“The Times” Pavilion, British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, London

Occupying a prominent position opposite the twin towers of Wembley Stadium, the Times Pavilion is attributed to Milne and Phipps on the basis of the Royal Academy Exhibition Catalogue of 1924.

THE TIMES PAVILION - The history of the modern newspaper is illustrated in The Times pavilion, which is centrally situated between Canada and Australia. It looks on one hand towards the Stadium entrance, and on the other over the lake and main avenue from the north gate to the hills beyond. A one storey building of classic design, it is surmounted by a clock tower, and is surrounded by small lawns and gardens on a gentle descent from the ground level. Two of those early printing machines known as Stanhope presses have been installed and from the will be printed facsimile copies of the Times of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The presses date from the year 1805 and will be worked by hand as in the day of their production. The “composition” also, of course, by hand, will be done on the spot and with type specifically cast to the contemporary pattern. Equal care has been taken with the paper, so that in surface and other qualities it may accurately compare with that used when The Times was young, By these means it is proposed to convey to visitors to the pavilion a definite idea of the conditions in which the first copy was printed in 1888 and how the news of the Battle of Trafalgar was prepared for issue in 1805. On the walls near the primitive presses will be seen the contrast offered by modern methods. A large photograph of one of the double-octupled machines on which today’s paper is printed will suggest their power and complexity almost as well as if space had allowed of the actual monster’s being placed alongside its tiny ancestor. [Times Special Supplement No 1 April 1924 page xviii]

Reference    Times 12 May 1924, page 9. RA Exhibits
Reference    RA Exhibition Catalogue 1924 page 75. No 1302
Reference    Times British Empire Exhibition Special Supplement No 1 23 April 1924
Reference    Times British Empire Exhibition Special Supplement No 2 24 May 1924
Reference    Times British Empire Exhibition Special Supplement No 3 29 July 1924
Reference    Times British Empire Exhibition Special Supplement No 4 30 September 1924
Reference    Times 23 April 1924 page xiv - Plan of Exhibition
Reference    Times 23 April 1924 page 18 – Poor quality photo of Times Pavilion
Reference     Times British Empire Exhibition Special Supplement No 4 30 September 1924