Lunchtime talk series continues with 'Saving St Paul's in the 1920s'

The second in a series of free lunchtime talks at St Paul's will examine the reasons behind the Cathedral's lengthy shut-down early in the twentieth century.

Saving St Paul's in the 1920s will see freelance curator Jane Insley talk about the remarkable story of the Cathedral almost 100 years ago.

Tuesday 15 April
1pm - 1.45pm
Cathedral Wren Suite (entry by north west crypt door)
Free and open to all
Booking is essential - email 

In the early 1900s, cracks had appeared in some parts of the Cathedral as a result of settlement even before the Cathedral was topped-off in 1710 and concern over the structural stability of the Cathedral persisted. After various investigations, fears culminated in the Corporation of London serving a dangerous structure notice to the Dean on Christmas Eve in 1924. The Cathedral was then forced to close from 1925 - 1930 while the piers and dome were strengthened under the supervision of the surveyor Walter Godfrey Allen. Some of the strengthening interventions may have been excessive; however they were to provide valuable structural support when the Cathedral suffered two significant bomb strikes during the Second World War.

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This talk is the second in a series of six across 2014, organised by the Cathedral's Collections department.

Each presentation will take an aspect of the Cathedral Collections as the starting point to illuminate and elucidate an aspect of the rich life and work of St Paul’s. These 45-minute introductions will be delivered by Cathedral staff and volunteers who have researched specific items from the Library, Archives or Object Collection.

The talks will endeavour to bring star objects and less well known but significant treasures to the fore as they reveal details behind the big stories in the history of St Paul’s as well as some of the less well known facets of the pursuit of the Cathedral Mission and associated activities and events.

Space is limited for all sessions and booking will be essential. Booking will open when the programme, with titles and an indication of content, are posted on the website.

Coming soon:
Dangerous Books
The Women of the Crypt