Statue of James Henry Greathead — Attraction in London

The statue of James Henry Greathead holds a special place in my heart as one of my favorite statues in London. Whenever I visit, especially on a lovely summer weekend, I find myself drawn to it. Sitting down nearby and watching it brings me a sense of tranquility and appreciation for the city's history and innovation. Its presence seems to encapsulate the spirit of London, making it a must-visit spot for anyone seeking a moment of reflection amidst the bustling cityscape.

Facts: The statue of James Henry Greathead, designed by James Butler, is installed outside the Royal Exchange, where it conceals a ventilation shaft. It was erected in 1994 on a traffic island in the middle of Cornhill, London, with traffic passing to either side, similar to the statue of Prince Albert at...

This statue stands in tribute to James Henry Greathead, the civil engineer. His legacy was his contribution to the building of the London Underground through his inventions that enabled better tunnelling techniques. The inventions included "Greathead Shield" for moveable frames as tunnelling progressed, "Greathead Injector Hydrant" to inject grouting behind cast iron tunnelling shield cavities and "Greathead Grouting Machine", grouting by means of compressed air.

The statues stands in Cornhill in the City of London. James Henry Greathead holds an overcoat on his right arm while holding a set of engineering plans in both hands which he is reading. The statue stands on a plinth and upon which is a relief sculpture showing a tunnelling shield.

A worthy tribute to a...

James Henry Greathead was a civil engineer renowned for his work on the London Underground Railways, Winchester Cathedral, Liverpool Overhead Railway, and Tower Subway, only the second tunnel to be driven under the river Thames in central London as well as being one of the earliest proponents of the English Channel and Irish Sea Tunnels. His invention is also the reason that the London Underground is colloquially...