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| Historical Background: | The area
covered by the Pembridge Ward was built on during the
three decades between 1840 and 1870. An article in the
Pembridge Association Newsletter in 1979, by Dr John
Hayward, a noted historian, said that "the houses
represent the style of a country which exercised a
dominating influence throughout the world. That style was
determined by the attempt to combine grandeur with
economy of means. The facades, though constructed of
stock brick, are covered with stucco, rusticated to
imitate stonework, and are completed with complex
mouldings, window frames, friezes and cornices". Francis Radford, a builder from Bayswater, was only 27 when he first leased part of the Robert Hall estate to the North of Notting Hill Gate. A year later he was joined by his brother William and the two became one of the most successful of the many groups of builders who developed North Kensington during the Nineteenth Century. |
| Pembridge Square was built between 1856 and 1864, partly by imported Italian workmen, and Francis Radford was himself likely to have been the architect. The Central Garden was laid out rapidly and was fully planted by 1865 and surrounded by heavy iron railings; a Garden Trust was set up in the same year to look after it. At his death in 1978, at the age of 97, William Irving (1881-1978) was the last of the seven trustees of the Garden who had been appointed in 1953. He had sent a sealed letter to the Pembridge Association in 1976 with instructions that it was not to be opened until after his death. The letter was opened by Councillor David Campion, the then Chairman of the Paembridge Association. Mr Irving had written: "The garden should continue to be maintained as an ornamental "oasis" for the relaxation of authorised users, considered now to be more important than ever, having regard to the increasing speed, noise and stress of London life". He asked the Pembridge Association and the Kensington Society to give "what assistance and support may be necessary" for the Trust Deed to be amended by the High Court to make it workable in present day conditions. Ultimately, with the support of the Council, the Garden Square was brought under the control of the Kensington Improvement Act which allowed the raising of a "garden rate" to pay for the maintenance. | |
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| Conservation Area Designation: | The Pembridge
Conservation Area was one of the earliest to be
designated within the Royal Borough, in January 1969,
under the Civic Amenities Act 1967. The initial designation covered Pembridge Gardens, Pembridge Square, Pembridge Crescent, Chepstow Villas, Pembridge Villas, Dawson Place, Pembridge Place and the West side of Chepstow Place. Linden Gardens, Clanricarde Gardens, the West side of Ossington Street, part of Pembridge Road and Portobello Road (up to Chepstow Villas) were added in November 1974. Denbigh Terrace was added in October 1977. Notting Hill Gate (North side), between Pembridge Gardens and Clanricarde Gardens, was added in July 1982. Subsequently, Denbigh Road and Westbourne Grove (both sides between Colville Road and Ledbury Road) and Ledbury Road (between Chepstow Villas and Westbourne Grove) were added to form the more complete conservation area that exists today. |
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| Boundary of Area: | Notting Hill Gate, Pembridge Road, Portobello Road, Westbourne Grove, Chepstow Place and Ossington Street. |
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| Conservation Area Policy Statement | The
Council's Conservation Area Policy Statement (No. 4) for
the Pembridge Conservation Area was produced in 1969. It
sets out the factors which led to the designation of the
area as a conservation area and the statutory provisions
and Council policies by which it is hoped they may be
conserved. It draws attention to the danger that the distinctive character of the area could all too quickly be eroded by careless alterations, both large and small, and also by lack of repair and maintenance to the buildings. Possibilities for improvements, extensions and alterations have been defined in the Statement for guidance to householders wishing to improve their properties. The Statement indicates that it is hoped there will be a better appreciation of the historic character which it is sought to enhance. |
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| The Pembridge Association: | The Inaugural Meeting of the Pembridge Association was held in St Peter's Chruch Hall on 12th October 1972 attended by 125 residents. Alan Greengross was elected as the first Chairman, Peter Pilkington as Hon. Treasurer and Simon Linton as Hon. Secretary. In 1975, the Rev. Douglas Richardson (the then Vicar of St Peter's) was elected as Chairman and Peter Chapman took over as Hon. Secretary when Simon Linton moved to a new job in Dubai. In 1978 Tim de Zoete was Hon. Treasurer and John Hayward the Hon. Secretary. In 1979 Douglas Richardson left the parish and was succeeded as Chairman by David Campion. Since that time there have been a number of successive chairmen including John Croft (1985) David Hales (1987 and 1995) William Clarke (1990) and Vicky Butler (1997) and David Campion (2002). |
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| Newsletter: | The first
Pembridge Association Newsletter was produced in the
Spring of 1973. That edition of the Newsletter recorded
that this was the year during which the residents parking
scheme was introduced and the Gaumont Cinema ( formerly
the Coronet) was listed following a public meeting held
in the Town Hall attended by over 700 people. The most recent Newsletters are now held on the Association's website and require the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them; Adobe Acrobat Reader is free software and can be downloaded from the Adobe website. |
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| Other Milestones: | 1979 was the year during which the underground lavatories in Westbourne Grove were closed and a poor replacement added at ground level which was roundly condemned by the Association. |
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