The 1950s Collection

Choose from 60 images in our The 1950s Collection

Foggy London. Policeman, Strand a100360
The Strand, London. A City of London traffic policeman outside the Charing Cross Hotel, using outstretched arms to control vehicles, sometime between 1946 and 1959

Breathe in that sea air JLP01_08_021440
Ilfracombe, North Devon. A side view of a man, women and children posed on a beach, with boats in the water beyond, during a Laing staff trip to Ilfracombe in June 1954

Portscatho Harbour, Cornwall OP04507
PORTSCATHO HARBOUR, Gerrans, Cornwall. A young boy looking down towards tethered boats in the harbour at Portscatho. Photographed by John Gay during 1950s-1960s

Flying Boat JRU01_01_109
TOWER BRIDGE, TOWER HILL, TOWER HAMLETS, GREATER LONDON. A Short Sunderland flying boat on the River Thames at Tower Bridge, with the bridge in the background, during the Battle of Britain Week

Coronation decorations JRU01_01_088
THE MALL, CITY OF WESTMINSTER, GREATER LONDON. Looking along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace, showing decorations for the coronation of Elizabeth II

Coastal flooding 1953 EAW048271
JAYWICK SANDS, Essex. Aerial photograph taken on 2nd February 1953 showing flooded housing following the great East Coast storm surge which hit the coast overnight on 31st January

Housing estate GOM01_05_029_09
Walsingham Road, Walcot East, Swindon, Wiltshire. A view looking north west along Walsingham Road with number 5 in the left foreground and houses at the entrance to Darnley Close in the background

Dockmaster JLP01_01_064_41
TILBURY DOCKS, CHADWELL ST MARY, THURROCK, ESSEX. Captain W. R. Crouch, Dockmaster at Tilbury Docks, directing operations in the lock as the cooling water intake caisson for Coryton Oil Refinery

Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, Dorset a091482
Women walking down Gold Hill in Shaftesbury, Dorset, a steep cobbled road running between picturesque cottages and the walls of St Mary and St Edwards Abbey. Photographed by John Gay, late 1950s

Play Street Pimlico GOM01_05_061_35
Tachbrook Estate, Pimlico, Greater London. Malcolmson House flats viewed from the junction of Grosvenor Road and Aylesford Street

Barton Swing Aqueduct a98_05171
Boats on the Barton Swing Aqueduct, carrying the Bridgewater Canal over the Manchester Ship Canal. Trafford, Greater Manchester. Photographed by Eric de Mare sometime in the 1950s

Rail Crash EAW047081
The aftermath of the Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash, Wealdstone. A locomotive lies on its side and mangled carriages are strewn about

Tobacconists SHC01_01_038
House of Bewlay, 24 Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire. A view showing the interior of the House of Bewlay shop, 1950s

Tobacconists SHC01_01_037
House of Bewlay, 24 Fishergate, Preston, Lancashire. A view showing the exterior of the House of Bewlay shop, 1950s

Rebuilding Lambeth OP35458
St Johns Church, Waterloo Road, Lambeth, Greater London. Exterior view from the north-west of St Johns Church, showing the building surrounded by scaffolding during rebuilding following bomb damage

The Queen P_C00425_003
Coronation Procession for Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. Admiralty Arch, The Mall, City of Westminster, Greater London. The Gold State Coach carrying Queen Elizabeth II past Admiralty Arch during

March past P_C00427_010
Coronation Procession for Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. City of Westminster, Greater London. New Zealand servicemen marching past during the coronation procession of Queen Elizabeth II

Gold State Coach P_C00427_007
Coronation Procession for Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. Parliament Square, City of Westminster, Greater London. Crowds in Parliament Square watching as the Gold State Coach carrying Queen Elizabeth II

Primary School JLP01_08_07726
VALLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL, WHINLATTER ROAD, COPELAND, CUMBRIA. Schoolchildren engaged in various activities in a classroom at Valley Primary School

Boat ride JLP01_08_021558
SKEGNESS, EAST LINDSEY, LINCOLNSHIRE. A couple and a young boy in a boat on a water ride during a Laing staff day trip to Skegness

Playtime JLP01_08_007740
Maryport Primary School, Maryport, Allerdale, Cumbria. Schoolchildren playing during breaktime at Maryport Primary School, September 1952

Hula hooping JLP01_08_053753
Goodwyn Hall, Mill Hill, Barnet, Greater London. A crowd of people watching men and women hula hooping at a New Year Party

Ford Pilot JLP01_07_016_004
A Ford Pilot car transporting Laing director W M Johnson and his wife during a staff outing to Weymouth. Ford Pilot cars were manufactured by Ford UK from August 1947 until 1951

