London from the Roof of the Albion Mills

This series of prints makes clear the appearance of Robert and Henry Barker’s 360 degree circular panorama, made during the winter of 1790-1791, and later enlarged and painted in distemper to produce a huge panorama of 1479 square feet. The aquatints were produced in June 1792, a year after the panorama went on display because they were the only way the public could see the total view because the painted original was too big to be shown all at once.

Albion Mills was built in 1786 by Samuel Wyatt and was a famous rotary steam-powered flour mill. It was London’s first great factory, producing six thousand bushels of flour a week and the cheap flour drove the millers of Lambeth out of business by closing less efficient companies. When the Mills were destroyed by fire in March 1791 arsonists were suspected.

This print is dominated by the chimneys and roof tops of the Albion Mill in Lambeth which partially obscures the view beyond. This image would have been displayed at the far left of the panorama.