Standing sentinel at the forecourt of Charing Cross station, the elaborate Gothic Eleanor Cross replica — built in 1865 by E. M. Barry to honor Queen Eleanor of Castile — rises in tier upon tier of carved canopies and statuary in this razor-sharp real-photo postcard from London, while a ring of early 1920s open-top motor taxis and private motorcars encircle its base, and a "Baker's Tobacconist" shopfront anchors the Georgian terrace behind. The Eleanor Cross marks the traditional center of London (all mileages from the capital were once measured from this spot), making this image a literal snapshot of the heart of the British Empire at its interwar apex. The card is unused, back entirely blank save for the "Post Card / Address / Local Views" price box, suggesting it was sold as a souvenir at a local newsagent. The vintage automobiles — including what appear to be early Austin or Wolseley taxicabs — allow approximate dating to c.1920–1928.