54 Broadway

54 Broadway, sometimes known as Broadway Buildings (now renumbered 50 Broadway), is an office building in Broadway, London.

54 Broadway
Broadway Buildings
General information
Location	Westminster, London
Coordinates	51.49989°N 0.13347°W / 51.49989; -0.13347
Completed	1924
Technical details
Floor count	9

History

The building, which has a prominent mansard roof, was completed around 1924, when it became the main operating base for the Secret Intelligence Service.^[1][a] In 1925, the Government Code and Cypher School co-located within the building, although it was on a different floor to the Secret Intelligence Service.^[2][b] GC&CS moved out to Bletchley Park in August 1939.^[3]

During the Second World War it had a brass plaque identifying it as the offices of the "Minimax Fire Extinguisher Company".^[1] Sir Stewart Menzies, Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, had access to a tunnel, which connected 54 Broadway to his private residence in Queen Anne's Gate.^[4] Kim Philby, who worked in the building during the war, described it as, "a dingy building, a warren of wooden partitions and frosted glass windows...served by an ancient lift."^[5]

The Secret Intelligence Service moved out to Century House in 1964.^[6] During the 1990s, the building was used by the project team for the Jubilee Line Extension to the London Underground.^[7]

Notes

1. SIS had previously been based at 2 Whitehall Court.
2. GC&CS had previously been based at Watergate House, York Buildings, Adelphi.