Leonard Bentley
Piccadilly Circus: 1950
This is an anonymously published postcard showing Piccadilly Circus looking northwest towards Glasshouse and Sherwood Streets. Amongst an unusual clutch of advertising signs is the sign for the Odeon, Leicester Square. The White Tower played at the cinema from 17th August until 6th September 1950, it was a film with a mountaineering theme and starred Glen Ford, Lloyd Bridges, Claude Rains, Oscar Homolka, Sir. Cedric Hardwicke and the female interest was supplied by the Italian actress, Alida Valli otherwise known as Baroness Alida Maria Laura Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg. The West End address of Paripan Ltd of Egham in Surrey was at Sherwood House where their advertising signs are displayed. The Company produced several Paints and were known for their Paripan Enamel paint. The next sign is for the International Totalisator Pools Company, this Football pools Company had their main office in London and for a few years sponsored a successful Bicycle Racing Team. The last two signs refer to a clothing company and a tobacconists, the Van Raalte sign refers to the tobacconists shop immediately below the sign with the awning. The last sign, “Look your best in Windsmoor” advertised an English Company which made tailored and high-end women’s clothing from a factory in Tottenham, it was seventeen years old at this point and it is still going strong, its outlets are in Debenhams and John Lewis to name but two. The Company was referenced by John Betjeman in his 1954 poem “Middlesex".
“Fair Elaine the bobby-soxer,
Fresh-complexioned with Innoxa,
Gains the garden – father’s hobby -
Hangs her Windsmoor in the lobby,
Settles down to sandwich supper and the television screen”.
There is a police constable bottom left, he is wearing the new open neck tunic, shirt and tie which was introduced in 1949.
Piccadilly Circus: 1950
This is an anonymously published postcard showing Piccadilly Circus looking northwest towards Glasshouse and Sherwood Streets. Amongst an unusual clutch of advertising signs is the sign for the Odeon, Leicester Square. The White Tower played at the cinema from 17th August until 6th September 1950, it was a film with a mountaineering theme and starred Glen Ford, Lloyd Bridges, Claude Rains, Oscar Homolka, Sir. Cedric Hardwicke and the female interest was supplied by the Italian actress, Alida Valli otherwise known as Baroness Alida Maria Laura Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg. The West End address of Paripan Ltd of Egham in Surrey was at Sherwood House where their advertising signs are displayed. The Company produced several Paints and were known for their Paripan Enamel paint. The next sign is for the International Totalisator Pools Company, this Football pools Company had their main office in London and for a few years sponsored a successful Bicycle Racing Team. The last two signs refer to a clothing company and a tobacconists, the Van Raalte sign refers to the tobacconists shop immediately below the sign with the awning. The last sign, “Look your best in Windsmoor” advertised an English Company which made tailored and high-end women’s clothing from a factory in Tottenham, it was seventeen years old at this point and it is still going strong, its outlets are in Debenhams and John Lewis to name but two. The Company was referenced by John Betjeman in his 1954 poem “Middlesex".
“Fair Elaine the bobby-soxer,
Fresh-complexioned with Innoxa,
Gains the garden – father’s hobby -
Hangs her Windsmoor in the lobby,
Settles down to sandwich supper and the television screen”.
There is a police constable bottom left, he is wearing the new open neck tunic, shirt and tie which was introduced in 1949.