Former Sons of Temperance Friendly Society Building

This is a former building of the Sons of Temperance Friendly Society, dating from the early 20th century. It is now free-standing, but was originally mid-terrace, and comprises a four-storey front range overlooking Blackfriars Road, and a single-storey hall behind it.

The architectural style of the prominent Blackfriars Road elevation is Edwardian ‘Free Classical’, deliberately designed to resemble a public house, a common feature of buildings associated with the temperance movement. The facade is divided into three parts, with the central bay accentuated by a giant Corinthian order on the first and second floors. A shallow bow window is centred within a scrolled cartouche, while the window architraves to either side feature broken pediments topped with large triple keystones. A frieze above the windows is inscribed ‘SONS OF TEMPERANCE FRIENDLY SOCIETY’. The low attic storey is constructed of red brick with stucco detailing, and incorporates small Ionic half-columns and a frieze inscribed ‘LONDON GRAND DIVISION’. The parapet rises to a balustrade over the central bay and is topped with four spiked balls.

At ground level, the central window and the round-arched doorways on either side have surrounds of polished red granite. The hardwood panelled doors and window joinery retain stained-glass spandrel panels visible from outside, displaying the Sons of Temperance star-in-triangle-in-circle insignia and the motto ‘LOVE – PURITY – FIDELITY’. The middle window pane contains painted lettering reading ‘ORDER OF THE / SONS OF TEMPERANCE / REGISTERED FRIENDLY SOCIETY / LONDON GRAND DIVISION’. A clock, likely dating from the mid-20th century, projects from a bracket above the doorway.

The entrance lobbies feature green mosaic floors incorporating the Sons of Temperance insignia. Plaques record the establishment of the London Grand Division in 1867, the commencement of the building's construction in December 1909, and its grand opening a year later. A green-tiled dado, decorative iron balusters, and elaborate hardwood newels with ball finials decorate the staircase. The first floor, originally a committee room, is a large single space with a herringbone block floor and a deeply-moulded ceiling. A board recording past Grand Worthy Patriarchs of the Order remains within the building. The topmost floor contains a small flat with two fireplaces and decorative surrounds.

The single-storey rear hall has a hipped clerestory roof supported by open timber trusses springing from moulded corbels set in pilasters. The original wood-block floor has been replaced.