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lccmunicipal.bsky.social
LCC municipal
@lccmunicipal.bsky.social
3.4K followers 2.6K following 800 posts
London County Council, Greater London Council, pre- and post-1965 boroughs in London (+ occasional forays outside of the capital). Municipal stuff from the past that lives on today. Oh, and new towns, shopping centres, infrastructure etc.
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lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Cover of the day: Leisure in the London Borough of Newham. Undated but looks to be late 1960s.
The cover is red and includes the Borough coat of arms in a white box. The title is LEISURE in the LONDON BOROUGH of NEWHAM
December 15, 2025 at 9:04 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Thamesmead - The First Areas. This is undated, but appears to be from around 1976: A GLC brochure outlining the work done on the initial Thamesmead areas (I, II ,IIA and IIID). This first phase of work produced nearly 4,200 dwellings.
TH cover is black and white with three narrow portrait photos of elements of the Thamesmead development. The title is GLC Thamesmead, The First Areas. The images are uncredited. A black and white photo of Southmere, with low rise housing to the left and, on the right and in the distance, a number of point blocks. A child looks out across the lake. The image is uncredited. Linear blocks in Area 1, looking on to Harrow Manorway. The angular blocks rise to about 4 storeys. The image is uncredited. A view across Southmere Lake to point blocks and linear housing in Area 1. The image is uncredited.
December 15, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Reposted by LCC municipal
staceynwing.bsky.social
@lccmunicipal.bsky.social Hullo, saw this in a market earlier.
December 14, 2025 at 2:22 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
The Cement & Concrete Association: diligent chroniclers of the UK’s post-WW2 infrastructure projects, always in shades of blue and grey!
The covers of six documents produced by the Cement and Concrete Association. They are: - The Medway Bridge on the M.2 motorway - The Preston-Lancaster section of M.6 Motorway - The Story of the M.2 Motorway - THE Hammersmith Flyover - M1 southern extension - Mancunian Way
December 14, 2025 at 2:02 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Today’s municipal treasure: a London Borough of Hammersmith 1st place swimming (presumably, given it’s a gala?) medal from 1971:
The medal is gold in colour with London Borough of Hammersmith written around the edge in a blue band (& Fulham was added later in the decade). In the middle is the Borough’s coat of arms. According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_the_London_Borough_of_Hammersmith_and_Fulham): The wavy lines in the main field of the shield are taken from the coat of arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Fulham and are a symbol for the River Thames and its water. The hammers and horseshoe are a pun on the name of Hammersmith and come from the coat of arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith. The red chief has charges from the coat of arms of the former Fulham arms. The crossed swords are taken from the coat of arms of the Diocese of London and the mitre stands for the Bishop of London since the Parishes of Fulham and Hammersmith used to constitute a manor belonging to the bishop. The back of the medal says: BOROUGH GALA 1971 1 st
December 13, 2025 at 10:52 AM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
It’s Saturday Morning Municipal Street Lighting Nerd Club. Here is the Philips MA 30. Never that common, but it occasionally found favour in the late 70s and early 80s. Some old Google street view pics from Bromley and Greenwich here, and I recall them in Lambeth, Richmond and RBKC...
A circular lantern when viewed from above with a white canopy and a dish-like clear plastic bowl beneath. A circular lantern when viewed from above with a white canopy and a dish-like clear plastic bowl beneath. This is a 2020 Google Street View image from Banning Street, Greenwich A circular lantern when viewed from above with a white canopy and a dish-like clear plastic bowl beneath. This is a 2020 Google Street View image from Bromley High Street
December 13, 2025 at 8:01 AM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Walked past the Brewer Street NCP car park this morning - I’ve always liked this one. From 1929, by Robert Sharp and J.J. Joass.
