Seven Dials Covent Garden is a unique quarter of London whose star-shaped layout remains as constructed in the early 1690s. It was brought back to life largely through the dedication of the Seven Dials Trust, working in partnership with the local authorities and landowners for nearly forty years.

Planning consent for "the erection of a column at the centre of Seven Dials" was granted in spring 1985 and the project was launched on 29th July 1985 at a reception in trustee Christina Smith's restaurant. The owners of the Crown Public House on the Dials, Taylor Walker, gave much in-kind assistance through their PR company. 300 invitations to the launch of the fundraising campaign were sent out. Before the article (below) in The Times was  published, we had received only 80 acceptances. The article was almost certainly instrumental in prompting over 400 people to turn up on the day: the doors of the restaurant had to be closed.  The event was well covered in the media and launched the Monument Appeal. Over the next four years we received many small and touching individual donations from all over the country as well as major donations from many sources. Founder trustee Robert Noonan devised our various forms of sponsorship including the Year Donor and the Sundial and Time Plaque schemes and played an outstanding role in all our fundraising efforts.

The Times, 29th July 1985. 

David Bieda & Sir John Summerson with Pillar Model on the Dials,1985 The Evening Standard.

 29th July 1985, David Bieda launches the Monument Appeal.

Founder trustee, Sir Jon Summerson, with comedian and writer Dennis Norden and Mayor of Camden, Cllr Julian Fullbrook, wearing the Mayoral Chain of the Old Borough of Holborn at the Launch event.

Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Roger Bramble with Nica Burns, Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse Theatre.

Robert Harris (r), of Charles Fox Theatrical Make-up.

Covent Garden resident Joe Dennis pointing out his birthplace to Sir John Summerson.

Founder trustees Gabby Brocklebank and Janet Cole-Brooman.

Founder trustee Paul Draper (m) with Mrs Draper.

Appeal administrator Jackie Barron with Andrew Campbell.

Founder trustee Sir John Summerson viewing the exhibition - Architecture, History, Horology, made by the Royal Opera House.

Founder trustee Robert Noonan and Mervyn Warren, with trustee Paul Draper's drawing of Seven Dials.

The first meeting of Camden Council at which restoring the Sundial Pillar was discussed, 1985.

Our first task was to get Camden Council on board. The Borough Engineer was sceptical as to how the foundations could bridge the deep sewers and many other services beneath the Dials. Other departments were concerned about traffic implications and whether our small group had the capacity to organise the first project of its kind since the erection of Nelson's Column. They need not have worried, as The Evening Standard later commented, "As pressure groups go the Seven Dials Monument Committee takes some beating. Within five years the column was up and getting a royal unveiling by that very jolly Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands." As well as our professional advisors, the art of persuasion was exercised by Inspector Richard Northern of the Metropolitan Police Service (in charge of traffic in the West End) and Norman Taylor, an engineer and our link officer at Camden. For an organisation outside the system, these allies within were key to getting the support of the statutory authorities.

While negotiating with Camden, we began to assemble a team that turned out to be more far reaching than we'd thought. We appointed A.D. Mason of Whitfield Partners as architect and Roger Howard of Hockely & Dawson as our engineer. After much research and many meetings, they were joined by Gordon E. Taylor from the Greenwich Royal Observatory as astronomer; James Moseley from the St. Brides Printing Library as lettering consultant for the dial faces; and Caroline Webb as letter carver and gilder. We had much assistance from Michael Turner, Director of Clocks and Watches at Sotheby's; Francis Maddison, Curator of the Museum of the History of Science at Oxford University; the Society of Antiquaries and many others. 

From the outset, the trustees agreed with the suggestion of David Bieda, a long-standing youth worker, that trainee masons should be involved, at Vauxhall College of Building, Ashby & Horner Ltd and the Carpenters' Company training school in Great Titchfield Street. This became one of the largest masonry training projects in London for many years.

In preparation for the the Pillar's reconstruction, Camden began works on the Dials to create an island on which it would sit. These works enabled entry to the very old sewer beneath Monmouth Street. This allowed research vital to devising a form of foundation which would support the Pillar should the sewers burst.

We began life as the Seven Dials Housing Action Area Committee (1977-1984) - six residents and six businesses supported by a group of talented Camden officers led by the outstanding officer, Dougie Gordon. Seven Dials was in a state of dereliction, with 90% of its housing stock having been vacant for more than 40 years and gas lighting and outside lavatories the norm. Under the old Covent Garden Plan most of the area was scheduled for demolition. The HAA was intended to kickstart the process of urban regeneration and so encourage private investment. Freeholders were offered grants of up to 90% and the local authority could,if necessary, undertake works themselves. Our HAA had great success, with over 200 residential units rehabilitated, initial public realm improvements implemented and additional public and private housing secured. Bringing back the Sundial Pillar was also on the agenda.

Do local authorities have a sense of humour?

On the expiration of the HAA in 1984, we were invited by Camden's CEO Mr Nickson to establish a group to either get back the remains of the Seven Dials Sundial Pillar from Weybridge or build a replica and continue further improvements in the area. On meeting Mr Nickson, David Bieda and Janet Cole-Brooman (members of the HAA) asked whether Camden had a sense of humour. Would they be prepared to write to Elmbridge Borough Council and demand proof of purchase in 1822 by way of an invoice and receipt for the remains of the Pillar and dialstone? As you can see from the press-cutting, Camden lost the 'Battle of the Councils' and our journey began.