Then and Now: Somerleyton Road, Brixton
Photographic comparisons of old and modern views of Lambeth



1950 Built in the 1870s, Somerleyton Road was boasted a long row of large Victorian buildings, which were soon converted into boarding houses or flats. This was one of the main areas of West Indian settlement in the 1950s.
(pic: Greater London Record Office)



April 2003 Fifty years on and the scene has been completely transformed. In the 1970s, the entire area was completely flattened as part of an ambitious redevelopment plan, most of which - thankfully - never came to light. On the left you can see the corner of the Barrier Block. The council estate to the east has seen considerable investment in recent years, while the west side of the street is an ugly sprawl of unattractive council depots.



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