The third lecture in this series on Late Victorian and Edwardian London's development covers the Edwardian period in the British Capital.
The series is timed to coincide with the publication by Lund Humphries of Andrew Saint’s new book London 1870–1914: A City at its Zenith. Like the book, the talks will run chronologically, covering the development of the British capital at a time when, in the speaker’s view, it reached its highest position on the world stage. Using architecture, literature and art as a means towards a wider understanding of the metropolis, they will present a story of diversity and creativity, and of social progress in the face of great odds. The author will argue that in almost every aspect London was a much better city in 1914 than in 1870.
This talk will start by reviewing the massive growth of London, the increasing importance of its outer ring, and the transformations in its character brought by revolutions in transport: the completion of a suburban railway network, deep-level tubes, electric trams, and the advent of the motor car and bus. It will go on to review the replanning schemes for the centre: The Mall, the rebuilding of Regent Street, the Kingsway-Aldwych scheme, and the increasingly sophisticated architectural legacy of what is often known as ‘Imperial London’.
Andrew Saint is a long-time member of the Victorian Society, recently completed an eight-years stint as a trustee of the Society and has been a member of the Southern Buildings Committee for many years. He was General Editor of the Survey of London between 2006 and 2015. London 1870–1914 is his fifth independent book.
