The Wellington Monument, St. Paul's Cathedral

George Reid's photograph shows the monument to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), in St Paul's Cathedral. Featuring the work of sculptor Alfred Stevens, the monument was completed in 1912. It is sited in the nave of the cathedral, although the duke is actually buried in the crypt below.

In photographs like this, Reid aimed to record an extended walk through the cities of Westminster and London. He used a wood, whole-plate stand camera and a handcart and stepladder which allowed him to photograph from an elevated standpoint. By the time of his death in 1933, Reid had made over 700 photographs for the project, organised into albums. He wrote two manuscripts in rhyme called ‘The Route Ornate’ to accompany his images.