RECONSTRUCTION AT OLD BAILEY

The Times |  ARCHIVES
October 15, 1952
 

RECONSTRUCTION AT OLD BAILEY OPENING BY LORD MAYOR

The reconstructed north-west corner of the Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, was formally opened yesterday by the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Leslie Boyce, who unveiled a tablet commemorating the occasion and recording that " the building was partially destroyed by enemy action on May 10, 1941, but the administration of justice within it continued." The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Goddard, who was the principal guest at the ceremony commented on the fact that the Centrai Criminal Court functioned all through the attacks on London, and added how remarkable it was that during the whole of the air attacks not one court throughout the land failed to sit at some time or somewhere or somehow on the day appointed for it to sit. The ceremony took place in the main hall. The Lord Chief Justice was accompanied by three Judges of the Queen's Bench Division, all wearing their ceremonial robes, and by other guests of distinction among whom Sir Travers Humphreys was greeted with special affection who, with the aldermen of the City of London, are Commissioners of the Central Criminal Court. The Law Officers of the Crown were at the head of the representatives of the Bar, and among others present was the Director of Public Prosecutions. The Bishop of London also attended. London County Council and the neighbouring county councils of Middlesex and Surrey were represented by their respective chairmen, and at the end of the long list of guests were included ' those who have been engaged in the restoration of the Central Criminal Court. A mason, a bricklayer, and a carpenter were presented from this group to the Lord Mayor, a fitting recognition of the work and in keeping with an inscription on the tablet commemorating two members of the staff " who lost their lives in the faithful discharge of their duties." The Lord Mayor recalled how a high explosive bomb in 1941 almost destroyed one part of the building and demolished the Recorder's court. After the war, he said, it was decided to incorporate, in rebuilding, accommodation for women and for juvenile witnesses and also to provide a restaurant. The restoration of the building would cost £500,000 and the first of the four phases of the scheme was now completed. It was estimated that the entire work would be completed by 1954. Professor Gerald Moira, who painted some of the murals at the opening of the court in 1907 and has supervised the repainting of murals in the restored building, was at the ceremony and was among those presented to the Lord Mayor. A luncheon in honour of the occasion was given at Cutlers' Hall by the City Lands Committee.