We have all read about, or personally experienced, how quiet the London Underground has been since the coronavirus lockdown. Mr Jones explores a fascinating underground-themed story with a great OE connection if we ‘dig’ far back into the school archives.
Usually we hear good news of young OEs making their mark in our great city, but equally so we enjoy sharing stories about alumni from bygone years who made a lasting imprint on London. Mr Charles Walter Clark (OE1894-1901) fits the bill perfectly with an impressive array of architectural work to his name, particularly on the Metropolitan Line of the London Underground where he is credited for designing or redesigning 25 of the 34 stations.
The Metropolitan, or ‘Met’ line, is the oldest on the underground network, dating back to the 1860s. However, when it was extended in the 1920s and 1930s Clark remodelled many of the original famous stations such as Baker Street, Farringdon and Paddington. This train-line was dubbed ‘Metroland’ by Poet Laureate John Betjamen as it increased the spread of the suburbs into the near countryside, with Clark’s stations reaching as far as Watford and beyond. Several of his original stations, such as Great Portland Street, are now Grade II listed buildings.
Mr Jones (Senior Librarian and Archivist)