There are a number of commemoration activities planned to mark the centenary.
Lloyd's commemoration service
To mark a century since the San Francisco earthquake, Lloyd’s held a commemoration ceremony in the Underwriting Room at One Lime Street on Tuesday 18 April. This included a live link up to the official ceremony in San Francisco, as well as a performance by the Lloyd’s choir.
Official commemorations
The Mayor’s Office of Protocol and the Historical Society held a commemoration at Lotta’s Fountain on Tuesday 18 April. The fountain served as the communication point for thousands of worried San Franciscans looking for news of their families and homes after the devastation.
Lord Levene's opening remarks at San Francisco earthquake centenary dinner
Radio programme
An hour-long radio programme, sponsored by Lloyd’s, has been produced which tells the story of the quake. It will be broadcast by networks across the US to commemorate the centenary.
Historical Society Gala Dinner
The Mayor’s office, along with the San Francisco Museum and Historical Society and the Chinese Historical Society of America, hosted a Gala on Monday 17 April. The dinner was held in the Palace Hotel, which was destroyed by the fire following the earthquake. It was originally built in 1875 and at that time was the largest hotel in the world and the first to have elevators and telephones. At the time of the earthquake it was thought the hotel would survive the fire as it has its own water supply. However, the water was siphoned off by the San Francisco fire department and the hotel burned to the ground.
Historical Exhibit at City Hall
The Historical Society coordinated an historical exhibit which will be displayed in City Hall. It focused on the rebuilding of San Francisco with the theme of “San Francisco Rising”. Lloyd’s sponsored the exhibit, which was in place for most of 2006.
Lloyd’s Cocktail Reception
Lord Peter Levene, Chairman of Lloyd’s will be hosting a cocktail reception at City Hall on Wednesday 19 April. During the reception, guests will have the opportunity to view the earthquake exhibit.
