Between 1939 and 1945, London and its environs experienced destruction on a huge scale, with air raids and rocket attacks reducing buildings and entire streets to rubble. The London County Council Bomb Damage Maps speak of the human experience of war — of loss and camaraderie, of tragedy and heroism — conjuring up the days of blackout and the 'Spirit of the Blitz'. They tell a story, moreover, that was echoed in towns and cities across Britain and throughout the world.
The maps, meticulously hand-coloured to document the level of damage being wrought, represent a key record of the destruction, the impact of which can still be seen in the capital’s urban and social landscapes. Featuring new, high-quality images of each of the 110 maps that make up the set, complete with archival tables of often grim statistics, this book marks the first time these remarkable documents – part historical artifacts, part social history – have been published for a general audience.
The book also includes a series of extraordinary photographs of the damage done to the City of London in particular, taken with a sympathetic yet unflinching eye by police constables Arthur Cross and Fred Tibbs.
The maps, meticulously hand-coloured to document the level of damage being wrought, represent a key record of the destruction, the impact of which can still be seen in the capital’s urban and social landscapes. Featuring new, high-quality images of each of the 110 maps that make up the set, complete with archival tables of often grim statistics, this book marks the first time these remarkable documents – part historical artifacts, part social history – have been published for a general audience.
The book also includes a series of extraordinary photographs of the damage done to the City of London in particular, taken with a sympathetic yet unflinching eye by police constables Arthur Cross and Fred Tibbs.
Extent: 288 pp
Format: Hardback
Publication date: 2015-08-31
Size: 36.5 x 26.5 cm
ISBN: 9780500518250
Introduction • The Attack on London • Architects and District Surveyors • Recording Ruin • Researching War Damage at the London Metropolitan Archives • Incidents • Statistics • The Maps • Photographing War Damage in the City of London
Press Reviews
The Times
Times Literary Supplement
Evening Standard, Books of the Year
Reference Reviews
About the Author
Laurence Ward is Principal Archivist at the London Metropolitan Archives.
You May Also Like
View more- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.