Kew's blackout trees
By: Anthony Hall - 20/02/2013
During the blackout in the Second World War, the edges of kerbs and some kerbside trees around Kew were painted white to help drivers find their way. Over sixty years later some trees on the Kew road still show traces of that time!
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Even though I have worked at Kew for nearly fourteen years, I am always coming across new historical facts. Recently a colleague of mine in the Arboretum asked me if I knew anything about the blackout trees on the Kew road! I didn't but was so intrigued I decided to try and find out more.
I came across a few articles on the subject, many showing old photographs and one in particular from the late Fifties showing some of the trees along the Kew road. Many still showed signs of the white bands painted on them in 1945, during the blackout, and which were still very obvious as late as 1979, as you can see in photograph below.
Common lime (Tilia x vulgaris) painted in 1945, photographed in 1979 (Photo: Nigel Hepper)
The same tree photographed in February 2013
There are fewer old trees around due to the Great Storm of 1987 and losses to disease, but photographs taken in an article in 2006 clearly showed some trees with blackout paint still visible. So here we are in 2013 some 68 years after they were originally painted.
These two trees both show the white lines (somewhat faded) painted on during the blackout in the Second World War
White lines painted on a black walnut tree
On the black walnut tree, above, the lines probably show up the best of all the trees which were painted along the Kew road. In fact the lines are much easier to see 'in the flesh' than in photographs.
There are seventeen trees which still show some signs of the blackout painting between Lion gate and Victoria gate, though some with only the faintest markings. This just goes to show how long the outer bark on some trees can persist and that, conversely, damage done today may take the tree decades to repair!
It would be great to hear if you know of any other trees with their blackout paint still visible.
- Anthony -
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6 comments on 'Kew's blackout trees'
Anthony says
26/04/2013 10:51:16 AM | Report abuse
Hi Katy, it would be really great if the painted lines are still visible and do show. If they do, could you let us know which types of trees they are and possibly a photo
KATY WOOD says
25/04/2013 2:10:40 PM | Report abuse
I suspect that some trees in Ashbrooke Road, Sunderland have Blackout markings on them. However looking on Google Earth doesn't show it up well and worst of all shows that one has been chopped down since I was last there! I'm due a walk that way, so I'll check and try and get pictures while I can. Katy
Glenn Charrington says
27/02/2013 11:30:10 AM | Report abuse
This illustrates nicely why it is so important not to damage the bark on trees in any way. It shows how long bark can persist and how valuable it is to the tree - not to damage it. Much better to leave a little grass around the tree base than get too close with any mower or strimmer! I wonder if someone will come back and look at these tree's in thirty years on the centennial? Does anyone out there know of any similar well documented trees or older examples, left over from the war or before?
Anthony says
26/02/2013 10:25:33 AM | Report abuse
Hello Oak leaf, thank you for your question. The painted lines on the plane trees on Kew road according to the 1981 article are said to have lasted only around thirteen years and this is what makes the plane trees very suitable as a street tree. Its bark shedding characteristic means it can more easily rid itself of pollutants. The bark shedding is more noticeable on younger trees. Not all trees shed their bark in this way and that is why some, like the limes and walnut on Kew road which have a much thicker bark, the bark becomes fissured, as the outer bark splits but is mostly retained. These have the most noticeable lines showing.
oak leaf says
21/02/2013 1:56:22 PM | Report abuse
This is an amazing story. I think there are plane trees on Kew Road and I was wondering whether they are showing stripes or whether their bark has peeled off.
Deirdre says
20/02/2013 7:28:05 PM | Report abuse
A very tangible connection to history. Touch the white lines, close your eyes, and 70 years can disappear in your imagination.