House of Commons, 19th century (litho)

House of Commons, 19th century. For over six hundred years the House of Commons has met at Westminster, the Chapter House of the Abbey being their first meeting-place. From 1547 onwards they met in St Stephen's Chapel, and the House of Lords in another apartment of the palace. On the 16 October 1834, however, the whole of the Palace of Westminster Hall, was burnt down. The present Houses of Parliament were built 1840-1867 at a cost of about three millions, the architect being Sir Charles Barry. Our picture shows the interior of the House of Commons, which is 70 feet in length. Illustration for one a set of cards on Historical London, issued by Hignett's Cigarettes in 1926.