In the Footsteps of Still Others...

Another day in London found me following the steps of George Washington Wilson who took the above image of the Royal Exchange in 1975. I love this image, the movement of the people walking appear as ghosts, but he still manage a pretty sharp image of the young buy standing, watching him. The building and the statue are clear, as is the simple street down on the right of the image. 

Today it is dwarfed by nearby buildings. The street to the right is still the same but you can see the backdrop of the modern buildings to the left. I could not stand in the same spot as George did, as it was the middle of a busy street today.  If you can look past the traffic lights you see a monument in front of the Exchange. That is a monument to WWII. The statue of Wellington is still standing strong all these years later.

Here is a close up of the WWII memorial with the Exchange in the background. It was wonderful to walk up those steps and I was wondering if George Wilson climbed them while searching for an interesting shot.

Today the building has not diminished one bit. It still holds all the grandeur it did back in 1875. A few street lights, more cars and a different kind of people running around but essentially the same.

Below is the scene looking out from the Exchange. You can see the construction on the right, continues to change the landscape around this historic building. I prefer the new buildings to another war, requiring a new monument to the fallen.

Below is a pano of the street outside of the exchange.  Here, George Wilson stood to capture his amazing image of the Exchange. I doubt he would recognize the street however he sure would recognize the Exchange.