Restoration of the Defaced 1930 Foundation Stone of the Lordship South Estate

On June 1st, 2024, while walking up Lordship Road, I was shocked to notice that the 1930 Foundation Stone of the Lordship South Estate had been defaced and completely covered in thick, black paint. It was particularly bizarre as it wasn’t the usual graffiti; it appeared to be a deliberate and premeditated act to erase the content of the foundation stone.

I contacted the local councillors and Tenant Management Officers of the Lordship South Estate, providing the officers with the names of companies that specialise in restoring vandalised monuments. I was encouraged by their response and willingness to have the foundation stone restored, as it is an important part of the estate’s history—and more broadly, Stoke Newington’s council housing history. The estate was only the second council housing scheme built by Stoke Newington Borough Council and the first to be constructed following the Housing Act of 1930.

It took two visits from the restoration company, and the stone was restored in late August. While the final result doesn’t perfectly replicate the appearance of the stone before it was defaced, it’s a positive outcome, ensuring that the content of the foundation stone remains readable.