Festival of Britain construction site on South Bank
Festival of Britain construction site on South Bank
Return to festival of britain 254 items
Record No
91994
Title
Festival of Britain construction site on South Bank
Description
Construction of the Festival of Britain site, Waterloo Road, Waterloo. Held in the Summer of 1951, The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition of manufactured products and fair, intended to lift the spirits of post-war Britain, still in the grasp of austerity and rationing. More than eight million visited the main Festival site on London's South Bank. Here, the perimeter wall of the site is being constructed and a stream crane and construction materials are in view. The tall structure is the Shot Tower, built for Lambeth Lead Works in 1826. Described by the architect of the Festival, Sir Hugh Casson, as 'an extraordinary device', it was the only existing structure on the site to be retained. The gallery at the top was removed and replaced with a steel superstructure used during the Festival as a radio beacon. After the Festival it was demolished and on this site was built the Shell Centre, now the White House Apartments. On the right is the chimney of Lett's Wharf, now the site of the National Theatre
Date of execution
1951
Section
London Metropolitan Archives
Collection
LCC Photograph Library
Notes
- Updated 2010 10 28
Medium
photograph
Catalogue No
SC_PHL_01_259_F6887
London picture map location
Exact
Subjects
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