45-SLEEVES - HOME
Revised 23/1/14

LONDON
UK Labels and Company Sleeves 1954-1985

Labels
London Records prefix codes - see bottom of the page
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Thick Tri-centre
Gold lettering
Thick Tri-centre
Gold lettering
Long thin Tri-centre
Gold lettering
Thin Tri-centre
Gold lettering
L 1037 - oct 1954
to
 L 1228 - oct 1954
HL 8004 - oct 1954
to
 HL 8115 - feb 1955
HL 8117 - feb 1955
to
 HL 8142 - jun 1955
HL 8143 - jun 1955
to
 HL 8420 - apr 1957
The American London label, founded in 1947, released British Decca Records in the USA, since it could not use the Decca name there.  London Records was also used by British Decca in the UK market to release American labels which British Decca licensed. On Radio Luxembourg, the label was known as "London American".  After British Decca was acquired by PolyGram in 1979, London followed a more independent course.
Thin Tri-centre
Silver lettering
Round centre
Silver lettering
HL 8399 - apr 1957
to
 HL 8858 - may 1959
HL 8586 - 1959
Occasionally
Thin Tri-centre
Silver top
Thin Tri-centre
Silver top
Round centre
Silver top
HL 8859 - may 1959
to
HL 8934 - sep 1959
SLW 4001 - jun 1959
STEREO
of HLW 8879
HL 8935 - sep 1959
to
HL 10134 - may 1967
London Atlantic
London Monument
London Dot
 Several issues
HLK 9303 - HLK 9624
Several issues
HLU 9676 - HLU 10045
Several issues
HLD 9620 - HLD 9789
Boxed logo
  
Independent London
Independent London
HL 10135 - may 1967
to
HL 10577- 1979
Reissues 1969
"Demand Performance"
HL 10582 - 1982
LON 11 - 1982
to
LON 21 - 1983
LON 23 - 1983
to
LON 60 - 1985
....
Sleeves
Range
Front
Back
Details
No 1 a
1954
to 
.
Ultramarine Small centre
5 lines = 29 mm
Thin shadows
. Ref 35A  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  Ultramarine
No 1 b
.
to 
HL 8506 - apr 1958
Sea Green Small centre
5 lines = 29 mm
Thin shadows
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 2
HL 8507 - apr 1958
to
HL 8884 - jun 1959
Large centre
5 lines = 29 mm
Thin shadows
. Ref 35B  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  Ultramarine
No 3
HL 8885 - jun 1959
to
6
Dull  blue on buff
5 lines = 30 mm
Thin shadows
 Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 4
5
to
6
Blue on buff
5 lines = 30 mm
Thin shadows
. Ref 35D  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 5
5
to
HL 9025 - jan 1960
Blue on buff
As above, but glued
left/right/bottom
   Curved top  Glued left/right/bottom  
No 6
HL 9026 - jan 1960
to
6
Blue
5 lines = ?? mm
Thin shadows
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 7
5
to
HL 9198 - oct 1960
Sea green
5 lines = 31 mm
Thick shadows
. Ref 35  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  

 
No 8
HL 9200 - oct 1960
to
6
Blue
Thick shadows
Oval covers 8 lines
. Ref 35C  Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 8 x
.
-
.........
Machine-test sleeve
Read the story here
.......
   Cut straight  Inside glued  
No 9
5
to
6
Pale blue
Thin shadows
Oval covers 9 lines
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 10
5
to
6
"Made in England"
28 vertical blue lines
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 11
5
to
HL 10134 - 1967
"Made in England"
moved left
29 vertical blue lines
   Slightly curved top  Inside glued  
No 12
HL 10135 - 1967
to
.
Logo I
Front
Back
   Curved top - high top  Inside glued  
No 13
.
to
1968
Logo II
Front
Back
. Ref 35E  Curved top  Glued left/right  
No 14
1968
to
1973
Logo II
Front
Back
   Wavy top  Glued left/right  
No 15
1973
to
.
Logo III
Front
Back
   Cut notch - high top  Glued left/right  
No 15 x
.
to
.
Logo III
Front
Back
   Cut notch - high top  Glued left/right  
No 16 a
1982
to
.
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  
No 16 b
.
to
1985
   Cut straight/notch  Glued left/right  