Per Historic England (extract): Statutory Address: NCP MULTI STOREY CAR PARK, 32-36, BREWER STREET The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. County: Greater London Authority District: City of Westminster (London Borough) Parish: Non Civil Parish National Grid Reference: TQ 29501 80919 Details 1900/0/10300 BREWER STREET 22-MAR-02 32-36 NCP Multi Storey Car Park II Multi-storey car park. 1929. Robert Sharp (1884-1950) with J.J. Joass (1868-1952). Steel and concrete frame, glazed ceramic front elevation, copper-clad dome, brick-clad side and rear elevations; steel Crittall windows. PLAN: long rectangular site with forecourt to front, projecting tower at south-west corner. Basement with four upper floors, reached via ramps along west side of building. Lifts and stairs behind tower; other stairs on centre of east side, near Ingestre Place entrance. EXTERIOR: Classical-Moderne style front elevation. Ground floor originally part-glazed, now open. Upper floors fronted with seven bay front articulated with pilasters, with alternating strips of terracotta and windows, with plain square panels below each opening; parapet above. Recessed easternmost bay with narrow windows to each floor. Canted tower to left of four floors, with plain rectangular openings on each floor to the front three sides; open dome above cornice. Blank front of tower formerly sported a painted inscription panel reading 'LEX GARAGE'. Four bay return to southern part of Lexington Street with pilasters. Eastern flank elevation of unadorned concrete frame with brick in-fill and similar windows, containing secondary entrance. Faded painted sign reading GARAGE on north return. INTERIOR: parking originally for 1,000 cars over 121,000 sq ft of parking apace over five floors. Largely unencumbered floor plates with ramped access at west side, Heavy concrete beams carry floors above. Turntables formerly in centre of each floor now removed.
December 12, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by LCC municipal
municipaldreams.bsky.social
With the grand reopening last weekend of Hornsey Town Hall - 'the quintessential English modern public building' of the 1930s - it's a good time to revisit my earlier post on the building and its history (with some pre-restoration pics):
municipaldreams.substack.com/p/hornsey-to...
Marbled lobby area Grand entrance stairway Concert hall and assembly room Rear of assembly room
December 12, 2025 at 5:21 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Lost logos of the London Boroughs: I found myself in Columbia Road today, home to some LB Tower Hamlets lost logos. The 1970s castle-and-river one was the result of a public competition, the £100 prize won by an M.S. Shea of Newhaven, East Sussex. The Bethnal Green Neighbourhood one covers 1986-94.
A “No Dogs” sign with the 1970s castle-and-river Tower Hamlets logo A street sign for Gosset Street E2, featuring the green logo of Bethnal Green neighbourhood. The 1986 Liberal administration divided Tower Hamlets into devolved neighbourhoods as an experiment in local democracy. A close up of the green logo of Bethnal Green neighbourhood, featuring the distinctive curve of the Thames round the Isle of Dogs together with the image of a branch from a mulberry tree. The 1986 Liberal administration divided Tower Hamlets into devolved neighbourhoods as an experiment in local democracy. A sign saying: SCHOOL KEEP CLEAR PLEASE DON’T STOP ON SCHOOL MARKINGS TOWER HAMLETS ROAD SAFETY ADVISORY COMMITTEE It features the 1970s castle-and-river logo
December 12, 2025 at 4:45 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Some lovely tiles from Evelyn James’ bathroom at West Dean, West Sussex
Tiles in a lattice shape - various shades of blue/green/turquoise, with white square tiles in between Brown, white, green and blue mosaic tiles forming an image of a fish and marine plants
December 11, 2025 at 9:05 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Cover of the day: from 1967 and the start of the Plummer era - the GLC’s London’s Roads, a programme for action. The motorway box was at the centre of policy (although, sometimes forgotten, so too were traffic restrictions and public transport), but the Ringways were not yet fully formed as an idea.
The cover is olive green and features a large steering wheel design. In each segment of the steering wheel are black and white pictures related to transport in London: the Bow flyover, a mock up of one of the motorway box cross routes, and buses and taxis in central London. The GLC coat of arms is in the centre of the wheel. The title is London's roads, a programme for action.
December 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Reposted by LCC municipal
mikeyashworth.bsky.social
From the 1936 catalogue of the Tipton electrical manufacturing company of Revo. "Typical" street lighting installations inc. some v Thirties seaside stuff as well as the old Marble Arch layout in London. @simonbriercliffe.bsky.social @sabre-roads.org.uk @roads.org.uk @lccmunicipal.bsky.social
The catalogue, Issue Number 16, "Electrical Lighting Equipment" was a near 250 page book issued by the Tipton based Revo Electric Company Limited and although undated is believed to have been published in 1936. It shows thirteen sections of equipment and accessories that were also, I suspect, possibly issued individually. The company also issued other catalogues for their domestic and industrial electrical equipment as well as traffic and road signs and equipment. The company had its origins in the Cable Accessories Company Limited formed in 1907 by F.H.Reeves and the company prospered over the coming decades becoming the Revo Electric Company Limited in 1930. In 1956 Revo became part of Duport, originally known as Vono and with whom the Revo founder had links, and in the 1960s the company was effectively split up with the lighting business becoming Relite. The catalogue includes some pages showing images of installations of the company's lighting equipment. These four photographs show; the new Peasholm Bridge in Scarborough in Yorkshire, with column lighting on the street and parapet, with the design 'complementing' the reinforced concrete construction; the Pavilion Gardens in Bournemouth, with 'monumental' columns and fittings, the new Marine Promenade in New Brighton, Cheshire, showing the very fancy columns and brackets along with lanterns; Marble Arch in Westminster with columns, brackets and lanterns. Revo supplied Westminster with equipment for many years. The four photos are all framed in deep green with the Revo logo either side of the title text.
