Western elevation of Hamilton House, seen from inside Inner Temple Gardens. Listed Building. 1880, but with a doorway dated 1899. Victoria Embankment, London EC4. This imposing building is in a key location on the Embankment, after the Inns of Court and towards Blackfriars Bridge. It is seen here from just within the neighbouring Inner Temple. It includes No I Temple Avenue, to which it returns — this may be the reason for the two different dates given. Photographs by George P. Landow 2011. Caption, commentary, and formatting by Jacqueline Banerjee. [You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Left: Closer view from the same side. Right: Faience panel with scrolling leaf pattern and shield. The listing text describes this Grade II listed building as an "[o]rnamented, gabled building in Portland stone. 4 main storeys plus dormers. Doorway dated 1899. Returns to Temple Avenue and Inner Temple Garden." Architecturally, the building is interesting as an illustration of late-Victorian eclecticism, with just a touch of Arts and Crafts influence in the foliated pattern on the contrasting faience panels, which make such a feature of the fourth storey. The extended chimney stacks and angular gable look forward to the Edwardian period, too.
Hamilton House was home to the Callender Cable and Construction Company, which primarily served the aircraft industry but was also involved in civil engineering (see "Callender's Cable and Construction Company"). It is mentioned as the company's address in many journals, such as the Electrical Engineer (Vol. 39 [1907], p.805), otherwise it would be tempting to assume that its present name comes from Archibald Milne Hamilton (1898-1972), the New Zealand-born civil engineer, who patented the Callender-Hamilton bridge system in 1935 (see "Prefabricated Steel Bridge Systems"). Perhaps there was some family connection.
References
"Callender's Cable and Construction Company." Grace's Guide. Web. 18 December 2011.
"Hamilton House." British Listed Buildings. Web. 18 December 2011
"Prefabricated Steel Bridge Systems: Final Report. 2. Historical Background of Steel Bridges." US Dept. of Transportation. Web. 18 December 2011.
Last modified 18 December 2011