1875 – Congregational Memorial Hall, Farringdon Street, London

The hall was built upon the site of the Fleet Prison in Farringdon Street. It opened in 1875, and was demolished in 1968. The Labour Party was founded here February 27, 1900 under the name of the Labour Representation Committee.

“One of our illustration this week represents the Congregational Memorial Hall about to be erected in Farringdon-street, London. The design is in the Gothic style. The fact that the hall will be used for public worship, and the offices occupied by various religious societies connected with the denomination, has guided the committee in the selection of the style of architecture generally applied to semi-ecclesiastical buildings. It is also well titled to be a monument commemorative of the event it is desired to perpetuate.

The building will contain twenty-seven offices, including board-room and committee-room ; a large library, 58ft. by 45ft., and a hall for meetings, etc, 87ft. by 45ft., which will also be used for public worship, and with galleries will accommodate from 1,200 to 1,500 persons. A spacious hall and staircase, with entrance lobbies from Farringdon-street, occupy a space of about ….. There is also a commodious entrance and staircase at the back from Fleet-lane. Ample provision is made for lavatories and other conveniences. There are also apartments for hall-keeper. The library will be constructed on fire-proof principles, and the whole of the basement will be vaulted with brick arches, and form extensive ware-rooms and cellarage, with entrance entirely separate from the other entrances of the premises. The architects are Messrs. J. Tarring & Son, Basinghall-street, London.”
The Building News