Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 13 hours ago
In this short video I have used A.I. to resurrect some old photographs and illustrations of the former Royal Horticultural Society Conservatory, South Kensington, London, UK 1860 to 1889
Andrew Handyside who made Friargate bridge in Derby also made amazing buildings with vast cast iron roof structures. Here is an example of one of their largest Conservatories they made, They made this one in 1860 for The Royal Horticultural Society in South Kensington.
The Conservatory was the largest work of its kind constructed by Andrew Handyside & Co.
It was made by them in 1860, from the designs of the late Capt Fowke, R.E., and was one of the largest and finest conservatories in the world.
It was 265 feet long, 96 feet wide, and 75 feet high in the central aisle, The total weight of iron was 226 tons.
Its framework was of cast iron, and the roof of wrought iron, the main semi-circular ribs of the latter being pierced.
The building was remarkable for the extreme lightness of its construction,
and the very simplicity of its outline offers manifest opportunities to the gardener for decoration by means of climbing
and trailing plants.
Handyside also supplied the many decorative vases and urns both inside the Conservatory and in the surrounding ornamental gardens.
In my video you can see some of Design Number 10 in their 1873 catalogue C "Illustrated catalogue of Fountains and vases"
The RHS operated the spectacular 22-acre ornamental garden from 1881 to 1888. Handyside's massive glass and iron Conservatory sat directly at the northern end of the gardens, connecting the straight to the south entrance of the Royal Albert Hall. When the RHS fell into financial trouble around 1888 they vacated the site, the gardens and the conservatory were cleared in 1889 to make way for the cultural and educational institutions we know today including the Imperial College London.
Today the Great Exhibition Memorial in front of the Royal Albert Hall sits directly on the footprint of where Handyside's conservatory once stood.
Note the original location of the Great Exhibition Memorial was actually inside the Royal Horticultural Society gardens in 1863.
Between 1891-1893, it was moved to its present site just south of the Royal Albert Hall, where Prince Consort Road was created.
In my video I have used A.I. to bring to life black & white photographs and illustrations of the conservatory and gardens so you can see how it looked over 160 years ago.
My reference:
Page 90 of the 1868 2nd edition: Works in iron by Andrew Handyside & Co. Britannia Iron Works, Derby.
Hope you find my video of interest, if you do then please leave a comment.
Join my Andrew Handyside Facebook group :
facebook.com/groups/andrewhandyside
View my Andrew Handyside world map :
google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&mid=1OAACWtSS9PyrJqZ5Ebpy1yb527nkRFk7&ll=52.90829433369387%2C-1.4515525777722327&z=10
Follow my Andrew Handyside Blog :
friargatebridge.blogspot.com
Join my Andrew Handyside Flickr group :
flickr.com/groups/1531851@N22
View my Andrew Handyside video playlist :
youtube.com/watch?v=cL6EmDnqQPU&list=PLA6EB1C556ABA75AF
Best viewed on a large computer screen or smart TV as this is recorded in 4K resolution with great music so a real waste watching it on a small phone screen. Did you know you can cast it to your smart tv from the YouTube app?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music Credits :
'Within Our Nature' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks
Andy
In this short video I have used A.I. to resurrect some old photographs and illustrations of the former Royal Horticultural Society Conservatory, South Kensington, London, UK 1860 to 1889
Andrew Handyside who made Friargate bridge in Derby also made amazing buildings with vast cast iron roof structures. Here is an example of one of their largest Conservatories they made, They made this one in 1860 for The Royal Horticultural Society in South Kensington.
The Conservatory was the largest work of its kind constructed by Andrew Handyside & Co.
It was made by them in 1860, from the designs of the late Capt Fowke, R.E., and was one of the largest and finest conservatories in the world.
It was 265 feet long, 96 feet wide, and 75 feet high in the central aisle, The total weight of iron was 226 tons.
Its framework was of cast iron, and the roof of wrought iron, the main semi-circular ribs of the latter being pierced.
The building was remarkable for the extreme lightness of its construction,
and the very simplicity of its outline offers manifest opportunities to the gardener for decoration by means of climbing
and trailing plants.
Handyside also supplied the many decorative vases and urns both inside the Conservatory and in the surrounding ornamental gardens.
In my video you can see some of Design Number 10 in their 1873 catalogue C "Illustrated catalogue of Fountains and vases"
The RHS operated the spectacular 22-acre ornamental garden from 1881 to 1888. Handyside's massive glass and iron Conservatory sat directly at the northern end of the gardens, connecting the straight to the south entrance of the Royal Albert Hall. When the RHS fell into financial trouble around 1888 they vacated the site, the gardens and the conservatory were cleared in 1889 to make way for the cultural and educational institutions we know today including the Imperial College London.
Today the Great Exhibition Memorial in front of the Royal Albert Hall sits directly on the footprint of where Handyside's conservatory once stood.
Note the original location of the Great Exhibition Memorial was actually inside the Royal Horticultural Society gardens in 1863.
Between 1891-1893, it was moved to its present site just south of the Royal Albert Hall, where Prince Consort Road was created.
In my video I have used A.I. to bring to life black & white photographs and illustrations of the conservatory and gardens so you can see how it looked over 160 years ago.
My reference:
Page 90 of the 1868 2nd edition: Works in iron by Andrew Handyside & Co. Britannia Iron Works, Derby.
Hope you find my video of interest, if you do then please leave a comment.
Join my Andrew Handyside Facebook group :
facebook.com/groups/andrewhandyside
View my Andrew Handyside world map :
google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?hl=en&mid=1OAACWtSS9PyrJqZ5Ebpy1yb527nkRFk7&ll=52.90829433369387%2C-1.4515525777722327&z=10
Follow my Andrew Handyside Blog :
friargatebridge.blogspot.com
Join my Andrew Handyside Flickr group :
flickr.com/groups/1531851@N22
View my Andrew Handyside video playlist :
youtube.com/watch?v=cL6EmDnqQPU&list=PLA6EB1C556ABA75AF
Best viewed on a large computer screen or smart TV as this is recorded in 4K resolution with great music so a real waste watching it on a small phone screen. Did you know you can cast it to your smart tv from the YouTube app?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Music Credits :
'Within Our Nature' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks
Andy
