Missing Steps At Crystal Palace

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 8 Jun 2009 05:21

Hi There ,
at the terraces there appear to be some missing flights of steps ( and i dont just mean the bit you walk on ) even the entire ballustrade is totally missing . I am mainly refering to one of the pair that led up to the area immediately in front of the Centre Transept ( i hope that's clear )Any information or Pics please

Many Thanks In Advance
Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 9 Jun 2009 22:49

The majority of the steps and lots of f the balustrade were pulled up\removed in the late 50s I assume for scrap merchants. If you see photos of the terraces in the 60s\70s\early-mid80s you can see how little balustrade there was left. A lot of the balustrade was replaced\restored in the 1980s.

these were posted in another topic and show people leveling the Italian gardens and removing some of the lower terrace stairs:

Very crude but the green shows surviving terrace steps and the red shows missing steps.

can see in this photo from the 60s the state of some of the balustrade:

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 10 Jun 2009 05:17

Hi Konqi
Thanks for those amazing , and quite frankly saddening photos and info . It beggars belief that this sort of thing could be allowed to happen , you almost get the impression that someone was trying to wipe all trace of the Palace from the face of the Earth .

Thank You for your hard work

Chelsey

leenewham · Post by **leenewham** » 10 Jun 2009 13:11

I think it's such a shame why they removed the fountains, after walking through Barcelona and how they have kept some of the buildings in their parks and how they use the fountains which draw huge crowds, we really are missing something.

Why are people so short sighted? History is better when built onto and enhanced, not destroyed and buried into the mud.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 10 Jun 2009 17:29

That's absolutely true , anywhere else in the world and the Italian Terraces would have been preserved near perfect for future generations to enjoy , here , no they are vandalised by the powers to be , or used as pawns in political games . Just like Coventry , the council did more damage than the German Airforce .

Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 10 Jun 2009 21:35

every decade from the 1930s-1980s something was removed from the park. The engine houses were removed in the late 60s\early 70s. In the 80s the surviving but very rotten greenhouses and other related buildings were removed.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 11 Jun 2009 18:06

It is absolutely incredible the way architecture in this country is treated , The Euston Arch is a good example , maybe if The Crystal Palace was still standing in say 1962 , i wouldn't doubt some idiot would get permission to pull it down

Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 11 Jun 2009 18:20

Vandals sadly in the 50s burnt down what remained of the South Wing, Crystal Colonnade and the Canada Building.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 11 Jun 2009 19:24

Are there any pictures of the South Wing remains ?

Cheers Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 12 Jun 2009 07:22

From below the lower terrace:

can just about see it here (and the crystal colonnade):

aerial photo from 1947:

from the Italian Gardens:

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 12 Jun 2009 17:12

Many Thanks Konqi , those pics are great . Apparently the ruins are also seen in a film , " The Pleasure Gardens " I believe it is called........is it available anywhere , and what sort of things relating to the Palace and Park do we get to see ?

Thanks Again
Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 12 Jun 2009 18:19

Apparently its in the process of being put on DVD so probably best to wait for that unless you want a VHS.

From memory you can see

The collonade with the road that was ploughed straight through it.
The band stand on the Italian Gardens
Statues
Some of the fountain basins
Steps
Paxtons Bust (I think)

can't remeber right now what else is in it.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 12 Jun 2009 22:33

Cheers Konqi for that , please keep us informed if a DVD comes out , or anybody else for that matter , as I have just been informed that none other than John Le Mesurier from Dads Army is in it , not sure if that is true yet but maybe you can help me out again

Many Thanks
Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 15 Jun 2009 12:03

yes he is in it along with Hattie Jacques

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046194/

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 15 Jun 2009 19:58

So I have to ask . Is " The Pleasure Garden " the only feature to have been filmed at the Palace ? I believe that there was a Stanley Holloway film done there too , but again that is only what I have been told , and I don't know that its a fact .

Many Thanks Again
Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 16 Jun 2009 09:27

I do think I can remember seeing\hearing that is was briefly in some other film, but maybe I am remembering wrong.

Barring News Reel films, there is the infamous scene from the "Italian Job" and in animated form its in the film "Steamboy".

EDIT: been told that the DVD of the Pleasure Garden should be released in a few weeks and should be on sale from the CPF.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 16 Jun 2009 17:36

Thank You , I shall certainly be placing my order for that as soon as it comes out ! I must admit i had always had a sneaking suspicion that the " i only told you to blow the bloody doors off " sequence was filmed at Crystal Palace because of the transmitter in the background

Many Thanks
Chelsey

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 20 Jun 2009 08:55

The film starring Stanley Holloway at The Crystal Palace is called " Strike Up The Band " apparently.....i cant find it on DVD , have any of you guys seen it ?

Chelsey

Konqi · Post by **Konqi** » 20 Jun 2009 14:43

I think you have the title wrong, as he was never in a film of that name but he was in the film: "Play up the band"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168127/

can't find it on VHS or DVD.

Chelsey · Post by **Chelsey** » 20 Jun 2009 14:45

That would certainly explain why i couldn't find it

Many Thanks
Chelsey

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Missing Steps At Crystal Palace

Missing Steps At Crystal Palace