Savoy Place
Savoy Place is a large
History
The Savoy Place is located at a site originally called
In 1509, Henry VII left money in his will for a hospital. This was completed on the site in 1517 but it fell into decline and eventually became a military barracks and prison. Various religious institutions were based on the site, including a
Current building
The current building, completed in 1889, was built to serve as an examination hall for the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons.[2] The foundation stone at the front of the building was laid by Queen Victoria on 24 March 1886.
On 1 June 1909, the Institution of Electrical Engineers bought the lease and various alterations were carried out by H. Percy Adams and Charles Holden. The building is currently the headquarters for the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), formed from the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) and the Institution of Incorporated Engineers (IIE) in 2006.[1]
Outside the building, there is a statue of the leading Victorian scientist Michael Faraday by the Irish sculptor John Henry Foley (1818–1874).[2]
Savoy Hill House
Behind Savoy Place is a building originally known as Lancaster House and later as Savoy Mansions. It was built in 1880 by the Savoy Building Company. Occupants included beer merchants, architects, solicitors, and even
In 1923, the newly created British Broadcasting Company (BBC) leased spare space for its Savoy Hill broadcasting studios with the transmissions taking place from Marconi House in the Strand.[1][3] The original two studios were increased to nine until in 1932 the BBC left the premises when it moved to the larger purpose-built Broadcasting House.[4] Savoy Hill was bought by the IEE in 1984 and is now known as Savoy Hill House.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "IET London. Savoy Place". IET Archives. Institution of Engineering and Technology. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ a b "Savoy Place rooms". IET Archives research guide. IET. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ "Timeline showing history of BBC's use of buildings, and key technical developments" (PDF). The BBC - Committed To Architecture. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
- ^ The BBC story, BBC.