London Records Prefix Codes (also known as the "Export Availability Code").
by Tony Dowsett, England

HL-A Ava, Cadence, Prodigal (93) HL-M Anna, Argo, Checker, Chess, Mira, Mirwood 
HL-B Era, Calico, Hollywood, Starday (26) HL-N Bethlehem, Catch, Checker, Dore Era, Glory, Rgo, Royal Roost, Sunset 
HL-C Eastern, Regent, Savoy, Sue, Symbol (15) HL-O Specialty, Excello, Paris, Fargo, Ovation, Aoa (50)
HL-D Crystalette, Coin, Dot, Rainwood (227) HL-P Imperial, Knight, Minit, Rust (111)
HL-E Atlantic, Atco, East West, Hickory, TRX (132) HL-R Congress, 4 Corners, Green Menu, Ice, Kapp, Leader, Lupine, Medallion, Trend (173)
HL-F Bryan, Essex, Media (18) HL-S Ace, Phillips Int., Sun (57)
HL-G Dolton, Fraternity, Freedom,  Liberty,  Seeco, University (59) HL-T Mainstream, United Artists, Unart, Valliant (41)
HL-H A&M, Challenge, Fraternity, 4 Star, Laurie (41) HL-U 7 Arts, Abbot, Abbot, Abko, All Platinum, Allboy, Alon, Amos, Amy, Anna, Arwin, Aut, Bally, Bardell, Baton, Berlee, Big Deal, Cameo, Carlton, Chairman, Challenge, Checker, Chess, Clock, Co & Ce, Coed, Coliseum, Crossover, Crusade, Crusader, Decanter, Décor, Diamond, Dimension, Dolton, Domain, Donna, Dore, Dover, Enith, Enjoy, Fabor, Fancibird, Felsted, Fernwood, Flip, Flipin, Garpax, Glory, Glover, GNP, Crescendo, Gold Disc, Gone, Greenwich, Gregmark, Guyden, Harper, Herald, Highland, Horoscope, Hudson, Instant, Jim Reeves Enterprises, Joed, Joey, Johnson, Kapp, Keen, Kem, Laurie, Le Cam, Liberty, London (Canada), M O C, Marijohn, Medallion, MGM, Minit, Modern, Monogram,  Monument, Mutual, New Hits, Nomar, Old Town, Orbison Associates, Palomar, Parrot, Phi Dan, Philles, Pompeii, Pop Side, PPX Enterprises, President, Press, Promo, Radio  Rainbow, Republic, Republic, Ribbon, RPM, Selma, Seville, Shalimar, Shannon, Sierra, Simmus, Soft, Soncraft, Sound Stage 7, Specialty , Stang, Starling, Surf, Swan, Tag, Tampa, Terrace, Todd, Tomorrow, Tribe, Tripple X, Turbo, Twirl, United Artists, V Tone, Vibration, White Whale, Zen (721)
HL-I JDS, Warwick (5) HL-W Arlan, Ebb, Guyden, Jamie, Lancer, Lin, Shell, Todd (49)
HL-J Josie, Jubilee, Port, Steady, Valiant (32) HL-X Big Hill, Big Top, Dunes (57)
HL-K Atlantic, Lupine, Phoenix, Trey, Satellite, Sire, Stax, Volt (105) HL-Y Big Sound, Class, Everest,  London (Canada) (6)
HL-L Carlton, Guaranteed, Melba (36) HL-Z Axe, Black Beat, Bomp, Centaur, Compass, Ipm, RKO, Shout, Sundi, Magna Slide, Unique, Vegas (56)
( )=number of records from February 1954 (HL 8001) to January 1982 (HL 10582) .
Total 2582 records included 407 HL.
Some record companies appear with two codes.
..
Contact for corrections
...
Thanks to Pete Nash, Essex, England for scans in this section
....
Thanks to Ray Flight, England for scans in this section
...
Thanks to Tony Dowsett, England for scans in this section
...
Thanks to Franz Zeleny, Austria for scans in this section
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  Repro sleeves available from Big Boppa Records
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45 Discography for London Records from Global Dog Productions
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