December 7, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by LCC municipal
mikeyashworth.bsky.social
Some Saturday street lighting nerdery for @lccmunicipal.bsky.social : pages from the 1927/28 GEC catalogue with the early versions of the Wembley lanterns. GEC Osram's labs were in the Middlesex borough & so their streets were useful for in-situ tests as electric lighting technology developed.
The 'abridged' bound GEC catalogue of 1927-28 that itself runs to just short of one thousand pages and that covers 'everything electrical' from generating station equipment to domestic applainces, lamps, cables and many other items in the various sections. Section VI contains several styles of lanterns described as both 'waterproof' as well as specifically 'street lighting' lanterns; the former were also able to fulfill street lighting requirements. The company also advertised a relatively small range of columns, brackets and 'cradles' for street lighting purposes. The GEC 'range' of columns and brackets was never excessive and, in nearly all cases, were 'badged engineered' products of other foundries or tube makers. By the 1930s, as electric street lighting grew in popularity and started to usurp gas lighting, the GEC range would, in common with other rivals such as Revo of Tipton, grow in both range and types becoming more 'scientific' as lighting technology developed. As well as the lanterns that were usually manufactured in their Birmingham works, the 'Osram' lamps themselves were made in London and in time the Wembley works became specialist in such products. Many lanterns, and indeed columns, were 'named' after towns and cities that had specified or even effectively designed aspects of them alongside GEC engineers and that the GEC went on to produce. These were then available for wider sales. This is a good example as the streets of Wembley were well placed for in-situ trials of various lanterns and lamps developed in GEC Osram laboratories based in the Middlesex town. Various developments of this lantern, and others, carried the Wembley name for several decades this being the FC. 6046/7 series. The 'abridged' bound GEC catalogue of 1927-28 that itself runs to just short of one thousand pages and that covers 'everything electrical' from generating station equipment to domestic applainces, lamps, cables and many other items in the various sections. Section VI contains several styles of lanterns described as both 'waterproof' as well as specifically 'street lighting' lanterns; the former were also able to fulfill street lighting requirements. The company also advertised a relatively small range of columns, brackets and 'cradles' for street lighting purposes. The GEC 'range' of columns and brackets was never excessive and, in nearly all cases, were 'badged engineered' products of other foundries or tube makers. By the 1930s, as electric street lighting grew in popularity and started to usurp gas lighting, the GEC range would, in common with other rivals such as Revo of Tipton, grow in both range and types becoming more 'scientific' as lighting technology developed. As well as the lanterns that were usually manufactured in their Birmingham works, the 'Osram' lamps themselves were made in London and in time the Wembley works became specialist in such products. Many lanterns, and indeed columns, were 'named' after towns and cities that had specified or even effectively designed aspects of them alongside GEC engineers and that the GEC went on to produce. These were then available for wider sales. Such an example were these, the Wembley Suburban lanterns (F.5171 and F.5173) designed to take 100/150W or 200W Osram lamps. Wembley's streets were very convieniently located for the GEC Osram laboratories to carry out in-situ tests.
December 6, 2025 at 5:41 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
It’s Saturday Morning Municipal Street Lighting Nerd Club. Last week the popular Philips SGS 203, this week the less common SGS 204. You can still see some of these on the M25 between Wisley and Addlestone and, as the last picture shows, they used to be popular in Kensington & Chelsea.
