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Design for the staircases to the galleries (as executed)
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- Sir John Soane office drawings: the drawings of Sir John Soane and the office of Sir John Soane
Reference number
SM 51/3/60
Purpose
Design for the staircases to the galleries (as executed)
Aspect
Plan No 1
Scale
bar scale of 1/5 inch to 1 foot
Inscribed
as above, labelled (in Soane's hand): In this plan the woolsacks &c are / removed nearer the Throne ^three feet and an / additional seat on the side opposite / the Chimney side, Throne, 2.0, Lord Chancellor, Staircase to Gallery (4 times), Woolsack (twice), A (13 times), Table, 3.3 (twice), Platform Seat for Witnesses raised ab. 1'0'', Council Witnesses / & / for 40 persons, (pencil) Seat for Short hand writer / ?? ????? Seat by the ???, Public (twice), 7.0, Passage, 188 Seats / 102 Galleries / 290 Seats excl[usive] / of the Wool / sacks, Between the / Staircases lead[in]g / into the Galleries / & the wall a / small vacuity for / Ventilation / Galleries supported / by Iron Pillars / & arch to connect / the two Staircases / together / Ironwork of the Galleries / hung with / crimson Cloth, A &c all these / seats remain / as they now are; benches labelled (in pencil): 5 (4 times), 12 (3 times), 11, 7 (10 times), 8 (twice), 9 (4 times)
Signed and dated
- 25 July 1820
John Soane Arch / 25th July 1820
Medium and dimensions
Pen, pencil, sepia and pink washes, pricked for transfer with double ruled and sepia wash border on wove paper (483 x 308)
Hand
Charles Edward Papendiek (1801 - 1835)
Pupil January 1818 - March 1824.
Pupil January 1818 - March 1824.
Notes
SM 51/3/60, labelled 'Plan No 1', is one of two designs for the staircases that provide access to the new galleries above the benches. Soane gives instructions to leave a gap between the staircases and the walls to help with ventilation. As a note at the top of the drawing explains, the woolsacks and the table are to be moved 3 feet nearer to the throne. The numbers on the benches represent the number of people that can be seated by each bench and the calculations at the edge of the drawing give the total capacity of the chamber (excluding the woolsacks) - that is, 188 on the benches and 102 in the galleries or 290 seats in total. The galleries are to be supported on iron columns and hung with crimson cloths, according to Soane's instructions.
In January 1800 there were 267 peers. By February 1825 this number had risen to 278. 256 people (peers, lawyers etc.) attended the first day of the trial (there were 88 non-attendees). This fell to an average of 231 over the succeeding days. Average attendance in the House of Lords at this time was around 50.
In January 1800 there were 267 peers. By February 1825 this number had risen to 278. 256 people (peers, lawyers etc.) attended the first day of the trial (there were 88 non-attendees). This fell to an average of 231 over the succeeding days. Average attendance in the House of Lords at this time was around 50.
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk