This is a verbatim view from a postcard of the time taken from the south end of Westminster Bridge, where the lion now sits on a pedestal on the east side of the bridge. The lion was made from a composite material called ‘Coade Stone’ which was patented by Eleanor Coade, however the secret of its formula died with her.
The lion originally stood at the top of the Lion Brewery which was on a site where now sits the Royal Festival Hall. At the time there were two red telephone boxes in front of the plinth. These were later removed. To the right can be seen the Norman Shaw buildings at the time occupied by then Metropolitan Police then known as New Scotland Yard. To the right of this view was filmed the opening scene of the Alfred Hitchcock film ‘Frenzy’ when a female corpse turns up on the river front.
