The Imperial International Exhibition was held in 1909. The displays
brought together goods and people from around the world to celebrate
Britain's imperial power. The figure on the front of this programme is
meant to symbolise Britain's world empire.
White City exhibition site
The White City was built to house public exhibitions. The Shepherd's Bush
site opened in 1908 with the Franco-British exhibition. Its grounds held
monumental pavilions styled on a mixture of European and Oriental palaces.
It also had water features and a large entertainment ground featuring the
latest fairground attractions. As the buildings were finished in white
plaster, the site was nicknamed 'The White City'.
Sporting connections
On the same site, the White City Stadium was also built for the fourth
Olympic Games in 1908. This went on to be a major venue for greyhound and
speedway motor racing.
