Britannia House was built in 1912 as the offices of the London, Chatham and Dover Railway, whose terminus at Holborn Viaduct is right behind. It was designed by an obscure architect called Arthur Usher.In those days, railway companies were also shipping companies, mainly operating ferries that worked to the railway timetable. The trend was started by Brunel who designed the Great Britain as a transatlantic extension of the GWR. So over the front door of Britannia house, Usher placed personifications of Rail and Sea Travel. The name of the sculptor is lost, unfortunately.
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| On the left, a girl in a winged helmet holds a steam loco. A wheel pokes out behind. |
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| On the right, a man holds an anchor with one hand and the rather ornately carved stem of a boat with the other. |
