Plate, 9 inches diameter. Brown transfer with polychrome clobbering. Printed maker's mark for Powell, Bishop & Stonier. The registry diamond dates the pattern registration to 6 May 1882. This pattern is part of a series depicting scenes of London. This pattern features a rectangular shape filled with a vignette of Temple Bar, London. Temple Bar (or gate) was the principal ceremonial entrance to the City of London on its western side from the city of Westminster. After the Great Fire of 1666, King Charles II commissioned a new bar. Made of Portland stone and attributed to Sir Christopher Wren, the new Temple Bar was constructed between 1669 and 1672.

This pattern depicts the two-story structure consisting of one wide central arch for the road traffic, flanked on both sides by narrower arches for pedestrians. On the upper part, four statues celebrate the 1660 Restoration of the Stuart monarchy: on the west side King Charles II is shown with his father King Charles I whose parents King James I and Anne of Denmark are depicted on the east side. Piercing the upper right corner of the rectangle are stems of orchids which frame the scene on either side. Below is a pair of mosquitos. The border consists of interlocking brackets filled with geometric patterns.

Livesley Powell & Co. was formed in 1845 by William Livesley, Edwin Powell, and Frederick Bishop. The Livesley family were potters in Hanley; Edwin Powell was a potter who had been apprenticed at Dimmocks of Hanley; and Frederick Bishop was a lawyer providing financial support to the venture. In 1866 William Livesley retired and the partnership became known as Powell and Bishop. In 1878 Powell and Bishop were joined by John Stonier who was a china and glass merchant in Liverpool, employing around 400 people. One of his company's specialties was fitting out liners of the day, such as Brunel's Great Britain and the ill-fated Titanic.

In 1880, Powell, Bishop and Stonier registered a new trademark to accompany their ivory or cream colored earthenware. This shows a seated Chinese man under a sunshade or umbrella containing the words ORIENTAL IVORY - their name for the earthenware body. This oriental ivory body and their green bodied porcelain were ideal vehicles for Japanese-inspired designs which were popular in the Victorian period. These often featured asymmetrical floral and bird designs.

In 1891 Duncan Watson Bishop and John Stonier created a new company trade mark BISTO, using the first letters of their surnames. This name was incorporated into the backstamp of the period - the Wand of Caduceus. In 1906 they were using an advertising slogan in the trade press 'The sun never sets on Bisto wares.' In the 1920s a new range of designs using bright and lustrous colors was produced, known as 'Aztec Ware.' Children's nursery ware was also produced featuring nursery rhymes and stories. Other wares of the 20th century period included bathroom sets, vases, and sardine dishes. In 1933, the company was taken over by George Jones & Sons. They continued to use the wand mark and also the mark of a bishop until 1939.