Heritage
A Landmark Built for the People
Designed by RP Whellock, dated 1890, and bequeathed by gas industry philanthropist George Livesey — the building at 682 Old Kent Road has served Southwark's community for over 130 years.
1834 — 1908
A Philanthropist's Legacy
George Livesey (1834–1908) was Company Secretary and later Chairman of the South Metropolitan Gas Company. A committed philanthropist and advocate for worker profit-sharing, he gifted the building at 682 Old Kent Road to the people of Camberwell as a free public library — one of the first in South London.
A bronze statue of Livesey stands in the forecourt of the building to this day, a lasting reminder of the civic generosity that brought it into existence.
Protected Status
II
Grade Listed
Grade II Listed
The Livesey Building is listed at Grade II on the National Heritage List for England, recognising its special interest as a well-preserved example of late Victorian civic architecture. The listing protects the building's external and principal internal features, requiring any works to be carried out to the highest conservation standards.
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