Princes Street
The passers-by above might be struck by the delightful hemispherical window
in Princes Street, accross the road from the Willis building and a few doors
from Fred Smith & Co. Very nice gilded
details adorn the horizontal above the window and tucked under the overhang
on the left is the lettering:
'Geo W Leighton
Architect
1901'
Was this the office of Mr Leighton, or did he sign his building as a painter
signs his canvass?
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The untidy alleyway beside the building rather detracts... Unfortunately,
since the above shot was taken in June 2004, the frontage has been repainted
and the signature made barely visible(lower shot July 2004). Meanwhile,
the golden crest is resplendant and further along the two individually-styled
golden grotesque masks either side of 'BRITANNIC HOUSE' (enlarged in the
inset below).
Only a few doors down the road towards the junction with Civic Drive is
another example of 'lettering over the door'. Beneath the deco-ish frontage
overhang, it echoes times past: 'THE EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY ASSURANCE CORPORATION
LTD.' This is number 34 Princes Street.
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Up the road opposite the junction with Museum Street this fine office block,
'SUN BUILDINGS' stands in relief against a curving cornice, above soaring
ionic columns. Below, the solemn faced sun motif sitting on scroll flourishes
is a nice touch repeated in the wrought iron balcony trims.
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Sun Buildings faces the old Frasers furniture shop on the corner, later
Maples, now offices. Right at the top above the stone swags and vases is
the date at which the company was set up, rather than the date of building:
'Established 1833' (below left). This feature is repeated round the corner
in Museum Street, facing an even more decorative dated frontage: '1905'
(below right).
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Copyright throughout this site belongs to Borin Van Loon, 2003.