Aerial Photographs


Greater London: air photo mosaics

The sixteen photomaps show greater London, they were compiled between 1945-51 by the Royal Air Force for the Ordnance Survey. Destruction from the German bombing campaign in 1940 and 1941, the Blitz, can be seen in several of the photos. During the capturing of these images, the Ordnance Survey was headquartered at Chessington, where they stayed until the late 1960s. These sixteen photomaps do not cover all of London, while the series is incomplete in coverage these sixteen photomaps are the entirety of what was published. 

Each photomap contains a unique identifier code, the date of and area shown on each photomap follows (listed by identifier code).

51/2679 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. June 1947.
Prince Consort Road, Prince’s Gardens, Exhibition Road

51/2679 N.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. July 1946.
Kensington road, Rotten row, Kensington Gardens

51/2679 N.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. July 1946.
Kensington road

51/2779 S.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. October 1946.
Egerton Terrace, Brompton Road, Ennismore Gardens, Montpelier Row

51/2878 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947. 
Peabody Avenue, Sutherland Street, Winchester Street

51/2878 S.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947. 
Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea Bridge Road, Pimlico Road, Commercial Road

51/2977 N.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1945.
Glamorgan Street, Ranelagh Road

51/2878 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947. 
Pulford Street, Bessborough Street, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Ronsonby Place

51/2980 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947.
Regent Street, Cockspur Street, The Mall

51/2989 N.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1945.
Regent Street, Haymarket, Leicester Square, Charing Cross Road

51/2981 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1947.
Charing Cross Road, Dean Street

51/3078 S.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947.
Bridgefoot, Grosvenor Road, Albert Embankment

51/3078 N.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. May 1947.
Dundonald Street, Atterbury Street, Lambeth Bridge

51/3081 S.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1947.
New Oxford Street, Endel Street, Drury Lane

51/3081 S.E. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1947.
Kingsway, Drury Lane, Lincolns Inn Fields

51/3181 S.W. prepared from air photographs taken by R.A.F. August 1947.
Chancery Lane, Fetter Lane, Hoe Lane