Willesden Green

Underground station, existing between 1879 and now.

 HOME  ·  ARTICLE  ·  MAPS  ·  STREETS  ·  BLOG  ·  CONTACT US 
(51.549 -0.222, 51.549 -0.222) 
MAP YEAR:175018001810182018301860190019502024Show map without markers
ZOOM:14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 18 14 15 16 17 14 15 16 17 18
TIP: Adjust the MAP YEAR and ZOOM to tweak historical maps
Underground station · * · ·
December
15
2012
A good place for those from the 14th century with particularly bad eyesight.

From the 14th to 16th centuries, Willesden was a place of pilgrimage due to the presence of two ancient statues of the Virgin Mary at the Church of St Mary. One of these statues is thought to be a Black Madonna, which was insulted by the Lollards, taken to Thomas Cromwell's house and burnt in 1538 on a large bonfire of 'notable images. including those of Walsingham, Worcester and Ipswich. There was also a 'holy well' which was thought to possess miraculous qualities, particularly for blindness and other eye disorders.

The parish of Willesden remained predominantly rural up until after 1875. However, this changed with the opening of the Metropolitan Railway (later the Metropolitan Line) station of Willesden Green on 24 November 1879. By 1906 the population had grown to 140,000, a phenomenon of rapid growth that was to be repeated in the 1920s in neighbouring areas such as Harrow. The Metropolitan Line service was withdrawn in 1940, when the station was served by the Bakerloo Line, and later the Jubilee Line. Willesden Green station has now a grand 1920s facade.

World War I caused Willesden to change from a predominantly middle class suburb to a working class part of London. After the war, Willesden grew rapidly as numerous factories opened up with numerous flats and houses. The local council encouraged building to prevent large unemployment and decline.

To the present day, Willesden has been shaped by the patterns of migration which marks it out as one of the most diverse areas in the United Kingdom. City of London Corporation records show that the first black person recorded in Brent was Sarah Eco, who was christened in St. Mary’s Church in Willesden on 15 September 1723.

The 1901 United Kingdom census recorded that 42% of the population was born in London. In 1923, the specialist coach builder Freestone and Webb established their base in Willesden, producing bespoke cars on Rolls-Royce and Bentley chassis until 1956.

Willesden became a municipal borough in 1933, and it is at this time that the area became predominantly working class. A small Irish community had formed in Willesden by this time, which grew rapidly during the period of the Second World War. A small Jewish community of refugees from Europe also formed during the war, with 3.5% of the population in 1951 born in Germany, Poland, Russia or Austria. During the war, Willesden suffered large damage due to the heavy concentration of industry, such as munition factories, and railways in the area.

The period from 1960 saw migrants settling from the Caribbean and the Indian Subcontinent. Additionally, from 1963 it was the site of the Kuo Yuan, the first Chinese restaurant to serve Pekinese dishes in Britain. Since the 1960s, Willesden has been popular with young working holidaymakers from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, although this popularity has declined somewhat in favour of other areas since about 2003.

Willesden went into a period of decline during the 1970s and 1980s as much of the housing was inadequate due to overcrowding as industry was mixed with housing. The whole of central Willesden bar (the area by the Willesden Green station) was earmarked for redevelopment; however, this did not come to fruition. In the late 1980s, traders were given money to revamp the High Street to prevent it closing. It now has one of the best public libraries in the UK, Willesden Green Library Centre - an elegant building and open very long hours.

Now the area has seen another change in demographic becoming a middle class area due to its prime location and good transport links.


Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

None so far :(
LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

Comment
Wendy    
Added: 22 Mar 2024 15:33 GMT   

Polygon Buildings
Following the demolition of the Polygon, and prior to the construction of Oakshott Court in 1974, 4 tenement type blocks of flats were built on the site at Clarendon Sq/Phoenix Rd called Polygon Buildings. These were primarily for people working for the Midland Railway and subsequently British Rail. My family lived for 5 years in Block C in the 1950s. It seems that very few photos exist of these buildings.

Reply

Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:42 GMT   

Road construction and houses completed
New Charleville Circus road layout shown on Stanford’s Library Map Of London And Its Suburbs 1879 with access via West Hill only.

