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ICI - 2 - Mendeleeff

Inscription

Mendeleeff

Site: Imperial Chemical House - 9 portrait keystones (10 memorials)

SW1, Millbank, 9, Imperial Chemical House

For an idea of what this area used to be like see this . It was all redeveloped following the 1928 flood. This block was designed by Sir Frank Baines and built in 1929-31 as HQ for Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd (ICI). Aka 'Nobel House' it is now, 2016, occupied by Ofgem, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. The frontage boasts 9 portrait keystones of chemists and ICI directors: Cavendish is on the Horseferry Road frontage, Mendeleeff on the junction corner, the other 7 are on the river side, left to right: Lavoisier, McGowan, Nobel, Alfred Mond (ICI), Ludwig Mond, Priestley, Liebig. Each 5th floor keystone decorates an integrated window arrangement with the identifying name on the 4th floor balcony. In his book on London statues Osbert Sitwell reports a journalist  writing that these "masks" are "four times life-size" but he also writes that they are "seven storeys above the ground" so we have to allow for some exaggeration.

On the 5th floor are four magnificent statues by Charles Sergeant Jagger. See for photos. As well as these keystones Fagan did most of the other sculpture on the building, including the massive bronze entrance doors.

2017: We watched the 1947 film "Mine Own Executioner" which uses a few London locations. We recognised that of the last scene - a suicide at the top of a building - and thought it might be this one. But it's actually the MI5 building immediately to the south of Lambeth Bridge, Thames House, which was built by ICI at the same time as IC House and not used by MI5 until 1994.

There are two more portrait keystones on Nobel House, behind this building.

  has a useful assessment of this building, with photos of the sculptural work.

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
ICI - 2 - Mendeleeff

Subjects commemorated i

Dmitri Mendeleev

Born Siberia. Earlier versions existed but in 1869 he published the first wid...

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This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
ICI - 2 - Mendeleeff

Created by i

William Bateman Fagan

Born Bermondsey. Andrew Behan's researches have found that when he was baptis...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
ICI - 2 - Mendeleeff

Also at this site i

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

These doors are in the centre of the river frontage of the building. Mapping...

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Nearby Memorials

Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

SW1, Caxton Street, 10, Caxton Hall

This could equally well be Caxton (they are both always shown with this headgear, full beard and moustache) but the lack of sideburns see...

1 subject commemorated
Grosvenor Hotel - head 02 - Palmerston

Grosvenor Hotel - head 02 - Palmerston

SW1, Buckingham Palace Road, Grosvenor Hotel

2018: Via Facebook (on head 3 page) Jackie Hoare directed us to the Telegraph article which mentions Palmerston as one of these heads. Th...

1 subject commemorated
Somerset House - 1, George III

Somerset House - 1, George III

WC2, Strand, Somerset House - Strand Block

The three central first floor windows of the Strand Block of Somerset House are each topped, below their pediment, with a relief portrait...

1 subject commemorated
Morley mosaics - WBR - Emma Cons

Morley mosaics - WBR - Emma Cons

SE1, Westminster Bridge Road, Morley College

Left to right: Cons, Martineau, Hubback, Baylis. In our photo the pedestrian has just walked past Baylis. These mosaics are on the Maufe...

3 subjects commemorated, 3 creators
RO - 01 ped. - Flamsteed

RO - 01 ped. - Flamsteed

SE10, Royal Observatory, South Building

The bust and Roman date are above the first floor window.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator