United Service Transport Co Ltd mosaic

The United Service Transport Co Ltd mosaic in Wandsworth is now restored and looks wonderful. The 43-foot long mosaic in Southfields, dating from the heyday of coach travel in 1929, was officially unveiled today with the ringing of a bell from local historian Clive Williams. Local primary school children had made mini mosaics and read out ideas for their own ‘transport company’ and HOLT Director Nicola Stacey and Southfields Grid Residents' Association Chair, Charles Runcie, spoke. We are delighted to have been able to support this fantastic community project and grateful to all the donors and supporters who helped make it happen.

Click here and here for stories about the restoration in the local news.

Listen below to a local radio piece:

Guilford Place fountain

Work has begun on the restoration of a Grade II listed fountain at the site of one of London’s earliest fresh water sources, the ‘conduit’ in Lamb’s Conduit Street.  The Guilford Place fountain in Bloomsbury was erected in 1870 in memory of Mrs Francis Whiting by her daughters, who lived in nearby Mecklenburgh Square.  It has a sculptured marble figure of the ‘Woman of Samaria’ pouring water from a jug, from the Biblical story of Jesus’s meeting with a Samaritan woman at a well. 

The fountain had not been working for some years and was in poor repair. It is the 12th historic fountain to be fully restored by HOLT and the project is being generously supported by the Jones Day Foundation, local resident Roger Cline and WC Bars Bloomsbury. As part of our Proud Places programme, students from Westminster Kingsway College have been visiting the site to meet the stonemasons at work and taken part in creative workshops.

Bowie Bandstand launch

The unveiling of the Bowie Bandstand in Bromley was a great success and it looks fantastic. The Mayor and local school children as part of our Proud Places programme showed off their gilding skills and a range of brilliant local talents sang and performed. The bandstand is now open to the public following its restoration. Our great thanks to Knight Frank who supported this project.