The Lavender Hill Mob

[Royston]

I have just been watching The Lavender Hill Mob once again. One of my favourites, though I think the sequence at the Police Exhibition to be weak, it picks up again after that.



And isn't Edie Martin, playing Miss Evesham, a delight. She appears so often about this time. (Man in a White Suit, Genevieve, It Always Rains.., and many more).



Now where was the second scene behind the opening credits taken? I am talking about the one with a statue towards the right of screen, behind the credit 'Original Screenplay by T.E.B. Clarke'.



Interesting that Audrey Hepburn didn't get a credit.

[CaptainWaggett]

This one?

[Royston]

That's the one. It's obviously somewhere in the City. But it's the statue that intrigues me.

[CaptainWaggett]

I set my minions on to this and finally they have come up with "Outside the Bank of England. Opposite the front wall of the Bank, on the other side of the road, at the back of the Royal Exchange" though I haven't been there to confirm it. Anyone work round there and can check?

[Christopher Matheson]

Similar film grab, with a now shot, is identified as Connaught Road, Ealing. They are clearly the same location but they do not appear to be Connaught Road, Ealing after checking on googlemaps. Does anybody recognize this location?

[ghughesarch]

That's the one. It's obviously somewhere in the City. But it's the statue that intrigues me.

I think the statue may now be missing from the drinking fountain here:
Google Maps

[tavistock]

You are right, it isn't Connault Road, the tree in the middle of the road is in Carlton Road at the junction with Castlebar Road

[cornershop15]

I am pleased for you, Christopher, posting your first Photobucket image. A nice way to celebrate your 200th post. It's come out well

I've found this information from a website called Barryoneoff.co.uk. It tallies with the information Captain Waggett gave in an earlier post:

Serenity Fountain

This stone canopy in Exchange buildings behind the Royal Exchange is similar to the one missing from the above ‘Motherhood’ piece, only this time the statue is missing. It was a nude bronze figure of a girl pouring water from a pitcher, sculpted by J. Whitehead. It was erected in 1911 to commemorate the Jubilee of the Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association. It has four basins, and was supplied by an underground spring. The original girl was removed in 1989 and replaced in 1993 by a modern sculpture by Stephen Robert Melton called Serenity, but this too has now been removed for some reason.

From the Regional Page for Central London: Serenity Fountain:

Precise Location: Royal Exchange Building (south - centre of pavement)

Included is a link to this undated photograph:


Click here to compare in other window:

How the Serenity Fountain looks now

Selected details from the same source:

Notes

Granite ensemble of fountain base with canopy supported by four ionic columns. Bronze roof capitals and column bases. Within this a bronze figure of Serenity - female figure pouring water into three lion-headed bowl with spouts. Granite bowls below have floral relief supports. Not functioning.

Inscriptions

On brass plaque on south side of bronze bowl: THIS STATUE OF SERENDIPITY BY STEPHEN ROBERT MELTON B.A. (R.C.A.) DIP. CIRAPERON / REPLACES THE ORIGINAL STATUE AT THIS SITE UNTIL 1989 / AND WAS UNVEILED BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE LORD MAYOR / SIR FRANCIS McWILLIAMS C.B.E.. B.Sc. D.C.L. ON / TUESDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 1993 Four more relief bronze inscription on lower base not recorded.

Signatures: South-west lower corner of granite base: J. WHITEHEAD & SON LTD. / KENNINGTON OVAL S.E.; Vandalism: nothing recorded

[PaulJex]

Similar film grab, with a now shot, is identified as Connaught Road, Ealing. They are clearly the same location but they do not appear to be Connaught Road, Ealing after checking on googlemaps. Does anybody recognize this location?

i've looked on Google map and found the location,Its here Carlton Rd, Ealing, London W5 2AW, UK

[tavistock]

To coincide with the re-release of the film there are bicycle tours of some of the locations, details here The Lavender Hill Mob cycle tour - video | Film | guardian.co.uk

[Big Figure]

Good find, Tavistock.

[Dragracer1260]

Thank you Tavistock.
Any more locations for this film ?
Nick

[PeterS]

Between 45 & 50 mins, they are standing outside Alec Guiness's lodgings. There's a number 15 on the door. Does anyone know where that is?