Metropolitan Borough of Kensington

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Kensington
Kensington Town Hall and Library, London.jpg
The old Kensington Town Hall
Metropolitan Borough of Kensington.svg
Kensington within the County of London
History
  Created1900
  Abolished1965
  Succeeded by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Status Metropolitan borough
(and Royal borough from 1901)
GovernmentKensington Borough Council
   HQ Kensington High Street
   Motto Quid Nobis Ardui (What is hard for us)
Kensington-arms.png
Coat of arms of the borough council
Metropolitan Borough of Kensington Map of borough boundary

The Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was a metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965, which since 1901 was known as the Royal Borough of Kensington, following the death of Queen Victoria, in accordance with her wishes.

Contents

History

It bordered Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Paddington, and Westminster.

It included Kensington, South Kensington, Earls Court, Notting Hill, Brompton and part of Kensal Green.

In 1901 it was granted the status of a royal borough, and therefore from then was also known as the Royal Borough of Kensington. [1] The status was granted after the death of Queen Victoria, in accordance with her wish (she was born at Kensington Palace in the borough). [2]

In 1965 it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea to form the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

A number of street signs in the area still bear the designation "Royal Borough of Kensington".

The old Town Hall was demolished "in controversial circumstances" involving an impending conservation order in June 1982. [3] [4]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms is derived from those of the former Lords of the Manor, and that of the parish church, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. [5]

Population and area

The Kensington borough covered 2,291 acres (9.3 km2) once part of Kensal New Town (a detached part of Chelsea before 1901) became incorporated. The population of Kensington recorded in the Census, which excludes Kensal New Town before 1901, was:

Kensington Vestry 1801–1899

Year [6] 1801181118211831184118511861187118811891
Population8,55610,88614,42820,90226,83444,05370,108120,299163,151166,308

Metropolitan Borough 1900–1961

Year [7] 1901191119211931194119511961
Population176,628172,317175,859180,677 [8] 168,160171,272

Politics

A map showing the wards of Kensington Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916. Kensington Met. B Ward Map 1916.svg
A map showing the wards of Kensington Metropolitan Borough as they appeared in 1916.

Under the Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000 ratepayers was to be divided into wards; however the parish of St Mary Abbots Kensington had already been divided into three wards by a local act in 1851 - "The Kensington Improvement Act, 1851". So the incorporated vestry inherited these wards and assigned vestrymen to them: The Holy Trinity Brompton (27), St John's Notting Hill & St James' Norland (27) and St Mary Abbots (30). [9]

In 1894 as its population had increased the incorporated vestry was re-divided into eight wards (electing vestrymen): Golborne (18), Norland (15), Pembridge (15), Holland (15), Earl's Court (12), Queen's Gate (15), Redcliffe (15) and Brompton (15). [10] [11]

The metropolitan borough was divided into nine wards for elections: Brompton, Earl's Court, Golborne, Holland, Norland, Pembridge, Queen's Gate, Redcliffe and St Charles. [12] [13]

Borough council

Parliament constituency

For elections to Parliament, the borough was divided into two constituencies:

In 1950 the borough's representation was increased to two and a half seats, when part of it was merged with Chelsea:

In 2010, the constituencies of Kensington North and South were merged to create a single constituency once again and Chelsea was branched off to create a new constituency.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea</span> Place in United Kingdom

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is an Inner London borough with royal status. It is the smallest borough in London and the second smallest district in England; it is one of the most densely populated administrative regions in the United Kingdom. It includes affluent areas such as Notting Hill, Kensington, South Kensington, Chelsea, and Knightsbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Notting Hill</span> Area of London, England

Notting Hill is a district of West London, England, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Notting Hill is known for being a cosmopolitan and multicultural neighbourhood, hosting the annual Notting Hill Carnival and the Portobello Road Market. From around 1870, Notting Hill had an association with artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Camberwell</span> Former Metropolitan Borough in England

Camberwell was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in south London, England. Camberwell was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey, governed by an administrative vestry from 1674. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 and became part of the County of London in 1889. The parish of Camberwell became a metropolitan borough in 1900, following the London Government Act 1899, with the parish vestry replaced by a borough council. In 1965 the borough was abolished and its former area became part of the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Paddington</span> Former borough of London

Paddington was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in London, England. It was an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, governed by an administrative vestry. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 and became part of the County of London in 1889. The parish of Paddington became a metropolitan borough in 1900, following the London Government Act 1899, with the parish vestry replaced by a borough council. In 1965 the borough was abolished and its former area became part of the City of Westminster in Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead</span> Former local authority in London

Hampstead was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in London, England. It was an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, governed by an administrative vestry. The parish was included in the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works in 1855 and became part of the County of London in 1889. The parish of Hampstead became a metropolitan borough in 1900, following the London Government Act 1899, with the parish vestry replaced by a borough council. In 1965 the borough was abolished and its former area became part of the London Borough of Camden in Greater London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Islington</span> Former local authority of London, England

