13 Photos Of London, Separated By 60 Years

    How the capital has changed over six decades.

    Luke Lewis
    by Luke Lewis

    BuzzFeed Executive Editor, UK

    1. Soho.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    Ice cream and fruit kiosks on the junction of Bear Street and Cranbourn Street, taken 2nd April 1948. And the same view today.

    2. Embankment.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The first photo shows decorations left along Victoria Embankment after a visit by the President of France Vincent Auriol, taken 8th March 1950.

    3. Haymarket.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The Gaumont Theatre on Haymarket taken 19th October 1949. It closed down ten years later, having operated for thirty years. Haymarket is still a theatrical hub, though this particular building is now a branch of RBS bank.

    4. Hungerford Bridge.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    A steam train passes over the Hungerford Bridge with taxis queuing underneath at Embankment Place, taken 9th April 1949. Today the area underneath the bridge has been partly pedestrianised.

    5. Old Compton Street.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The Casino Theatre on Old Compton Street, taken 31st July 1947. Today a theatre still stands on the same spot, though it has been renamed the Prince Edward Theatre.

    6. London Pavilion.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The Pavilion had been a popular theatre and cinema for over 100 years when it closed its doors in 1986. The Victorian building is now home to the Ripley's Believe It Or Not oddity museum.

    7. Piccadilly Circus.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The junction of Piccadilly Circus, taken 23rd July 1948, and the same view today. The intersection's first electric advertisements appeared in 1910.

    8. Rupert Street.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The first photo of this Soho street, taken 13th September 1948, shows a number of market stalls. These have almost all now vanished.

    9. Hyde Park Corner.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    When the first photo was taken at Hyde Park Corner, on 29th March 1951, this was the front of St George's Hospital. These days it's the Lanesborough Hotel, and the area in general is much more posh.

    10. Trafalgar Square.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    The first of these photos was taken on 17th November 1953. These days there is an awful lot more road clutter.

    11.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    Another view of Trafalgar Square, this time looking south by Nelson's Column. The first of these was taken 18th December 1949.

    12. Westminster.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    Trenching works at St George Street next to Parliament Street, taken 24th March 1949. The area looks much the same today, but for the traffic lights.

    13. Whitehall.

    JEFF MOORE/PA Photos /Landov

    Trafalgar Square looking south down Whitehall and Northumberland Avenue. The first of these photos was taken 18th December 1949. Over the intervening decades, the giant Bovril sign has disappeared, road traffic has increased, and trees have sprouted up.