IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Becmead Avenue, LONDON, SW16 1UH

Lift your eyes from the pavement and even in the most unpromising of places, all kinds of delights will reveal themselves to you. Above WHSmith's is a fine 1930s Art Deco style front. Note the stepped pediment at the top, vertical panels of windows, and the multi-paned leaded casements with decorative bands, the whole facade being set within an ornamental frame. Sharman's was a dress shop and drapers, no doubt dating from the time when Streatham was known as the "West End of South London". See here for a view of the whole terrace: Image]

Like all the Edwardian buildings in this area of the High Road, turrets and decorative gables abound. The section in the foreground dates from 1900, the further section from 1888. The intruder dates from c1970 and makes no concessions to its neighbours. The council report comments that it "creates a dead area along the red brick frontage", but even so the terrace as a whole is within the Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill Conservation Area. 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 ).

The building with clock and dome is Streatham Tate Library, the entrance is down Pinfold Road on the right. A grade II listed building of 1890-1.

On Streatham High Road; according to an inscription, "Tate Free Public Library", and a plaque, "A Gift to the Inhabitants of Streatham from Henry Tate Parkhill"; dated 1890. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/LeisureCulture/Libraries/LocalLibraries/StreathamLibrary.htm

A decoratively carved plaque inscribed with the name of the terrace. A full view of it can be seen here: Image]

A long terrace mostly dating from 1905 and running from Woodbourne Avenue to Becmead Avenue, and probably the main run of shops on the High Road. Like all the blocks in the area it has turrets at the corners and decorative stonework, plus a variety of shaped gables. The exception in the foreground with its blank brick front used to be Woolworths and dates from 1957. The other exception can be seen here: Image The whole terrace is within the Streatham High Road and Streatham Hill Conservation Area. 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 ).