The Underground Alliance

The Underground Alliance

The Underground Alliance originates within the City of London. It was established between John Saunder Gilliant, Governor of the Bank of England (1883–1885) and James Henry Greathead, the inventor of the underground drilling machine .

Origins

Once James Henry Greathead was elected to the Council of the Institute of Civil Engineers, in 1884, Gilliant approached him with a proposition. He and Greathead had planned to build some form of underground network. This alliance between Greathead and the governors of the Bank of England was upheld by each governor and his deputy. After Greathead’s death, in 1896, the network has been passed down from one governor to the next.

In 1987, Edward Farrows applied to be granted access to investigate in and around the Bank of England to find solid proof, however, the Bank declined his request, replying that it was an absurd gesture . Yet in 1990 the Governors of the Bank of England began planning for a statue of Greathead which was erected four years after Farrows request. The statue sits opposite the Bank of England. This could be a ploy to attract more American tourists to London.

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