Plans showing street numbering were recorded in 1888 so we can concluded the houses in Charleville Circus were built by this date.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

Reply
Comment
Steve   
Added: 19 Mar 2024 08:04 GMT   

Charleville Circus, Sydenham: One Place Study (OPS)
One Place Study’s (OPS) are a recent innovation to research and record historical facts/events/people focused on a single place �’ building, street, town etc.

I have created an open access OPS of Charleville Circus on WikiTree that has over a million members across the globe working on a single family tree for everyone to enjoy, for free, forever.

Source: Charleville Circus, Sydenham, London

Reply
Comment
Charles   
Added: 8 Mar 2024 20:45 GMT   

My House
I want to know who lived in my house in the 1860’s.

Reply

NH   
Added: 7 Mar 2024 11:41 GMT   

Telephone House
Donald Hunter House, formerly Telephone House, was the BT Offices closed in 2000

Reply
Comment
Paul Cox   
Added: 5 Mar 2024 22:18 GMT   

War damage reinstatement plans of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street
Whilst clearing my elderly Mothers house of general detritus, I’ve come across original plans (one on acetate) of No’s 11 & 13 Aldine Street. Might they be of interest or should I just dispose of them? There are 4 copies seemingly from the one single acetate example. Seems a shame to just junk them as the level of detail is exquisite. No worries if of no interest, but thought I’d put it out there.

Reply
Comment
Diana   
Added: 28 Feb 2024 13:52 GMT   

New Inn Yard, E1
My great grandparents x 6 lived in New Inn Yard. On this date, their son was baptised in nearby St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch

Source: BDM London, Cripplegate and Shoreditch registers written by church clerk.

Reply
Comment
Vic Stanley   
Added: 24 Feb 2024 17:38 GMT   

Postcose
The postcode is SE15, NOT SE1

Reply


NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
Hodgson’s Farm Hodgson’s Farm stood nearly at today’s meetingpoint of Chapter Road and Park Avenue.

