London Institution - Expansion

Expansion

The Institution was short of space at Old Jewry and larger premises were needed. After considering a group of seven houses at 16-22 Token House Yard, belonging to the Bank of England, the Institution eventually moved in 1812 to a "capacious house" in King’s Arm Yard, Coleman St, at a modest annual rent of only £40. This soon proved to be inadequate to cope with the Institution’s rapid growth and so plans were made to move to purpose-built accommodation at Finsbury Circus. The architect of the elegant stone structure was William Brooks and the contract to build it was awarded to Thomas Cubitt, it being his first large-scale project in London

The Institution’s new building was completed in 1815 and contained a library, reading-rooms, a lecture-room capable of containing 750 people, a laboratory and other amenities. The opening was marked by a colourful procession through the streets of London conducted by the Lord Mayor. The construction of Cubitt’s new building cost £31,000 and it soon housed 70,000 books by which time the Committee of Managers consisted of the following,

  • Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet MP
  • John Julius Angerstein
  • Thomas Baring
  • Thomas Bodley
  • Harvey Combe MP
  • Richard Clarke FRS
  • George Hibbert
  • Benjamin Harrison
  • Henry Hoare
  • Sir Hugh Inglis, 1st Baronet MP
  • Beeston Long
  • William Manning MP
  • William Haseldine Pepys
  • Sir Charles Price, 1st Baronet MP
  • Job Raikes
  • John Rennie
  • Matthew Raine DD
  • Richard Sharp FAS
  • John Smith MP
  • Robert Wigram
  • Sam Woods





Committee meetings were held monthly and Samuel Woods was the Institution’s secretary. The popular interest being taken in all forms of scientific advance, together with the quickening pace of the industrial revolution, ensured there was a strong demand for the Institution’s resources and there was no shortage of subscribers. Several hundred people paid 75 guineas for the honour of becoming a "proprietor" - the total number being limited to 1000. The cost of ordinary life membership was set at 25 guineas.

A number of strict rules were laid down: members had to apply to the Librarian or an attendant to obtain a book; no books were to be removed from the premises; and ladies could only be admitted as "subscribers to the lectures".

The Gentleman's Magazine reported

"In the winter time when the lectures are delivered by leading men of science, the theatre is as full as can well be imagined and it is by no means a quiet resting place…..but the reading room is a treat, and it is pleasant to get away from the City bustle…"

The library came to hold over 70,000 volumes and was particularly rich in topographical works, collected while William Upcott was librarian. Edward William Brayley was another long-serving librarian.

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