Destroyed Collection (#54)

Double page spread in a diary for 22-27 November
A double page spread in a young persons diary for 22-27 November. Each day is given a small illustration, relating either to the season, or to the anniversary of an historical event

Large country house gutted by fire, Mid Wales
A large country house gutted by fire, probably in the Mid Wales area. The fire is recent, as smoke is still drifting from the building

Soldier inspecting destroyed train, Iraq
A soldier inspecting the debris of a destroyed train, somewhere in Iraq

Ruins of Old Panama destroyed by Morgan 250 Years ago

Destroyed German field kitchen WWI
German field kitchen destroyed by shell fire near Framerville on the Western Front during World War I

German pillbox WWI
Destroyed German pillbox near Lens in Pas de Calais, France, during World War I

Destroyed German tank WWI
German tank blown up by French artillery north of Perthes in Marne during World War I Date: 2 October 1918

Soissons ruins WWI
Smouldering ruins in Soissons, which was captured by the Germans on the 29 May 1918 during the Battle of Soissons and Rheims at the Third battle of Aisne on the Western Front during World War I

Battle of the Scarpe WWI
After a direct hit on a German ammunition wagon in Monchy-le-Preux during the Battle of the Scarpe at the Battle of Arras during World War I

Destroyed German cart WWI
Wrecked German ammunition cart on the Western Front during World War I

Destroyed Tank WWI
German soldier resting on the remains of tank during World War I on the Western Front

Manonviller fort WWI
A small for on the railway east of Luneville, close to the German border. IT had been improved shortly before World War I, when the concrete defences were thickened

Destroyed fortifications WWI
Destroyed fortifications in Belgium during World War I

Fort Loncin, Belgium WWI
Destroyed gun cupola at Fort Loncin near Liege during World War I

Destroyed gun cupola in Belgium WWI
Annihilated gun dome part of the stronghold at Namur in Belgium during World War I

Lieutenant Rex Warneford - WWI Ace Hero
On 7 June 1915 at Ghent, Belgium, Reginald ( Rex ) Alexander John Warneford, VC (1891- 1915), a Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) officer, flying a Morane-Saulnier Type L

Glendurgan, Cornwall, after the 1987 hurricane
Scene at Glendurgan, a National Trust garden in North Falmouth, Cornwall, after the 1987 hurricane. A man stands behind a large tree which has been completely uprooted

Destroyed French tank WWI
Destroyed French tank during World War I

Destroyed train engine WWI
Destroyed railway engine the Peronne in France during World War I

German retreat WWI
German observation post behind the German retreat line in France during World War I

Ablainzeville Church WWI
Destruction of Ablainzville Church, Pas de Calais, in France during World War I

Destroyed bridge over the Marne WWI
Destruction of the bridge over the Marne at Chateau Thierry to impede the enemy passage

Maubeuge fortress WWI
A shot-up gun turret at the fortress of Maubeuge, which capitulated to General von Zwehl on 7 September 1914 and 4 general, 40, 000 men and 400 guns were captured

Destroyed Oise Bridge WWI
The Oise bridge near Villiers Cotterets was blown up by the French in retreat. The 18th Ambulance 6th Division is crossing the river by bridge of boats

Collapsed Bridge, Poland 1914
The wreck of a railway bridge in Poland, destroyed by retreating German forces on the Eastern Front

Destroyed French tank WWII
Destroyed French tank in France during World War II

Destroyed warship WWII
German stukas destroyed the warships they found in Dunkirk harbour during World War II

WWII tanks
Destroyed tanks in France during World War II

Warneford attacks Zeppelin at Ghent
On 7 June 1915 at Ghent, Belgium, Reginald Alexander John Warneford, VC (1891- 1915), a Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) officer, flying a Morane-Saulnier Type L

Demolition of Adelphi Terrace
Two men at work on the demolition of Adelphi Terrace, London, an 18th century block of eleven houses four storeys high designed by Adam

Destruction of Soissons Bridge
Destruction of the Soissons Bridge on the French Front in France during World War I

