East India House

The grand headquarters of the East India Company stood on Leadenhall Street between 1648 and 1862. This is the company’s third building, which was rebuilt under the auspices of the East India Company’s Surveyor, Richard Jupp, between 1799 and 1800. The Company’s commercial and political power are symbolised by the sculptures above the building’s portico. Britannia, seated on her throne, is flanked by the figures of Asia to the left and Europe on the right. The frieze below, sculpted by John Bacon the Elder and his son, depicts the King of Great Britain protecting Britannia with his shield as she receives the produce of Asia, who is shown kneeling before her.

‘The Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies’ was established by a group of prominent London merchants, Aldermen, noblemen and explorers with a charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1600. Granted a monopoly in English trade with Asia, the company set off on a series of voyages to establish trading posts in Indonesia and later India and China, in order to compete, and frequently battle, with the Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch. As the company’s profits grew the English Crown granted them greater powers, including the rights to autonomously conquer territories, command fortresses and private armies, make war and peace and exercise civil and criminal jurisdiction in the areas it controlled. During the 1700s, with the backing of the British Government, it seized control of India.

As well as the architecture of East India House, this print, as is typical in designs by the London topographical artist Thomas Hosmer Shepherd, includes many details of London’s street life. Traders, soldiers, workers of many sorts, women with children, horses and dogs go about their daily business in this commercial area of the city.