Lewisham Gallery

Ruins of the Octagon Building, 1844. Creator: Ebenezer Landells

Ruins of the Octagon Building, 1844. Damage after a fire at New Cross railway station in south-east London: ...at the works attached to the station of the South Eastern, Brighton, and Croydon Railways at New-cross, resulting in the destruction of property to an enormous amount...It consists of an assemblage of vast workshops, large lathe and planing machine rooms, furnace rooms, carpenters and painters rooms, carriage and fire engine houses; and a grand octagonal engine house...The upright walls of the upper story, or lantern, which was supported by four stone pillars, while the body of fire was raging beneath, was so charred and splintered by the intensity of the heat...while the wreck of the several locomotives was to be seen along the extensive line of shedding, presenting a most serious loss of this valuable property of the company'. From "Illustrated London News", 1844, Vol I

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Mrs Gerald Legge with young sons Rupert and William

Mrs Gerald Legge(1929- 2016), featured in At home to the Sketch, with her sons Rupert(b. 1951) and William(b. 1949), at their home in 12 Chester Street, off Belgrave Square, London. Raine McCorquodale, the daughter of Barbara Cartland and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales, was a British socialite and politician; she was married three times and at this time was married to the Honorable Gerald Humphrey Legge, Viscount Lewisham and later, 9th Earl of Dartmouth. She was later known as Raine, Countess Spencer; and Comtesse de Chambrun. Date: 1952

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans

Mrs Gerald Legge by Glan Williams

The Honourable Mrs Gerald Legge, formerly Raine McCorquodale, the daughter of Barbara Cartland and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales. A British socialite and politician; she was married three times and at this time was married to the Honorable Gerald Humphrey Legge, Viscount Lewisham and later, 9th Earl of Dartmouth. Date: 1955

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans