It opened on 6 July 1840, as the City of London terminus for the L&BR (then known as the Commercial Railway).
ɪɾ ˈoʊpənd ˌɔn sˈɪks dʒuːlˈaɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi, æz ðə sˈɪɾi ʌv lˈʌndən tˈɜːmɪnəs fɚðɪ ˈɛl ænd bˌiːˈɑːɹ ðˈɛn nˈoʊn æz ðə kəmˈɜːʃəl ɹˈeɪlweɪ.