a reinforced concrete
frame. By 1934 the upper storeys had been let to a firm of razor-blade
manufacturers. The building was taken over by Coates Brothers & Co. of Nos 17
opposite in the 1950s, and in 1966 a top-storey footbridge was built across the
street to link to their main building. In 19823, after the departure of Coates Bros,
the bridge was taken down as part of a conversion to office use, only to be replaced
as a covered link in 19878 when Amnesty International moved in". - Robert Mason - 8 October 2019

34-35 Farringdon Street and other nearby buildings under threat of demolition, Oct 2021. Address and grid reference corrected. - Andrew Turner - 12 October 2021 - Robert Mason - 30 April 2022 - Robert Mason - 18 March 2023

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