Leigham Hall Mansions, Streatham High Road

Image: © Stephen Richards Taken: Unknown

A pair of massive apartment blocks, with shops at street level, which help to form the character of this stretch of the High Road, no doubt in part because most of its buildings were designed by the same company, R. Toms and Partners. This one dates from c1936, and has Art Deco doors, green glazed pantile roofs, and, in common with other buildings on the road, full-height canted bays. The original sales brochures boasted "uniformed porters, electric lifts and separate tradesmen's entrance" as well as social facilities such as a swimming pool and dancing. It is within the Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill Conservation Area. The council's report amusingly comments that, "with the purchase of a flat the residents were buying a stylish lifestyle as seen in Mayfair or Bulgaria." No offence to Bulgarians - I'm sure it's a very stylish country right up there with Mayfair - but I think it's slightly more likely that they meant Belgravia. The course of Streatham High Road has been a major highway between London and Sussex since Roman times. Its current appearance is largely attributable to two major spells of development. The first was during the late C19th following the opening of Streatham Hill station in 1856, and the second was after 1911 when the line to Victoria was electrified. Though much-maligned and undoubtedly blighted by heavy traffic, closer examination reveals that the road is lined with a number of interesting buildings, some of which reflect the period between the wars when Streatham was a fashionable centre of entertainment. Information from Lambeth Council (http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/CE4B5CE1-0387-40ED-B5A9-273A5160C34A.htm ).

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