London-Bridge Railway Terminus Hotel

London-Bridge Railway Terminus Hotel, 1861. 'The building of which we give a view...is in course of erection on the southern side of the London-bridge stations, having frontages to St. Thomas's-street and Joiner-street, and is intended to supply the great want of hotel accommodation which has been found to exist in the neighbourhood of these great termini. The basement story consists entirely of cellarage. The ground story, with the exception of the entrance-hall and staircase from St. Thomas-street, is appropriated to the domestic offices of the hotel. The one-pair story is designed to be used principally as a restaurant, with smoking and billiard rooms...The two-pair story (being the level of the railway station) consists of the large coffee-room, coffee-room for ladies, with library or drawing-room, and sundry private rooms; and the upper stories will be occupied as sitting and bed rooms in the usual way. The total number of rooms, exclusive of the domestic offices and tap, is about 150; with ample accommodation for bath-rooms, closets, &c., on every story, and with wide corridors, staircases, and lifts. The building is being erected, from the design of Mr. Henry Currey, by Messrs. Lucas Brothers'. From "Illustrated London News", 1861. Creator: Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)