London in the 1940s: 13 pictures of life of Londoners in the forties

London in the 1940s wasn’t the easiest of times as the capital endured the Second World War's German bombing campaign known as the Blitz.

Citizens were evacuated from the city, while blackouts were imposed at night to frustrate German bombing attacks.

Londoners took shelter from bombs in locations such as London Underground stations.

According to the Royal British Legion, 116,000 buildings in London were destroyed or damaged beyond repair during the period.

Buildings including the Tate Britain and Victoria and Albert Museum still bear shrapnel marks to this day.

After the Allies declared victory in 1945, Clement Attlee’s Labour government won the election in a landslide.

Attlee's government instituted reforms such as establishing the NHS and nationalising utilities including gas and rail.

This period saw extensive reconstruction, with landmarks such as Waterloo Bridge and Heathrow Airport (then called London Airport) officially opening in 1945 and 1946 respectively.

Architect Patrick Abercrombie’s Abercrombie Plan for London’s reconstruction recommended the implementation of a “green belt”, and traffic routes which would later become the M25.

In 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Sir Philip Mountbatten in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey attended by 2000 guests.

London also hosted the 1948 Summer Olympics, the first Olympic Games since the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

In the same year, HMT Empire Windrush brought numerous Commonwealth citizens to Tilbury.

Many Windrush passengers, who were temporarily housed in an air-raid shelter in Clapham after arriving, later formed communities in nearby Brixton and Notting Hill.

Here are 13 pictures depicting life in London in the 1940s.