K6 Telephone Kiosk outside St Peter's Terrace

Summary

A K6 telephone kiosk, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

Reasons for Designation

The K6 telephone kiosk in Grove Lane, Cambridge is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:

Architectural interest:

* as an iconic example of industrial design, showing Sir Giles Gilbert Scott's adaptation of neoclassical forms for a modern technological function.

Historic interest:

* the K6 telephone kiosk was designed to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935 by the eminent architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, further developing his successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924.

Group value:

* for its strong visual relationship with the Grade II* former Addenbrooke’s Hospital, which later became the Judge Business School, and more than 20 Grade II listed buildings and structures.

History

The K6 telephone kiosk is a milestone of C20 industrial design. The K6 was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 for the General Post Office, on the occasion of King George V's Silver Jubilee. The K6 was a development from his earlier highly successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924, of neoclassical inspiration. The K6 was more streamlined aesthetically, more compact and more cost effective to mass produce. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was one of the most important of modern British architects; his many celebrated commissions include the Anglican cathedral of Liverpool and Battersea Power Station. The K2 and K6 telephone kiosks can be said to represent a very thoughtful adaptation of architectural tradition to contemporary technological requirements. Well over 70,000 K6s were eventually produced. In the 1960s many were replaced with far plainer kiosk types. But many still remain and continue to be an iconic feature on Britain's streetscapes.

It is not known when this K6 was positioned here, as it does not appear on any previous versions of the Ordnance Survey map. It bears the motif of the crown with “ER” so was made in or after 1952 when Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne.

Details

K6 telephone kiosk, designed in 1935 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

The K6 is a standardised design made of cast iron, painted red overall with long horizontal glazing to the door and sides, and with the crowns situated on the top panels being applied not perforated. There are rectangular white display signs, reading TELEPHONE beneath the shallow curved roof.

The kiosk is in good overall condition and survives well. The telephone equipment was in-situ at the time of the assessment for listing (2021).

The kiosk is located on the end of Grove Lane, at its junction with Trumpington Street. It is located in the Cambridge Historic Core Central Conservation Area, and is surrounded by listed buildings and structures on all sides. To the south it is opposite the mid-C19 1-7 St Peter’s Terrace, listed at Grade II, and the separately listed gates and railings to St Peter’s Terrace, also Grade II. To the east, opposite, are 21 Trumpington Street, a C17 timber-framed house, and numbers 13-14, 15-16, 17, 18-19, a row of Grade II listed early-C19 houses forming a historic group with each other. To the east of the K6 is a group of listed “Richardson candles” bespoke lampposts, listed at Grade II, and the runnels to Hobson’s Conduit, the historic water supply to the city, also listed at Grade II. To the immediate north-east of the kiosk is the listed Judge Business School, previously the old Addenbrooke’s hospital, converted in the 1980s in a post-modern style, and listed at Grade II*, and its separately Grade II listed gates, gatepiers and railings. Also to the north-east, outside the old Addenbrooke’s hospital, is another K6 telephone kiosk, listed at Grade II.

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