Site plan of the Board of Trade and Privy Council Offices and the triumphal arch across Downing Street to the proposed State Paper Office, probably done by C. J. Richardson as a student with Sir John Soane, second quarter of 19th century

Site plan of the Board of Trade and Privy Council Offices and the triumphal arch across Downing Street to the proposed State Paper Office.

This drawing is 1 of a series of designs by Sir John Soane (on 13 sheets: 3306:38-48, E.297-1916 and 2822) for government offices facing Whitehall and for the proposed triumphal entry to Downing Street. The modified scheme was approved in 1824, partly built between 1824 and 1827, and much altered subsequently.
Soane’s designs for the Privy Council and Board of Trade Offices fall into two groups; those for the structure as it still stands, modified almost beyond recognition by later additions; and those for a vast scheme that would have doubled the impressive Whitehall frontage and included Downing Street into a grand ensemble.
Of the 13 drawings, 3306:38, 3306:39, 3306:41, 3306:42 and this drawing show the effect the more comprehensive design would have had, seen from the street or the park. and this drawing show the effect the more comprehensive design would have had, seen from the street or the park.

This drawing was pasted into a copy of Sir John Soane's book Designs for Public and Private Buildings owned by Soane's assistant Charles James Richardson. Richardson built up a large collection of originals and copies (many of which he executed himself) of his master's designs, and distributed the bulk of them into two folio volumes, interspersed with the printed pages of the book. These volumes were bought by the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) in 1863.

This drawing is 1 of a series of designs by Sir John Soane (on 13 sheets: 3306:38-48, E.297-1916 and 2822) for government offices facing Whitehall and for the proposed triumphal entry to Downing Street. The modified scheme was approved in 1824, partly built between 1824 and 1827, and much altered subsequently.

3306:43