Photo call JLP01_08_021709
Carlisle, Cumbria. A group of women posed for a photograph during a sports day at Laings Carlisle Sports Club. On 19th June 1954 an annual sports day was held at the Sports Club in Carlisle

Apple bobbing JLP01_08_021705
Carlisle, Cumbria. Two children competing in an apple bobbing contest as a group of children and adults watch, during a Laing sports day at Carlisle

Congratulations JLP01_08_055292
Harold Watkinson, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, shaking hands with labourer J. Singh, during a visit to the London to Yorkshire Motorway (the M1)

Sculpting the font JLP01_08_062033
COVENTRY CATHEDRAL, PRIORY STREET, COVENTRY. Ralph Beyer carving the baptismal font in Coventry Cathedral. Ralph Beyer (1921-2008)

New Cathedral rising JLP01_01_026_25
COVENTRY CATHEDRAL, PRIORY STREET, COVENTRY. A view from the north-east showing the north and east walls of Coventry Cathedral during its construction

Carlisle Technical College JLP01_01_117_23
Carlisle Technical College, Strand Road, Carlisle, Cumbria. A class of young men in an engineering workshop at Carlisle Technical College

Bournemouth Beach JLP01_08_008856
BOURNEMOUTH. Children playing on the beach and adults relaxing on deckchairs during a staff outing of the Laing London office to Bournemouth

Delivering groceries JLP01_08_048781
BERKELEY POWER STATION, BERKELEY, HAM AND STONE, STROUD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. The local butchers wife delivering supplies to Mrs Glover

South Bank Lion JRU01_01_129
South Bank Lion, York Road, Lambeth, Greater London. The South Bank Lion on a plinth outside the York Road entrance of Waterloo Station, viewed from the west

Stevenage New Town DAC01_03_009
Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Looking west towards the cycle and pedestrian paths beneath the carriageway of the Six Hills Roundabout at the junction of Six Hills Way and Lytton Way

Well dressing a98_11956
Youlgreave, Derbyshire. View showing a well dressing. Photographed by Hallam Ashley in June 1966

Female mannequins in shop window CC73_02302
Female mannequins on display in the shop window of the Peter Robinson department store on Oxford Street, London. c.1956. Showroom dummies. Photographed Edward J. Farmer, Campbells Press Studio

Festival Pleasure Gardens a077613
Festival Pleasure Gardens, Battersea Park, Wandsworth, London. Passengers riding the waterchute fairground ride at the Battersea Festival Gardens, Greater London, illuminated at night

Stonehenge. Re-erection of Trilithon lintel in 1958 P50217
STONEHENGE, Wiltshire. Re-erection of Trilithon lintel 158 by the 60 ton Brabazon Crane, the larger of two cranes used to lift stones

Farnborough Air Show, 1952 EAW046639
Various aircraft on display in the Static Park for the Farnborough Air Show, 5th September 1952. Farnborough, Hampshire

Henley-On-Thames GOM01_05_068_03
Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire. The view towards Hart Street from Market Place showing cars parked in the foreground and the tower of St Marys Church in the distance

Severn Railway Bridge EAW038126
The Severn Railway Bridge, Sharpness, Gloucestershire, from the south, July 1951. The Golucester-Sharpness canal is in the foreground, crossed by a swing-bridge

Golfer drives AL0298_027
A professional golfer in full swing during a golf tournament on an unidentified English course. A caddy, to the left, is holding a sign saying " [S]weetman"

Hertford Square Coventry OP00980
Hertford Square, Coventry, West Midlands, 1953. John M Prest (1908-'86), silver gelatin DOP (developing out paper) print. A van

Tulip picking, Lincolnshire a98_09310
Fulney, Spalding, Lincolnshire. The tulip was introduced into Europe in the 16th century from Turkey and takes its name from the French word for turban. It became an important cash crop

Bridgnorth, Shropshire a079455
BRIDGNORTH, Shropshire. A view of the High Street in 1953, looking north towards the timber-framed Town Hall in the middle of the road. John Gay

The Church Stairs, Whitby a98_15465
THE CHURCH STAIRS, Whitby, North Yorkshire. A baker makes deliveries, climbing the steps from the quayside to the church. 1950s. Hallam Ashley

Pleasure Gardens EAW035839
Festival of Britain, London 1951. The Festival Pleasure Gardens, Battersea Park, with fun fair and crowds. Photographed 12 May 1951

After the flood a53_10717
Lyn Valley Hotel, Lynmouth, Devon. A view of the hotel after the disastrous flood of 15/16 August 1952. This is one of a series of views of Lynmouth taken by James Nelson both before

Festival of Britain a67_00186
Festival of Britain, South Bank, Lambeth, London. A nightime view across the Thames looking towards the South Bank Exhibition site during the Festival of Britain showing Skylon illuminated

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