The riots in the cotton districts
A page from the May 1878 Illustrated London News, detailing the cotton riots in Lancashire, which were the response to a proprosed 10% reduction in workers wages

Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line 1918
German ammunition lorries destroyed by shell fire near Queant at the Battle of the Drocourt-Queant Line on the Western Front in France during World War I in September 1918

Chaulners Peronne Line 1917
Ruins of the Peronne Bridge over the Somme looking towards Flamincourt on the Chaulners Peronne Line on the British Front in France during World War I on 3rd April 1917

Ypres, World War I
Soldiers entering and underground billet in Ypres on the Western Front in Belgium during World War I in 1917

King George VI inspecting bomb damage in London
King George VI inspecting destroyed homes, part of the damage done by German air raids over London during the Blitz

The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Baku, Azerbaijan
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (often referred to as The Gilt Church ) was the main Russian Orthodox cathedral in Baku, Azerbaijan from 1898

The Bonus Army: the camp ablaze
The camp of the Bonus Army on fire at Washington

Union Workhouse, St Faiths, Norfolk
Fire drill at the St Faiths Union workhouse at Horsham St Faith near Norwich, Norfolk. Staff help one of the inmates down an escape chute from the first floor while a group of children stand below

Fire in Winnipeg, Canada. The Bulman Block fire of October 11th 1904 destroyed the building backing onto the Duffin block (Birt Saddlery)

House destroyed by bombing - Shkoder, Albania
House destroyed by bombing at Shkoder, Albania during the Balkan Wars

Pantheon Oxford St
Interior view : considered one of the finest show places in the world, impressing Horace Walpole, Gibbon and others, it became a theatre before being destroyed by fire in 1792

Crash site of a German Night Raider
A house completely flattened by a crashed German Bomber on an air raid over the capital

Air Raid damage off Piccadilly during the Blitz
Air Raid damage off Piccadilly, London on 19th September 1940. A lampost and parked car have been heavily damaged by falling masonry from bombed buildings

London Cheapside
The church of St Mary-le-Bow whose bells (destroyed by bombing 1941) are supposed to be the hallmark of a true London Cockney, born within their sound

The Hotel de Ville, Louvain
An Oasis in a Desert of Devestation: The Hoteld de Ville, almost untouched amid the ruins of Louvain. With the church of St

Chedis of the Wat Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya, Thailand
View of two of the three bell-shaped Chedis (royal tombs) of the Wat Phra Si Sanphet temple (constructed between 1492 and 1532) at Ayutthaya, Thailand

Cathedral Fire
Part of the cathedral is destroyed by fire

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From Hogarth's Gin Lane to the demolished Tinsley cooling towers, destruction has left its mark throughout history. The haunting image of Newcastle Bridge in ruins takes us back to a time long gone, while The Redoutable at Trafalgar reminds us of the fierce battles fought on treacherous seas. As we gaze upon The Sinking of the Bismarck, we witness the power and devastation that war brings. But not all destruction is intentional; sometimes it is necessary for progress. The demolition of the iconic Tinsley cooling towers in Sheffield symbolizes a changing landscape and evolving times. Similarly, when flames engulfed Alexandria Library, centuries worth of knowledge turned into ashes. In contrast, destruction can also be an act of conquest or revenge. The King of Ashantis Palace at Kumasi met its demise in 1874 as colonial powers sought dominance over African territories. Likewise, Canterbury Cathedral Library suffered damage during WW2's Baedeker Blitz—a tragic loss for literature enthusiasts. Yet amidst chaos and ruin, resilience emerges. Just like the rebuilt Eddystone Lighthouse after its collapse in 1698 stood tall once again, humanity finds ways to rise from ashes and rebuild what was lost. And finally, there are those who bear witness to fictional destruction—The War of the Worlds transports us into a world where alien invasion threatens our very existence. Meanwhile, aboard Cutty Sark Clipper shipwrecked dreams lie shattered but serve as a reminder that even broken pieces hold stories within them. Whether caused by nature or human hands, destroyed landmarks carry tales untold—reminders that nothing lasts forever.