The spectacular nineteenth-century Crystal Palace

The Crystal Palace and one of the 250ft-high fountains - as built by Sir Joseph Paxton in 1851

Nearly half a mile from tower to tower, the all-glass and iron structure had originally been erected in London's Hyde park for the 1851 Great Exhibition, as organised by Prince Albert, husband and consort to Queen Victoria. Having been dismantled and moved south to the village of Penge, the Palace of the People was re-opened by Queen Victoria on June 10th 1854. Thus a great building had been saved and a unique entertainment centre created.
    1903 not only saw Frederic Bennett and others set out from the park in late September on the eight-day RAC 1000-mile Reliability Trial but, earlier in the year, the Palace itself had hosted Britain's first ever International Manufacturers Motor Show, the largest ever motor show in the world at the time.
    During its glamorous eighty years, Crystal Palace had a throughput of many millions of people, travelling from all over the country and from much further afield too. Sadly, in the early evening of 30th November 1936, a fire spread through the building at such speed that, despite the attempts of 90 fire engines and 500 fire-fighters, by midnight the structure was all but destroyed.

      
Ariel view from the North Tower before the fire  -  and  -  what remained of the building the morning after