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S_b
It could be.
But there are also a lot of other things that it could be. In the 50s / 60s there was a lot of stuff was thrown up with supposedly "innovative" and "forward thinking" choices of materials for example sheets of white asbestos as kitchen worktops because you could cut straight onto it without needing a chopping board as the fibres would expand slightly so the damage to the surface wouldn't be noticeable. Also given the number of skilled trades Vs the amount of work available there was issues in terms of getting some jobs done. It looks to me as if there is a top coat of plaster if I had to put a bet on what it is I'd say that it was some kind of hardboard based ceiling system (these were popular at the time) that someone has skimmed in the last 30 years to make it look marginally better.
In all seriousness I wouldn't let the potential presence of asbestos put you off. In almost all situations it is perfectly safe unless disturbed, even if it needs to be drilled risks can be mitigated. If I was asked to sort a problem in a ceiling like that where asbestos was present rather than removing it I would recommend to seal it on both sides with PVA then I'd board over the top and finish it with a skim of plaster.