Destruction of the Crystal Palace

Abstract

THE destruction by fire of the greater part of the Crystal Palace on the night of November 30-December 1 will be widely regretted, for, although its general form and architecture have often made it the subject of good-humoured ridicule, sometimes of derision, it held a unique position and was one of the most famous landmarks of London. As is well-known, it originated from the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Hyde Park, where the Crystal Palace was constructed by Sir Joseph Paxton. When the Exhibition was closed, this “blazing arch of lucid glass” was removed to Sydenham. There it was extended, and finally opened by Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort in 1854. Through public subscription, the grounds became public property in 1913. Though fantastic in appearance, the Palace has for many years been symbolic, and apart from this sentimental loss, its destruction is to be regretted since it had become a centre for music, chiefly choral and orchestral, and for various types of exhibitions. The fire affected the Research Laboratories of Baird Television, Ltd., situated at the Palace, but the part of the building leased by the Baird Company for the production of receiver sets and their testing fortunately was sufficiently remote from the main building not to be damaged in any way. While, therefore, a great amount of research apparatus was destroyed, the delivery of Baird receiving sets will not be seriously affected. Immediate measures are being taken to find alternative accommodation for the Baird Company's large number of research workers and for the re-equipment of the laboratories, and it is not considered that the research programme of the Company will be seriously prejudiced. The fire at the Crystal Palace does not affect the B.B.C. television programmes being broadcast from the Alexandra Palace by the Baird system and by the Marconi E.M.I, system.