The lantern has a cut off bowl, so no clear plastic or glass is visible when looked at in profile. The lantern is broadly rectangular in profile shape but with a slight kink on the underside corner. The canopy is grey. The grey underside of the lantern! The lantern has a cut off bowl, so no clear plastic or glass is visible when looked at in profile. The lantern is broadly rectangular in profile shape but with a slight kink on the underside corner. The Philips logo, model number (SGS 204) and, presumably, serial number (910400442918) A Google streetview image of the Kings Road in Kensington and Chelsea. Two SGS 204s are visible, both with black canopies. The image dates from 2008 shortly before the lamp post and lantern were replaced.
December 6, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Reposted by LCC municipal
ianvisits.co.uk
The King has commanded that the Greater London Authority (GLA) shall be allowed to use the coat of arms that once belonged to its predecessor, the GLC.

www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
The King grants the Mayor of London permission to use the GLC’s historic coat of arms
The King has commanded that the Greater London Authority (GLA) shall be allowed to use the coat of arms that once belonged to its predecessor, the GLC.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
December 2, 2025 at 7:25 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Cover of the day: from 1968, here is the Cement and Concrete Association’s brochure on the Western Avenue Extension aka Westway. It was published two years prior to the opening of the Westway, so it’s all artists’ impressions:
The title is: Western Avenue Extension The cover features a sketched perspective drawing of the so-called Northern Roundabout from ground level. The junction is an elevated roundabout linking Westway with the West Cross Route. Artist uncredited.
December 2, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Reposted by LCC municipal
tgpb.bsky.social
Following this nice pic of 70s EMI, two images:
1) postwar Gramophone production line (from Miriam Glucksman's "Women Assemble")
2) Gramophone-themed seating in the current redeveloped site

& two sections from my book:
3) TGWU women's dispute over the Sex Pistols
4) West London gentrification
December 1, 2025 at 8:35 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Cover of the day: from December 1973, a London Borough of Hillingdon consultation document on road improvements in Hayes. A great shot of the EMI factory, which dominates the scene.
A black and white photo on the cover of the document which is titled: London Borough of Hillingdon Bournes Bridge - Dawley Road Improvement Scheme. The photo features a car and lorry crossing a bridge, overshadowed by the HMV/EMI record factory in the background.
December 1, 2025 at 7:27 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
City of Westminster coat of arms, municipal car park, Whitcomb Street
Per Wikipedia: The current Westminster coat of arms was given by an official grant on 2 September 1964. Westminster had other arms before, which had a chief identical to the chief in the present arms. The symbols in the lower two thirds of the shield stand for former municipalities now merged with the city, Paddington and St Marylebone. The original arms had a portcullis as the main charge, which now forms the crest. Per Heraldry of the World: https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/wiki/Westminster_(London) Arms: Azure between two Wolves' Heads erased argent and on a Base wavy Argent and Azure a female Figure affrontée vested and mantled and on her sinister arm a Child also vested around the head of each a Halo all Or on a Chief of the last a Pallet Azure thereon a Cross flory between five Martlets Or being the arms of King Edward the Confessor between two united Roses Argent upon Gules. Crest: On a Wreath Or and Azure a Portcullis Sable studded and chained Or between on the dexter side a united Rose the flower Argent upon Gules and on the sinister side a Lily both stalked leaved and erect proper. Supporters: On either side a Lion Ermine the dexter gorged of a Mural Crown Azure charged with three Lily Flowers Argent the sinister gorged of a like Crown Or charged with two Swords in saltire Gules. Motto: 'CUSTODI CIVITATEM DOMINE' - O Lord, watch over the city
November 29, 2025 at 10:34 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
It’s Saturday Morning Municipal Street Lighting Nerd Club. Here is the Philips SGS 203. When High Pressure Sodium (SON) lighting came to the fore in the 1980s, this was one of four main products (Urbis, GEC and Thorn providing the others), that dominated Britain’s roads. Tower Hamlets loved these:
The lantern has a canopy that is rectangular in profile with a shallow bowl at one end. The bowl covers around one half of the underside of the lantern The Philips logo on the canopy Model details as follows: PHILIPS Made in E.U. PGS203 502-17PP 150W K 240V ST P1 9104 030 46312 1XSON - T 150W 240V 50HZ IP43
November 29, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Reposted by LCC municipal
mikeyashworth.bsky.social
"And now its all on the change". Screenshot from a 1960 BBC Archive film on redevelopment of the Elephant & Castle in London @lccmunicipal.bsky.social - an excavator about to trundle past an LCC sign.
