Dolphin Streetlamps Embankment London

Images of Britain: Dolphin Streetlamps

Dolphin Streetlamps, River Thames. — Dolphin Streetlamps, River Thames, London

During the late nineteenth century the Thames riverfront in central London underwent major development with the construction of embankments, the Victoria Embankment and the Albert Embankment being two most well known.

With these new public promenades it became necessary to install street lighting to make them safe at night and competitions were held to design ornamental lampposts.

The most popular design, and the one chosen, was by George Vulliamy, an architect of the Metropolitan Board of Works, and is of two large fish with their bodies wrapped around the post. He based his design on statues around a fountain in Piazza del Popolo in Rome.

Often referred to as dolphins, it seems the creatures are actually sturgeon. The design has remained popular and further copies were added along the embankments on both sides of the river in 1977 as part of the Queen's Silver Jubilee.