California, Buckinghamshire

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California
Aylesbury, Penn Road, California - geograph.org.uk - 898429.jpg
Penn Road, California, Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
California
Location within Buckinghamshire
OS grid reference SP8113
Civil parish
  • Aylesbury
Unitary authority
Ceremonial county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town AYLESBURY
Postcode district HP21
Dialling code 01296
Police Thames Valley
Fire Buckinghamshire
Ambulance South Central
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Buckinghamshire
51°48′47″N0°48′59″W / 51.813066°N 0.816409°W / 51.813066; -0.816409

California is an area to the south side of Aylesbury town centre in Buckinghamshire in England. [1]

Contents

Etymology

The area is probably named after the U.S. state of California, though its history goes back long before the state was known to British people.[ citation needed ]

History

The history of the area goes back many centuries. Before it became California the area was known as Cooks Close and was part of the grounds of the 14th century Grey Friars monastery. Around the year 1849 some of the land was sold off and split into gardens. This area was named California. It wasn't long before plots were built on and with the coming of the Wycombe Railway in 1863 many railway workers houses appeared on the southeastern side of California. This block of houses included a beerhouse called the Golden Sovereign and later the Silver Bugle.[ citation needed ]

Hazell, Watson and Viney

In 1867, printing and publishing firm, Hazell, Watson and Viney, opened an inkworks in a disused silk mill in California. In 1878, this was moved to purpose built premises on the Tring Road (opposite the current site of Tesco), which closed in 1952. [2]

20th century

By the early 1920s Aylesbury had grown such that it was necessary to start building houses on the site of Southcourt (the other side of California from Aylesbury), and so California and the associated farmlands that surrounded it became part of Aylesbury town. Eventually the farmlands themselves were built on, though some of the railway cottages still stand today.[ citation needed ]

Looking north east towards the council offices, from Prebendal Avenue Aylesbury, Prebendal Avenue, California - geograph.org.uk - 902246.jpg
Looking north east towards the council offices, from Prebendal Avenue

In 1924, the Bishop of Oxford transferred lands owned in California into the hands of the Municipal Borough of Aylesbury, which in 1929 was partially used in the construction of a new church and parsonage house, which is currently located on Penn Road. [3]

21st century

The site was home to the "California Industrial Estate" until 2005 when it was demolished to make way for a new housing estate, renamed the "Grand Central" due to its proximity to the centre of Aylesbury. As of November 2006 the building work has nearly finished and it is likely that the hamlet will be forgotten as it has been completely swamped by Aylesbury's development.[ citation needed ]

Facilities

Education

Religion

Other

References

  1. Streetmap.co.uk, with the arrow pointing to the location of California
  2. "Records of Hazell, Watson and Viney Ltd, printers, Aylesbury, 1709-c.1991". The National Archives. 1995. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  3. "Aylesbury, St Mary's to 1989". The National Archives. Oxfordshire History Centre. 1989. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  4. "Railway Club, Ayylesbury (California)". www.aylesbury.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. "Southcourt Community Centre - AVDC". www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2016.