NEARBY STREETS
102474, NW2 Willesden Lane is a location in London
Acland Road, NW2 Acland Road leads west from Park Avenue
Alverstone Road, NW2 Alverstone Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Antoinette Mews, NW2 Antoinette Mews is a location in London
Balmoral Road, NW2 Balmoral Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Belton Road, NW2 Belton Road is a street in Cricklewood
Belvedere Court, NW6 Belvedere Court is sited on Willesden Lane
Bertie Road, NW10 Bertie Road is a street in Willesden
Blenheim Crescent, NW2 Blenheim Crescent is a location in London (Willesden Green)
Blenheim Gardens, NW2 Blenheim Gardens is a road in the NW2 postcode area (Willesden Green)
Brondesbury Court, NW6 Brondesbury Court is a block on Willesden Lane
Brondesbury Park, NW10 Brondesbury Park is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Brondesbury Park, NW2 Brondesbury Park is a street in Cricklewood
Cameron House, NW10 Residential block
Cavendish Place, NW2 Cavendish Place is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Chancel House, NW10 Chancel House is a block on Neasden Lane
Chandos Road, NW2 Chandos Road is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Chaplin Road, NW2 Chaplin Road is a street in Cricklewood
Chapter Road, NW2 Chapter Road follows the line of the railway between Willesden Green and Dollis Hill (Willesden Green)
Chatsworth Court, NW6 Chatsworth Court is located on Willesden Lane
Churchill Road, NW2 Churchill Road is a street in Cricklewood
Churchmead Road, NW10 Churchmead Road is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Colin Road, NW10 Colin Road is a street in Willesden
Cornwall Gardens, NW10 Cornwall Gardens is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Cranhurst Road, NW2 Cranhurst Road is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Dean Road, NW10 Dean Road is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Dean Road, NW2 Dean Road is a location in London
Deerhurst Road, NW2 Deerhurst Road is a road in the NW6 postcode area
Denzil Road, NW10 Denzil Road is a street in Willesden
Elvis Road, NW2 Elvis Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area (Willesden Green)
Glebe Road, NW10 Glebe Road is a street in Willesden
Global Cooperation House, NW10 Global Cooperation House is located on Pound Lane
Grange Road, NW10 Grange Road is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Grosvenor Gardens, NW2 Grosvenor Gardens is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Grove Road, NW10 Grove Road is a street in Cricklewood
Hadleigh Court, NW2 Hadleigh Court is a block on Willesden Lane
Harcourt House, NW2 Residential block
Heathfield Park, NW2 Heathfield Park is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Henley Court, NW2 Henley Court is a block on Willesden Lane
High Road, NW10 High Road is a street in Willesden
Honeyman Close, NW6 Street/road in London NW6
Honeyman Close, NW6 Honeyman Close is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Huddlestone Road, NW10 Huddlestone Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Ínnísfree House, NW2 Ínnísfree House is a block on Deerhurst Road
Jeymer Avenue, NW2 Jeymer Avenue is a road in the NW2 postcode area (Willesden Green)
Kenneth Crescent, NW2 Kenneth Crescent is a road in the NW2 postcode area (Willesden Green)
Kings Road, NW10 Kings Road is a street in Willesden
Knapp Close, NW10 Knapp Close is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Lechmere Road, NW2 Lechmere Road is a street in Cricklewood
Lecthmere Road, NW2 Lecthmere Road is a location in London
Lennon Road, NW2 Lennon Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area (Willesden Green)
Linacre Road, NW10 Linacre Road is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Litchfield Gardens, NW10 Litchfield Gardens is a street in Willesden
Lydford Road, NW2 Lydford Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Mapeshill Place, NW2 Mapeshill Place is a location in London
Marley Walk, NW2 Marley Walk is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Marlow Court, NW6 Marlow Court is a block on Willesden Lane
Maybury Gardens, NW10 Maybury Gardens is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Meyrick Road, NW10 Meyrick Road is a street in Willesden
Newman Close, NW10 Newman Close is a location in London
Oak Tree Mews, NW2 Oak Tree Mews is a location in London
Osborne Road, NW2 Osborne Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Pamela Court, NW10 Pamela Court is a block on Sterling Close
Park Avenue, NW2 Park Avenue north and south of the railway tracks at Dollis Hill
Parkfield Road, NW10 Parkfield Road is a street in Willesden
Pound Lane, NW10 Pound Lane is a street in Willesden
Preston Place, NW10 Preston Place is a street in Cricklewood
Queens Parade, NW2 Queens Parade is a street in Cricklewood
Regency Mews, NW10 Regency Mews is a street in Willesden
Regency Street, NW10 Regency Street is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Riffel Road, NW2 Riffel Road is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Rowan House, NW10 Residential block (Willesden Green)
Rutland Park Gardens, NW2 Rutland Park Gardens is a location in London
Rutland Park, NW2 Rutland Park is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Sandringham Road, NW2 Sandringham Road is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
St Andrews Road, NW10 St Andrews Road is a street in Willesden
St Gabriel’s Road, NW2 St Gabriel’s Road runs east from Walm Lane (Mapesbury)
St Pauls Avenue, NW2 St Pauls Avenue is a street in Cricklewood
St. Johns Avenue, NW10 St. Johns Avenue is a location in London
Stanley Gardens, NW2 Stanley Gardens is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Station Parade, NW2 Station Parade is a street in Cricklewood (Willesden Green)
Staverton Road, NW2 Staverton Road is a street in Cricklewood
Sterling Close, NW10 Sterling Close is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Strode Road, NW10 Strode Road is a street in Willesden
Teignmouth Road, NW2 Teignmouth Road is a street in Cricklewood (Mapesbury)
The Lodge, NW6 The Lodge is a location in London
Tower Road, NW10 Tower Road is a street in Willesden
Tudor Mews, NW10 Tudor Mews is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Unity Close, NW10 Unity Close is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Utopia House, NW10 Residential block
Villiers Road, NW2 Villiers Road was built by the United Land Co
Walm Lane, NW2 Walm Lane links Willesden High Road with the Edgware Road (Willesden Green)
Wharton Close, NW10 Wharton Close is a road in the NW10 postcode area
Willesden Lane, NW6 Willesden Lane is a street in Cricklewood
Willesden Magistrates’ Court, NW10 Willesden Magistrates’ Court is a block on High Road
Willesdon Lane, NW2 Willesdon Lane is a location in London
Windsor Road, NW2 Windsor Road is a road in the NW2 postcode area
Yates Court, NW6 Yates Court is a building on Willesden Lane

NEARBY PUBS


Click here to explore another London street
We now have 664 completed street histories and 46836 partial histories


Click here to see photos of the area


  Contact us · Copyright policy · Privacy policy