NEW OLD BAILEY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 50, 28 February 1907, Page 7

NEW OLD BAILEY.

OPENING CEREMONY. PBESS ASSOCIATION. (Received February 28, 9.7 a.m.) LONDON, 27th February. To-day King Edward and Queen Alexandra officially opened the new Central Criminal Court, on the site of the old one in Old Bailey and Newgate streets. The streets were crowded with spectators, and much enthusiasm was displayed. The Old Bailey of the future will be in no neiise a prison. Tho jew building contains 90 colls, but they are not for the incarceration of prisoners, only for waiting Rurposes. The new Sessions House — for that is its real name — is built on tho site of Newgate Prison, the foundation-stone having Deen laid by the Lord Mayor in the December o"f 1902. On the Old Bailey side it has a frontage of 287 ft, and of 142 ft on the Newgate-street side, and it is interesting to note that the total load it imposes upon the earth from the tower down to the foundation is 10,000 tona The contract for the building amouirad to £282,000, but tho total cost will exceed £300,000. In carrying out the work it wa6 found convenient to make U3e of some of tho stone of the old edifice. The height of the building from the pavement to the top of the balustrade is 75ft. Sculptured figures surmount the principal entrance, those being tho work of Mr. F. W. Pomeroy, A.R.A. Internally, the structure has elaborate decoration of a high order. The dome of the central hall on the first floor is the most striking feature of the ' interior. The pendentives havfi sculptured panels by Mr. Pomeroy, in which Charity, Tempcranco, Justice, and Mercy are represented. "The Golden Age" is tho title of one of the decorative works, which has been executed by Sir William Richmond, R.A. Professor Gerald Moira contributes works representing Justice, Mosaic Law (Moses giving the Law to the Jews), and English Law (King Alfred administering tho Law). Two of Sir William Richmond's paintings in one of the lesser halls will represent Roman Law and Greek Law. The principal dome and the staircase ere decorated by Professor Moira.