Survey of London Monograph 17, County Hall

An account of County Hall, home of the London County Council, London's 'Hotel de Ville' and a tangible expression of the metropolitan government of London, opened in 1922.

Survey of London.

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Citation:

Survey of London Monograph 17, County Hall, ed. Hermione Hobhouse (London, 1991), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/bk17 [accessed 8 February 2025].

Survey of London Monograph 17, County Hall. Edited by Hermione Hobhouse (London, 1991), British History Online, accessed February 8, 2025, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/bk17.

Survey of London Monograph 17, County Hall. Ed. Hermione Hobhouse (London, 1991), British History Online. Web. 8 February 2025. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/bk17.

Table of Contents

Title Page(s)
Frontispiece
Preface v
Commissioners of the Survey vi
Acknowledgments vii
List of plates xi-xiii
List of figures xiv-xvi
Foreword xvii-xviii
The London County Council and the need for a County Hall 1-5
The acquisition of the site 6-13
The County Hall competition 14-25
The final design 26-48
The building of County Hall, 1909-22 49-56
Architectual sculpture and decorative treatment 57-69
London's Hotel de Ville: The 1922 building 70-91
The north front 92-102
The New County Offices: North and south blocks 103-109
The Second World War and post-war development 110-119
The future of County Hall 120-123
Appendix 1: Competition instructions to competing architects 125-126
Appendix 2: Competitors and published designs 127
Appendix 3: Works by Ralph Knott 128
Appendix 4: Select list of contractors and suppliers 129-131
List of abbreviations 133
Index 143-151
Plate 1: Aerial view of County Hall under construction 1
Plate 2: Views of the site 2
Plate 3: Views of the site and designs 3
Plate 4: Some unsuccessful designs 4
Plate 5: The development of Knott's design 5
Plate 6: Reclamation of the site and foundations 6
Plate 7: Laying the Foundation-Stone 7
Plate 8: County Hall under construction 8
Plate 9: County Hall under construction 9
Plate 10: The opening ceremony 10
Plate 11: Ralph Knott and LCC officers 11
Plate 12: Riverside front 12
Plate 13: Belvedere Road front 13
Plate 14: Exterior views and details 14
Plate 15: Members' carriage drive 15
Plate 16: Members' courtyard 16
Plate 17: Members' courtyard 17
Plate 18: Northern front 18
Plate 19: Entrance hall and ceremonial staircase 19
Plate 20: Staircase and ambulatory 20
Plate 21: The Council Chamber 21
Plate 22: Lobby and committee room 22
Plate 23: Library 23
Plate 24: Views of rooms 24
Plate 25: Views of rooms 25
Plate 26: Principal floor corridors 26
Plate 27: Fireplaces 27
Plate 28: Details 28
Plate 29: Decorative details 29
Plate 30: Sculpture by Ernest Cole 30
Plate 31: Sculpture 31
Plate 32: Section D interiors 32
Plate 33: Section D interiors 33
Plate 34: Section D interiors 34
Plate 35: Education Library and Sample Room 35
Plate 36: Interior views 36
Plate 37: Interior views 37
Plate 38: Exterior views 38
Plate 39: New County Offices - North and South Blocks 39
Plate 40: New County Offices - North and South Blocks 40
Plate 41: New County Offices - North and South Blocks 41
Plate 42: Exterior views 42
Plate 43: Some post-war interiors 43
Plate 44: North Block extension 44
Plate 45: Some post-war buildings 45
Plate 46: Early chairmen and aldermen of the LCC 46
Plate 47: Some chairmen of the GLC 47
Plate 48: Redevelopment proposals, 1989 48