gamble room at the v. and a., london

underneath the lecture hall is this splendid room designed to be a cafe in around 1866 and again fulfilling that function. much of the victorian decoration of the museum was destroyed in edwardian times, and these rooms were only just saved from destruction due to lack of funds: they are glorious examples of the design work of the mutton-chopped victorian team of sykes and gamble and the craftsmanship of minton hollins and co. amongst others. the museum restored the rooms in the 1970s, and finally put them back to their original use. needless to say, most of the people who worked on the buildings were treated in a cavalier manner by the authorities, often working for a pittance that was only paid late if at all, and generally sacked without notice. plus ca change. . .