Screenshot from a BBC Archive film of 1960 about the Elephant & Castle in London, 1960. an excavator about to trundle past an LCC sign with building work in the background. The area, badly Blitzed, was comprehensively redeveloped in the 1960s.
November 28, 2025 at 8:27 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Marsh/Seifert’s Space House looking sharp in the late autumn sunshine this afternoon:
Per Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_House The 16-storey tower was built using a façade of precast cruciform blocks of white concrete joined by dowels and dry grout. They were laid out in a grid pattern to allow fast and low-cost construction without the need to use a scaffold. Each block is of 10 feet (3.0 metres) diameter, the same height as each storey, with a precast concrete floor panel forming the base of each storey and radiating out from a central core. The base of the tower incorporates Y-shaped columns of capstone concrete as also used at Centre Point. The concrete units in the building were made by Portcrete Limited. The eight-storey block on Kingsway, now known as CAA House, was also built using precast concrete blocks, with the addition of a row of central supporting columns. It was laid out with a large central office space and services and circulation at each end of the building. Per Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_House The 16-storey tower was built using a façade of precast cruciform blocks of white concrete joined by dowels and dry grout. They were laid out in a grid pattern to allow fast and low-cost construction without the need to use a scaffold. Each block is of 10 feet (3.0 metres) diameter, the same height as each storey, with a precast concrete floor panel forming the base of each storey and radiating out from a central core. The base of the tower incorporates Y-shaped columns of capstone concrete as also used at Centre Point. The concrete units in the building were made by Portcrete Limited. The eight-storey block on Kingsway, now known as CAA House, was also built using precast concrete blocks, with the addition of a row of central supporting columns. It was laid out with a large central office space and services and circulation at each end of the building. Per Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_House The 16-storey tower was built using a façade of precast cruciform blocks of white concrete joined by dowels and dry grout. They were laid out in a grid pattern to allow fast and low-cost construction without the need to use a scaffold. Each block is of 10 feet (3.0 metres) diameter, the same height as each storey, with a precast concrete floor panel forming the base of each storey and radiating out from a central core. The base of the tower incorporates Y-shaped columns of capstone concrete as also used at Centre Point. The concrete units in the building were made by Portcrete Limited. The eight-storey block on Kingsway, now known as CAA House, was also built using precast concrete blocks, with the addition of a row of central supporting columns. It was laid out with a large central office space and services and circulation at each end of the building.
November 23, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by LCC municipal
mikeyashworth.bsky.social
For for @lccmunicipal.bsky.social - screenshot from a mid-60s BBC Archive film on Cockney accents and a view of a housing estate 'over the border' in Chigwell, Essex. @municipaldreams.bsky.social
screenshot from a mid-60s BBC Archive film on Cockney accents and a view of a housing estate 'over the border' in Chigwell, Essex. In colour a view of an estate of two story modernist maisonettes in a bleak grass courtyard dominated by a painted sign "GLC Housing Dept> Ball Games Prohibited".
November 23, 2025 at 1:58 PM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
It’s Saturday Morning Municipal Street Lighting Nerd Club. Sticking with Philips, here is the MA50, part of a family of award-winning lanterns developed in the mid-1970s, the largest of which, the MA60, would light much of the UK motorway network in the late 70s and 80s:
The lantern is a long and broadly rectangular in profile. It has a white GRP canopy and a clear plastic bowl beneath. The top of the white GRP canopy - a lolly stick shape: a long, thin rectangle with curved ends. The interior serial number confirming this is an MA50, made in the UK The Philips logo on the white GRP canopy
November 22, 2025 at 9:01 AM
lccmunicipal.bsky.social
Today’s municipal treasure: a Borough of Ealing lapel badge? The L.B.C. I assumed referred to London Borough Council, but the coat of arms is that of the pre-1965 Borough. So it probably refers to Ladies Bowls Club or some such (bowls clubs being especially good at appropriating civic heraldry).
Per http://www.civicheraldry.co.uk/middlesex.html Per chevron Gules and Argent in dexter chief two Swords in saltire and in sinister chief three Seaxes fessewise in pale proper all with pommels and hilts Or and in base an Oak Tree eradicated also proper. The crossed swords of St. Paul are from the arms of the See of London, to which the Manor of Ealing formerly belonged. The seaxes are from the arms of the Middlesex CC and the tree is said to be a sign that Ealing is 'growing and flourishing'.
November 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM