The Perseverance, formerly The Sun, Lambs Conduit Street WC1

Here is The Perseverance, on the corner of Great Ormond Street and Lamb’s Conduit Street.

This pub was formerly The Sun, and had a magnificent painting on the corner. There are pictures and history on this detailed post from The London Inheritance. The many comments on the London Inheritance blog post describe happy memories of The Sun and its numerous Real Ale pumps.

The pub is listed Grade II reference 1379274. It was built in the early 18th century and the front was renewed in the 19th century. It was The Sun until the 1990s when the name was changed a few times, becoming the Perseverance around 2005/6.

I sketched it from the “Rymans” stationery shop which is on the opposite corner of the crossroads. People walked past me, deep in conversation, casting shadows in the afternoon sun. But one elderly man stopped, and looked up at me. His back was slightly bent. “Are you alright standing there?” he asked. I said I was, wondering what he meant. “Because,” he continued, “I could go up and get you a stool from my flat. It’s just up there.” He pointed heavenwards, to the windows above the shops. People are so kind. This man was so kind. It’s moments like this which make the sun rise on humanity. I was in fact quite tired, and would have liked to sit down, but my drawing was very nearly finished. I hesitated to send this helpful individual back up his stairs. So I declined his thoughtful offer, as politely as I knew how, and continued my drawing standing upright in the sun.

This drawing took 1 hour and 20 mins on location, plus another hour and a half at my desk later. The colours are:

• Mars Yellow (brickwork)
• Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber (mixed, for the greys and blacks)
• Phthalo Blue Turquoise and Ultramarine Blue for the sky and the street, and the street signs
• Transparent Pyrrol Orange for the “No Entry” sign and the flowers
• Serpentine Genuine Green for the plants
• A tiny bit of Permanent Yellow deep for the yellow line on the road, and other small touches
• All whites are the paper.
• Ink lines are De Atramentis Document black ink in an Extrafine Lamy Safari fountain pen
• Paper is Arches Aquarelle 300gsm Cold pressed in a sketchbook made by the Wyvern Bindery in Hoxton.

Here are maps (click to enlarge):

Here is the sketchbook, size 7″ x 10″.