Which London landmark is named after Sir Benjamin Hall, British Commissioner of Works in the 1850's?

The iconic bell housed within London's Elizabeth Tower, widely known as Big Ben, owes its famous moniker to Sir Benjamin Hall. He served as the First Commissioner of Works during the 1850s when the Palace of Westminster was being rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1834, and the monumental bell was cast and installed.

Sir Benjamin Hall was a prominent figure, a Welsh civil engineer and Member of Parliament, known for his imposing stature, reportedly over six feet four inches tall. This gave him the affectionate nickname "Big Ben" among his peers. While the exact moment of naming is debated, one popular theory suggests that his name was inscribed on the original Great Bell, leading workers to adopt "Big Ben" as its informal title. Another account proposes that a Member of Parliament jokingly shouted "Why not call him Big Ben?" during a lengthy debate about the bell's name in the House of Commons.

Although commonly used to refer to the entire clock tower, Big Ben is technically the name of the massive Great Bell inside, which weighs over 13 tons. The construction of this colossal bell was not without its challenges; the first casting cracked during testing and had to be recast. The Great Clock itself, renowned for its accuracy, began keeping time in 1859, and its chimes have since become synonymous with London.