Piccadilly, London 1968

This authentic 1960s colour photograph offers a wide-angle view of the junction between St James’s Street and Piccadilly in 1968, looking east towards the distant hub of Piccadilly Circus. The image illustrates the one-way traffic system of the era, with vehicles such as a wood-panelled Morris Minor Traveller and a coach heading east. On the left, a large building is shrouded in extensive metal scaffolding, while the background reveals the ornate facades of the Burlington Arcade and various retail establishments. Visible signage includes “Sandeman, Port & Sherry” “Morgan & Ball,” and “Scotts,” alongside a vertical “Meakers” sign further down the thoroughfare. Pedestrians in late-sixties attire—including a man in a green Harrington-style jacket and a woman in a grey coat—cross the relatively quiet streets. Period details like the black-and-white striped traffic light poles and early-model bollards anchor the scene firmly in the mid-century. This digital download is a superb historical record of London’s West End, perfect to print for yourself as a piece of vintage urban wall art.