Statue of James Henry Greathead, London

The bronze figure standing in the middle of Cornhill is James Henry Greathead, a civil engineer whose work remains the literal foundation of the London Underground. He is depicted wearing a broad-brimmed hat, a nod to his South African birthplace, while studying a set of plans that detail the very tunnels beneath your feet. Greathead pioneered the travelling shield, a circular mechanical device that allowed engineers to excavate deep underground paths safely by supporting the earth as they moved forward. This invention made it possible to build the deep-level tube system that defines modern travel in London. The statue is a fitting tribute to his engineering legacy, serving as a functional ventilation shaft for the busy rail network hidden below the city streets.