View of the western end of the Strand, City of Westminster, at the southeast corner of Trafalgar Square. Trafalgar Square was planned as part of the redevelopment of the West Strand Improvements by John Nash following the passing of the Charing Cross Act of 1826. Although it was to be another 30 years before the square was completed, it occupies the area of the former Great Mews of the Crown Stables. Charles Barry was the architect, although he opposed the decision to erect Nelson's Column on the site - he was overruled. The whole square is Grade I listed, number 1001362. On the eastern side of the square is South Africa House. Constructed as Morley's Hotel and designed by the architect George Ledwell Taylor, originally as apartments, it was built by Atkinson Morley in 1831. In 1850, Peter Cunningham in his 'Hand-Book of London' described it as "well-frequented, and is good of its kind". Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stayed there for some time in 1900, while he was writing The Hound of the Baskervilles, and the fictional Northumberland Hotel of that book may well have been based on Morley's. The building was demolished in 1936 and replaced with the purpose-built South Africa House, after South Africa became fully sovereign from the United Kingdom in 193, which abolished the last powers of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to legislate on the country. The corner of the building, with bow windows on the first and second floor, is a Post Office at 457 Strand. On the railings are numerous posters, including one for The News of the World. There is a subway entrance to Trafalgar Square Underground Station. The Bakerloo Line platforms were opened by the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway. The line was constructed by the Underground Electric Railways Company of London Limited and opened between Baker Street and Lambeth North (then called Kennington Road) on 10 March 1906. At 456 Strand is a sign for Dr Jaegers Sanitary Woollen Systems Limited. The company promoted healthier clothing, including an explanation of how "health is prejudiced by the material and form of the ordinary clothing of the present day". It included underwear, coats, bedding, sleeping garments, jackets, scarves, dresses, corsets, shawls, hats, shoes, socks, stockings, gloves, rugs and "abdominal belts" (girdles). Number 454 is Dowie and Marshall Bootmakers, and at number 454, the ABC Bakery (Aerated Bread Company). Founded in 1862 by Dr John Daglish who patented a new method of bread making. These buildings were also redeveloped in 1936. There is an open-top motorbus, and several pedestrians, including a sailor in uniform crossing the road and a policeman directing traffic.
