This is the most beautiful Victorian-era lamppost in all of London!

This wonderful lamppost is Grade II listed, and therefore protected for its historical significance.

Lamppost Tooting Broadway London — © Wonders of London

This structure, which is located in Tooting Broadway just outside the tube station, originally had 3 purposes.

The first was to illuminate, there are in fact 5 fantastic gas lamps that have recently been restored and are still working.

The second purpose was, and still is, to give directions, with the 4 signs showing the way to Croydon, Wimbledon, Wandsworth and London.

The third purpose is perhaps the least obvious at first glance, but just look closely at the base. These are four ventilation panels, which once supplied fresh air to the toilets below, which of course now no longer exist.

We could not find the exact date of manufacture and installation of this street lamp, but we are certainly talking about the end of the 19th century.

Most probably the lamppost was made by the Walter Macfarlane firm of Glasgow, because if we move to the Strand, in front of the Royal Courts of Justice, we find another fantastic lamppost, really very similar to the one in Tooting, where it is possible to find the manufacturer’s plate.

Walter Macfarlane was the leading ornamental ironwork manufacturer in Scotland, trading from 1850 until 1965.

If you’re curious you can watch the video of this wonderful lamppost in London on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin!