Fishmongers Hall

Fishmongers’ Hall, often called Fish Hall, is a historic building next to London Bridge. It serves as the headquarters for the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers, one of the 111 livery companies of the City of London, and is part of Bridge Ward. This Grade II* listed building has a rich history dating back centuries.

The first Fishmongers’ Hall was built in 1310, but the current site has housed the company since 1434, when a new hall was bequeathed. Unfortunately, like many buildings in the City of London, it was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666. The hall was rebuilt and reopened in 1671, designed by the architect Edward Jerman. However, this version of the hall was later demolished in 1827 to make way for the construction of the new London Bridge.

The fourth iteration of Fishmongers’ Hall, which still stands today, was designed by Henry Roberts with assistance from Sir Gilbert Scott, who would later become a celebrated architect. Built by William Cubitt & Company, this hall opened in 1834. Sadly, it suffered significant damage during the Blitz of World War II but was restored and reopened in 1951, thanks to the efforts of architect Austen Hall and the firm Whinney, Son & Austen Hall.

Inside Fishmongers’ Hall is a remarkable collection of art and historical items, including a 1955 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by Pietro Annigoni, 17th- and 18th-century silverware, and an embroidered 15th-century funeral pall. The hall also holds two portraits by George Romney and a series of river scenes painted by Samuel Scott.

One of the more curious items in the hall’s collection is a dagger that was once believed to be the very weapon used by Lord Mayor Walworth to kill Wat Tyler, the leader of the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt. Legend had it that the king had given this dagger to the City of London armoury. However, this story turned out to be a myth, as the dagger had been in the armoury long before the revolt and was likely used to represent the sword of St. Paul.

Fishmongers’ Hall was spotlighted for a tragic reason on November 29, 2019. During a Cambridge University event focused on prisoner rehabilitation held at the hall, a convicted terrorist named Usman Khan, who was attending the event, threatened to blow up the building while wearing a fake suicide vest. He stabbed several people, killing two young individuals—Jack Merritt, a 25-year-old Cambridge University employee, and Saskia Jones, a 23-year-old volunteer.

In a dramatic turn of events, members of the public wrestled Khan to the ground on London Bridge. A Polish man used a pole as a weapon to fend off the attacker, while another individual armed himself with a narwhal tusk taken from the wall inside Fishmongers’ Hall. Armed police eventually shot and killed Khan on the bridge, ending the attack.

With its deep history and valuable collections, Fishmongers’ Hall stands as a symbol of resilience, having survived centuries of change and even modern-day tragedy.