British Library
St Pancras station
King’s Cross Station
319—321 Gray’s Inn Road
Road traffic signs
Cent. London T&E Hosp.
Royal Free Hospital
Parsons’ Library
R L Homœopathic Hospital
British Monomarks
Faraday House
Central Saint Martins
Pharmaceutical Soc.
British Museum
Dairy Supply Co.
Smith’s umbrellas
Lavers & Barraud
Underground station
27–29 Long Acre
Street names
The Coliseum
Pedestrian signage
St Martin’s Schools
St Martin’s/Fields
Sainsbury Wing
Further reading
Background
Credits
Image bibliography
Exploiting context
06
08
11

Parsons’ Library Doughty Street / Guilford Street

Despite being 2 feet high this is the most reticent building name discussed here – I must have cycled past it hundreds of times in the twelve years before writing-up the first version of this walk in 1997. For all intents and purposes the lettering is Gill Sans, but it is relief-carved out of brick and projects perhaps an inch from the wall itself. Like many of the other examples it forms a frieze just below parapet level.

Details list – click to switch the current detail

Close ups
In the sun
Sir Charles Parsons

All stills for Parsons’ Library

Close ups

Click to download the original image.

On a dull day the effect is very subtle.

Click to download the original image.

From almost underneath the depth of the lettering can be seen.

In the sun

Click to download the original image.

On the Guilford Street façade the lettering reads IMORTALIS EST INGENII MEMORIA (Immortal is the memory of a genius).

Click to download the original image.

On the Guilford Street façade the lettering reads IMORTALIS EST INGENII MEMORIA (Immortal is the memory of a genius).

Click to download the original image.

On the Guilford Street façade the lettering reads IMORTALIS EST INGENII MEMORIA (Immortal is the memory of a genius).

Sir Charles Parsons

Click to download the original image.

A plaque on the Guilford Steet façade explains who Parsons was.