Islington was a civil parish and metropolitan borough in London, England. It was an ancient parish within the county of Middlesex, and formed part of The Metropolis from 1855. The parish was transferred to the County of London in 1889 and became a metropolitan borough in 1900. It was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury to form the London Borough of Islington in Greater London in 1965.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea</span> Former borough of London

The Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea was a metropolitan borough of the County of London between 1900 and 1965. It was created by the London Government Act 1899 from most of the ancient parish of Chelsea. Following the London Government Act 1963, it was amalgamated with the Royal Borough of Kensington in 1965 to form the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan Borough of Poplar</span>

Poplar was a local government district in the metropolitan area of London, England. It was formed as a district of the Metropolis in 1855 and became a metropolitan borough in the County of London in 1900. It comprised Poplar, Millwall, Bromley-by-Bow and Bow as well as Old Ford, Fish Island and Cubitt Town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensington and Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010

Kensington and Chelsea was a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom 1997–2010. It was one of the safest Conservative seats in the United Kingdom, and since its creation in 1997 became a prestigious seat, with MP Alan Clark, the former Defence Secretary Michael Portillo and the former Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind all holding the seat for the Conservatives. The seat was abolished for the 2010 election, when the 1974–1997 Kensington constituency was recreated and Chelsea formed a new constituency together with the southern part of the former Hammersmith and Fulham constituency, called the Chelsea and Fulham constituency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regent's Park and Kensington North (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1997–2010

Regent's Park and Kensington North was a constituency in Central and West London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. It elected one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election from 1997 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensington (UK Parliament constituency)</span> British parliamentary constituency

Kensington is a constituency in Greater London which first existed between 1974 and 1997 and was recreated in 2010. Since 2019, it has been represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament by Felicity Buchan of the Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Kensington</span> Neighbourhood of west London

North Kensington is an area of west London. It is north of Notting Hill and south of Kensal Green and in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The names North Kensington and Ladbroke Grove describe the same area.

Brompton, sometimes called Old Brompton, survives in name as a ward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. Until the latter half of the 19th century it was a scattered village made up mostly of market gardens in the county of Middlesex. It lay south-east of the village of Kensington, abutting the parish of St Margaret's, Westminster at the hamlet of Knightsbridge to the north-east, with Little Chelsea to the south. It was bisected by the Fulham Turnpike, the main road westward out of London to the ancient parish of Fulham and on to Putney and Surrey. It saw its first parish church, Holy Trinity Brompton, only in 1829. Today the village has been comprehensively eclipsed by segmentation due principally to railway development culminating in London Underground lines, and its imposition of station names, including Knightsbridge, South Kensington and Gloucester Road as the names of stops during accelerated urbanisation, but lacking any cogent reference to local history and usage or distinctions from neighbouring settlements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chelsea (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1997

Chelsea was a borough constituency, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

Kensington North was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensington South (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1885–1974

Kensington South was a parliamentary constituency centred on the Kensington district of west London. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensal Town</span> Human settlement in England

Kensal Town is a sub-district of North Kensington located at the very north of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea where the Grand Union Canal forms the boundary with the City of Westminster. The area lies four miles north-west of Charing Cross and is part of the W postcode area. Kensal Town was an exclave of Chelsea from the middle ages, through to 1900.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golborne Road</span>

Golborne Road is a street in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London's Kensal Town. The road runs east from Portobello Road to Kensal Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council election</span>

The 2022 Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council election was held on 5 May 2022. All 50 members of Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council were elected. The elections took place alongside local elections in the other London boroughs and elections to local authorities across the United Kingdom.

Kensington and Bayswater is a proposed constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament. Further to the completion of the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies, it will first be contested at the next general election.

References

  1. "The King has been pleased to direct Letters Patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting the title Royal to the Metropolitan Borough of Kensington, and ordaining and declaring that the said Borough shall henceforth be called and styled the Royal Borough of Kensington, and the Council for the Borough The Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Royal Borough of Kensington." "No. 27378". The London Gazette . 19 November 1901. p. 7472.
  2. The Royal Borough's Coat of Arms
  3. Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea website
  4. "London's Town Halls". Historic England. p. 136. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  5. (Civic Heraldry) accessed 15 Jan 2008
  6. Statistical Abstract for London, 1901 (Vol. IV); Census tables for Metropolitan Borough of Kensington
  7. "GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, Kensington MetB through time, Population Statistics, Total Population, A Vision of Britain through Time" . Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  8. The census was suspended for World War II
  9. The London Gazette Issue: 21802. 20 October 1855. pp. 3890–3891. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  10. The London Gazette Issue: 26542. 14 August 1894. pp. 4717–4718. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  11. The London Gazette Issue: 26563. 23 October 1894. p. 5942. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  12. Post Office London County Suburbs Directory, 1919. 1919. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  13. "Ordnance Survey 'County Series 3rd Edition' Map of London (1912-14) at 1:2500 scale".

Further reading

51°30′08″N0°11′42″W / 51.5021°N 0.1951°W / 51.5021; -0.1951