‘Camberwell Beauty’ Mural

The tile mural you are approaching depicts a Camberwell Beauty butterfly, an insect that earned its name after being first recorded in this area in 1748. Although the butterfly is a rare immigrant from Scandinavia and mainland Europe that does not breed in Britain, it became an unlikely local icon. The mural itself originated as a decorative trademark for the Samuel Jones and Company paper factory, which once stood nearby on Southampton Way. When the factory was demolished in 1982, the ceramic tiles were carefully salvaged and relocated to the gable end of this building, which formerly served as a public library and wash house.