Then and Now: Effra Road, looking north
Photographic comparisons of old and modern views of Lambeth



c. 1900 Looking north towards Brixton town centre, a couple of horses pull their loads up the hill towards Herne Hill (Effra Road was on a horse-drawn bus route). Dominating the scene is the imposing tower of St Matthew's Church, built in 1822.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)



c. 1912 A decade later and the horse-drawn buses have been replaced by a tram service, drawing power from overhead cables. The trams linked Brixton and Herne Hill, running via Effra Road and Dulwich Road. In the background you can just see the top of the Town Hall clock tower, built in 1908.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)



June 2003 A remarkably unchanged scene, captured during a lull in the heavy traffic. St Matthew's church now sits in the middle of a busy roundabout, with the church now sharing its premises with a popular night club and restaurant.



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