Albion House (White Star Line Building)

Albion House (White Star Line Building)

Now the home of 30 James St a Signature living Hotel

Albion House, also known as the White Star Line Building, is a Grade II Listed Building. It was constructed between 1896 and 1898 and is positioned of the corner of James Street and the Strand across from the Pier Head. Designed by architects Richard Norman Shaw and J Francis Doyle, it was built for the Ismay, Imrie and Company shipping company, which later became the White Star Line. After White Star merged with Cunard Line the headquarters remained at Albion House until 1927. The building is situated on the corner of The Strand and James Street. The facade is constructed from white Portland Stone and red brick. In 1912, when news of the disaster of the Titanic reached the offices, the officials were too afraid to leave the building, and instead read the names of the deceased from the balcony. During World War II the gable was damaged and was later rebuilt in the late 1940s. The design closely follows the architect's earlier work of 1887, the former New Scotland Yard building in London. In the 1980s the Offices in Albion House were noted for their exquisite Office desks of fine wood. The entrance to the building at James Street has a fine mosaic of South America set into the floor, also near the James Street entrance inside Albion House was a wooden war memorial listing the members of staff who "Gave their lives for their country" in the 1914-18 War.

2 comments

  • Comment Link david bowen Sunday, 02 March 2014 00:17 posted by david bowen

    I may have a large print of tis building from 1899 litho i think!!
    david

  • Comment Link Stephen Wolstenholme Friday, 15 November 2013 13:44 posted by Stephen Wolstenholme

    Could this be a Titanic Museum/Exhibition to relieve space in the Maritime Museum? Not everyone will go to the Belfast museum and interest in the Titanic remains strong.

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