Preserving our past: Wandsworth’s historic street name plates rescued
Published: Thursday, August 14, 2025
Heritage signs across the borough, some of which are thought to be over 150 years old, are due to be carefully restored where possible, as part of our work to protect and celebrate local heritage and increase pride in our streets.
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Work is already underway, with our skilled contractors carefully restoring original cast-iron and enamel signs or creating high-quality like-for-like duplicates if plates are beyond repair. The aim is to preserve the character of Wandsworth’s streets while celebrating the borough’s proud history, one of the core themes of our year as London Borough of Culture 2025. This year we are aiming to restore or replace around 346 heritage signs, with more to come in following years.
Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This is about more than just signage, it’s about protecting our shared heritage and ensuring the unique character of our streets continues to instil pride in our neighbourhoods. We know many residents care deeply about their local street signs, and we’re committed to making sure they’re preserved with care and respect.”
The programme will continue over the coming months, prioritising areas where signs are most in need of repair. If you know of historic street name plates in poor condition or want to request a like-for-like replacement, everyone is encouraged to get in touch.
Michael Jubb, chair of Battersea society said: “The Heritage Street Nameplate Restoration Project enriches our present by celebrating our heritage, very much in line with the mission of the Battersea Society. We have welcomed the opportunity from Wandsworth Borough Council to help catalogue and protect these enamel and cast-iron signs, some of which date from the earliest days of the Borough. We especially appreciate the preservation of signs with ‘Borough of Battersea’, making a part of our history visible on the streets we walk today.”
Battersea resident Stephen wrote to us at the Council to say “thank you for repairing the old original street name on our house. It now looks wonderful.”
The Council has launched a new set of guarantees, to make sure we’re tackling the things that matter to you most. This is part of a wider project to renew 1,200 street name plates across the borough, making it easier and safer to move around.
Tell us about a broken or damaged street name sign that is no longer readable or functional and we will install a new one.