K6 Telephone Kiosk

The K6 telephone kiosk is a standardised design made of cast iron, painted red overall with long horizontal glazing in the door and sides. Applied crowns are set into the top panels, rather than being perforated. Rectangular white display signs read “TELEPHONE” beneath the shallow-curved roof. The kiosk contains modernised internal equipment, and a panel has been installed in the roof space to accommodate Wi-Fi. Currently, no windows remain on the south side, and two are missing from the north side, with the remaining windows being made of Perspex.

The kiosk is situated at a crossroads in Leeds City Centre, directly adjacent to the southwest corner of the Grade I listed Leeds General Infirmary. The Infirmary’s boundary wall and railings, with gate piers and gates, are also listed at Grade II. St George's Church (Grade I) and its boundary wall and railings (Grade II) stand across the street. The kiosk holds a strong visual relationship with these four listed buildings. It also has a historical connection to Leeds General Infirmary, as Sir George Gilbert Scott, the Infirmary’s architect, was the grandfather of Giles Gilbert Scott, the designer of the kiosk.

The K6 telephone kiosk represents a significant milestone in 20th-century industrial design. Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott in 1935 for the General Post Office to commemorate King George V’s Silver Jubilee, it evolved from his earlier, successful K2 telephone kiosk design of 1924, which was inspired by Neo-classical architecture. The K6 was streamlined, more compact, and more cost-effective to produce than its predecessor. Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960) was a prominent British architect, responsible for significant works including the Anglican cathedral of Liverpool and Battersea power station. The K2 and K6 kiosks illustrate a considered adaptation of architectural tradition to meet contemporary technological needs. Approximately 70,000 K6 kiosks were produced; many were replaced in the 1960s with simpler designs, but many remain as iconic features of the British streetscape.