Kingsbury

infobox UK place
country = England
map_type = Greater London
region= London
population=
official_name= Kingsbury
latitude= 51.5826
longitude= -0.2743
os_grid_reference= TQ195885
london_borough= Brent
post_town= LONDON
postcode_area= NW
postcode_district= NW9
dial_code= 020
constituency_westminster= Brent North

Kingsbury is a place in the London Borough of Brent, North West London. Its name means "The King's Manor".

History

Kingsbury was historically a small parish in the Hundred of Gore and county of Middlesex. Until the nineteenth century it was largely rural with only scattered settlements. Oliver Goldsmith lived at Hyde Farm in Kingsbury from 1771 to 1774. David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield was buried at St. Andrew's churchyard in 1840.

Although it lay close to London, development started slowly, and it was not until after World War I that the district became built up. An aircraft industry was established in the part of Kingsbury adjacent to Hendon aerdrome during the war, while the road network was improved to cater for the British Empire Exhibition in nearby Wembley in 1924. [http://www.brent.gov.uk/Heritage.nsf/24878f4b00d4f0f68025663c006c7944/96101d74523fd02580256b210035a3cb/$FILE/Kingsbury.PDF "Places in Brent: Kingsbury", Grange Museum of Community History and Brent Archive, accessed January 28, 2008] ] The number of inhabited houses in the civil parish increased from just 140 in 1901 to 3,937 in 1931. By 1951 this had risen to 11,776. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=26893 "Kingsbury: Introduction", "Victoria County History of Middlesex", Volume 5 (British History Online), accessed January 28, 2008] ] Between 1921 and 1931 Kingsbury's population increased by 796 %.

John Logie Baird's experimental transmissions from England to Berlin, Germany were transmitted from the stable block of Kingsbury Manor, now the Veterans Club in Roe Green Park.

From from 1923 to 1979 Kingsbury Road was the location of the Vanden Plas specialist motor body works, body makers for Bentley and later part of Austin, BMC, and British Leyland. The site is now Kingsbury Trading Estate.

In 1894 Kingsbury was included in the urban district of Wembley. However as Kingsbury had only three councillors on the urban district council to Wembley's nine, Kingsbury's councillors felt the needs of the area were not well-served. In 1900 Kingsbury became a separate urban district with six councillors. The new council was immediately involved in controversy and in 1906 it failed to make a rate or meet its financial commitments. Following an inquiry initiated by ratepayers the council was increased to nine councillors, although personal difficulties between councillors continued for some years. [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=26898 "Kingsbury: Local Government", "Victoria County History of Middlesex", Vol.5, (British History Online), accessed January 28, 2008] ]

In 1934 the Kingsbury Urban District was abolished and merged once more in Wembley Urban District. The urban district became a municipal borough in 1937 and in 1965 the area became part of the London Borough of Brent.

Notable People

* Birthplace of Yes bassist Chris Squire and England cricketer Mike Gatting, Sugababe Keisha Buchanan and singer Mutya Buena. Footballer Stuart Pearce, although born in Shepherds Bush, grew up in Kingsbury before he signed professional terms with Coventry City.Tony Kanal, from the band No Doubt, also grew up in Kingsbury.

Nearest places

* Burnt Oak
* Colindale
* Hendon
* Kenton
* Neasden
* Queensbury
* Wembley
* Harrow

Nearest tube station

*Kingsbury tube station
*Wembley Park tube station
*Queensbury tube station

Transport connections

Kingsbury tube station is located on the Kingsbury Road, A4006. There are also many buses which operate within the area of Kingsbury, Kingsbury Green and Kingsbury Circle.These London Buses routes include the 83, 302, 204, 183, 305, 79 and the N98 (Night Bus). These buses provide transport to such areas as Edgware, Hendon, Harrow and Wembley.

Local parks

* Barn Hill Open Space
* Fryent Country Park
* Kingsbury Green Recreation Ground
* Roe Green Park
* Silver Jubilee Park

chools

*Kingsbury High School
*Jewish Free School (JFS)
*Fryent Primary School
*Oliver Goldsmith Primary School
*Kingsbury Green Primary School
*Roe Green Primary School
*St Robert Southwell Primary School

References

External links

* [http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/Kingsbury.htm Kingsbury heritage]
* [http://www.route79.com/journal/archives/000093.html Kingsbury history]
* [http://www.photolondon.org.uk/assoc_pages/brent/brentpics1.htm Highfort Court, Buck Lane] . Designed in the style of a fortified castle by local architect E. G. Trobridge
* [http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?vandenindexf.htm Vanden Plas Kingsbury Works - A Potted History]