The London Library is the world’s largest independent lending library. It was founded in 1841 by by a group of men who included Thomas Carlyle, who was dissatisfied with some of the policies at the British Library. The library has been based at 14 St. James’s Square since 1845.

I was asked to advise on the decoration of the (old) lending hall and the main stairs. My company Papers and Paints supplied the paint.  

A short film on the Library can be seen here:

The London Library from Jeremy Riggall on Vimeo.

I am now a member and regular user of the Library.

The London Library is next door to Lichfield House another of my projects.

As with so many of my London projects I always have to be aware of the likely damage caused to a building by bombing. When the Library was hit by a German bomb in 1944 it affected both the rear of the building and that of neighbouring ones. This can obviously play havoc with paint analysis.




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