Intellectual Discussion Night: Signs of Southwark – What Our Streets Reveal

Southwark Culture & Intellectual Discussion: Urban History

Street name plates are more than just practical markers; they are fragments of London’s living history. Each plate captures a moment in time: the typography, the materials, and even the placement tell stories about the communities that named the streets and the councils that governed them.

This evening, we turn our attention to Southwark, one of London’s oldest and most characterful boroughs. From the medieval lanes of Bankside to the grand 19th-century developments of Bermondsey and Camberwell, Southwark’s street signs reveal the borough’s layered past: its industries, its reformers, its changing boundaries, and its shifting sense of identity.

Our guest speaker Simon Morris, publications secretary of the London Topographical Society, has cycled more than 3,000 miles around London documenting historic street name plates before they vanish through redevelopment or neglect. His meticulous photographic record captures everything from ornate Victorian cast ironwork to the distinctive red and black enamel plates of the London County Council era.

In this talk, tailored specially for our Intellectual Discussion Night, Simon will share highlights from his research and photography in Southwark, exploring what these small but significant details reveal about the borough’s evolution. Expect fascinating insights into how street names were chosen, how signage reflected civic pride, and how local residents sometimes resisted the changes that reshaped their neighbourhoods.

He will also share some of Southwark’s superlatives, including its longest, oldest, strangest, and most puzzling street name plates.

After Simon’s talk, we will open the floor for group discussion about the value of urban heritage, local identity, and how we decide what is worth preserving in a city that is constantly rebuilding itself.

About the guest speaker:
Simon Morris is the publications secretary of the London Topographical Society, specialising in the historic growth, mapping, and organisation of 18th- and 19th-century London. His photographic archive documents thousands of name plates across the city, offering a unique window into London’s visual and civic history.

VERY LIMITED SPACES AVAILABLE SO PLEASE RSVP EARLY!

***Location: Disney Place, London SE1 1HP
It's a 1 minute walk from Borough tube station or an 8 minute walk from London Bridge station.

***Reminder: RSVP is mandatory to attend. Light refreshments included for this one but BYOB if you want something special.

***Please Note: The address will be sent directly via private message on Meetup to those approved to join discussion night. Please have your notifications turned on for private messages.