Name/Title
1940/Chalmers: Destruction of London officeDescription
22 Minories, Aldgate, the premises of Andrew Chalmers in London, was destroyed early in the London Blitz, on 9 September 1940. A great many records and photographs were lost, but fortunately RJ, with his usual foresight, had moved the main office out of London two months earlier, in June 1940, after the Fall of France.
Two staff had remained at the office in London, Miss Gundry and Mr Hinds, until incendiary bombs totally destroyed the premises. RJ Mack in his history of Andrew Chalmers says that a small temporary office at Ibex House was then taken towards the end of 1940. This is almost certainly the Ibex House which is located on the east side of the City of London. Built in 1937, it is an eleven-storey Art Deco office block close to the Tower of London.
This demolition site for 22 Minories, and presumably its neighbours, was probably post-war unless what remained of the burnt-out building(s) was assessed as being dangerous, thus necessitating urgent removal in 1940-41.
The main Andrew Chalmers office had relocated to Little Kendals, Hertfordshire, where it remained until September 1943. It then returned to new premises at the Minories, with a short hiatus the following year when the flying bombs began.
