Crystal Palace

The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London was partly conceived by Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, and the original massive iron Crystal Palace structure contained over a million feet of glass. Designed to show off Britain’s greatest industrial achievements there were exhibits from countries across the world and over six million visitors flocked to the capital to see the spectacle. Profits from the event helped fund the Albert Hall, the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum.

In 1854 the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill, in South London – the 200 acre site was opened by Queen Victoria and it became a sporting and cultural centre of great importance. Around the same time the Crystal Palace Spirit Vaults were opened in Charlotte Street and might still be there today had it not been for the Blitz.

Incidentally Crystal Palace football team were one of the fifteen teams to take part in the first ever FA Cup competition in 1872 and twenty cup finals were staged in the grounds between 1895 and 1914.

Licensees

1857 - Sampson Warm
1867 - George Ackman
1877 - C Ford
1893 - Miss M Ford
1895 - Denham Peters
1923 - William Wakeham
1929 - Bernard Turner
1934 - Winifred Moffatt
1934 - Charles Regan
1935 - Ernest Gay