The station is known for its World War II air-raid shelters, and for being the location of the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.

Stockwell station was ceremonially opened on 4 November 1890 by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), as the most southerly station on the City and South London Railway (C&SLR) – London's first successful deep-level tube railway.

[8] A flight of stairs at the south end of the platform was also added to take passengers to a subway that passed over the new northbound tunnel and joined the lift shaft at a higher level.

[14] Parallel cross-platform interchanges were provided between the two lines in both directions and the 1920s surface buildings were replaced by a modern structure.

[18][19] The station has ticket halls, three escalators, seven gates, 13 payphones, a Wi-Fi service,[20] 9 vending machines and a photo booth.

Stockwell is one of eight London Underground stations with an adjacent deep-level air-raid shelter, constructed during World War II.

[note 2] The tunnel was very steep with an incline of 1:3.5, so rolling stock was originally pulled up to the surface using a wire rope and a winch.

The incline tunnel and the lift shaft were plugged on the surface and several blocks of flats were constructed on the old depot site by the LCC.

On 22 July 2005, Jean Charles de Menezes, a Brazilian electrician living in London, was shot dead by plainclothes police officers at Stockwell station.

[27][28] In the immediate aftermath of the shooting a small shrine to de Menezes was created by mourners outside the station.

It was made by local artist, Mary Edwards, with the help of Menezes' cousin, Vivian Figueiredo, as well as Chrysoula Vardaxi.