Famous London Skyscraper Was Official Secret for 30 Years
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It opened in 1965, but taking a photo of the building or even referring to the subject as the BT or Post Office Tower, would technically have been a violation of the Official Secrets Act and a criminal offence.
Even though the Tower could be seen from all over London and from miles beyond the capital - and was a great source of national pride - the government maintained its top-secret status well into the 1990s. Absurdly, the state officially refused to acknowledge the building even while it was printed on standard maps and stared millions of people in the face every day.
Standing 620 ft (189 m) tall, the huge steel and concrete cylinder couldn't help but catch the eye - especially with the forest of antennas and microwave horns clustering its upper stories.
Along with the telecommunications gear, the tower's 37 floors included an observation deck, a cocktail lounge, and a revolving restaurant. Yet the building was supposedly a state secret and probably deserves the accolade of being the worst-kept secret in history. This absurdity reached its height in 1978, when journalists and whistleblowers collecting information on state communication networks were put on trial for violating the Official Secrets Act. The judge strictly insisted that the tower only be referred to in court as "Location 23."
This is because it didn't just act as a civilian communications centre; it was also the nexus for "Backbone," the classified microwave relay network designed by the GPO and the Ministry of Defence. This system used a series of microwave relay nodes established outside of major towns to act as a vital communications link between strategic government sites, military installations, and regional seats of government in the event of a nuclear strike on Britain.
However, in 1993, following the end of the Cold War, Member of Parliament Kate Hoey used her parliamentary privilege to finally shatter the illusion. She confirmed the existence of the Tower on the floor of the House of Commons and stated its actual address - 60 Cleveland Street - for the public record. After that, its existence was officially declassified to the surprise of absolutely no one.
