Willesden

For other uses, seeWillesden (disambiguation).

"Willesden Green" redirects here. For the station, seeWillesden Green tube station.

Not to be confused withWilsden.

Willesden
Willesden Green Old Library Building
Willesden Location withinGreater London
OS grid reference	TQ227846
London borough	Brent
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LONDON
Postcode district	NW10, NW2
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
UK Parliament	Brent East
London Assembly	Brent and Harrow

Willesden(/ˈwɪlzdən/) is an area of north-westLondon,situated 5 miles (8 km) north-west ofCharing Cross.It is historically a parish in the county ofMiddlesexthat was incorporated as theMunicipal Borough of Willesdenin 1933; it has formed part of theLondon Borough of BrentinGreater Londonsince 1965.Dollis Hillis also sometimes referred to as being part of Willesden.

With its close proximity to affluent neighbourhoodsBrondesbury Park,Queen's ParkandKensal Rise,the area surroundingWillesden Green stationhas seen increased gentrification in the past several years, with rapidly rising property prices.The Daily Telegraphdescribed Willesden Green as one of London's "new middle class" areas.The area has a population of 44,295, as of2021,including the Willesden Green, Dollis Hill and Dudden Hill wards. Willesden Green has one of the city's highestIrishpopulations, and is also strongly associated withAfro-CaribbeansandLatin Americans.

Willesden is mostly in theNW10postcode district, but part of it is in theNW2postcode district.

History

Etymology

The name derives from the Anglo-SaxonWillesdune,meaning the Hill of the Spring,and a Manor (landholding) bearing this name was recorded in 939 AD. TheDomesday Bookof 1086 records the manor asWellesdone.However, on 19th century maps of the town such as those from the 'Ordnance Survey First Series', the town is shown as Wilsdon.The current spelling was adopted by the London and Birmingham Railway in 1844, when they opened a local station.

Early history

Church of St. Mary on Neasden Lane, Willesden

Willesden became acivil parishin the medieval period. From the 14th to 16th centuries, the town was a place of pilgrimage due to the presence of two ancient statues of theVirgin Maryat the Church of St Mary. One of these statues is thought to have been aBlack Madonna,venerated asOur Lady of Willesden,which was insulted by theLollards,taken to Thomas Cromwell's house and burnt in 1538 on a large bonfire of "notable images" including those ofOur Lady of Walsingham,Our Lady of Worcester, andOur Lady of Ipswich.There was also a "holy well" which was thought to possess miraculous qualities, particularly for blindness and other eye disorders. Much of the district supplied apples, pears and vegetables to the city of London for many years from the early years of the industrial revolution.

Industrial history

Iris 15 HP (1912)

TheIriswas a British car brand that was manufactured from 1906 by Legros & Knowles Ltd in Willesden. Lucien Alphonse Legros (1866–1933), son of the artist Alphonse Legros, andGuy Knowles,scion of a wealthy and artistic family, founded Legros & Knowles Ltd in Cumberland Park, Willesden Junction, in 1904 to build and repair vehicles.

Modern history

Willesden Green station opened in 1879

The parish of Willesden remained predominantly rural up until 1875, when its population was 18,500. It included the villages and hamlets ofBrondesbury,Dollis Hill,Dudden Hill,Harlesden,Kilburn,Mapesbury,Oxgate andStonebridge.However, this changed with the opening of the Metropolitan Railway (later theMetropolitan 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 asHarrow.The Metropolitan line service was withdrawn in 1940, when the station was served by the Bakerloo line,and later theJubilee line.

TheFirst World Warcaused Willesden to change from a predominantlymiddle classsuburb to aworking classpart of London. After the war, Willesden grew rapidly as many factories opened up with numerous flats and terraced 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 theUnited Kingdom.City of London Corporationrecords 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.The1901 United Kingdom censusrecorded that 42% of the population was born in London. In 1923, the specialist coach builderFreestone and Webbestablished their base in Willesden, producing bespoke cars onRolls-Royceand 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 smallIrishcommunity had formed in Willesden by this time, which grew rapidly during the period of theSecond World War.A small Jewish community of refugees from Europe also formed during the war, with 3.5% of the population in 1951 born inGermany,Poland,RussiaorAustria. During the war, Willesden suffered large bombing damage due to the heavy concentration of manufacturing industry, such as munition factories, the location of 'Smiths Instruments "(Used defensive aircraft instrumentation). Mulliner-Park Ward (Coach builders to Rolls-Royce and Bentley, hand built cars). Power Station location, canal and major railway locomotive overhaul facilities located in the area.

The prayer hall ofWillesden Jewish Cemetery

The period from 1960 saw migrants settling from theCaribbeanand theIndian Subcontinent.Additionally, from 1963 it was the site of theKuo Yuan,the first Chinese restaurant to serve Pekinese dishes in Britain.Since the 1960s, Willesden has been popular with young working holidaymakers fromCanada,AustraliaandNew 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 shops closing.

The area surroundingWillesden Green stationhas become more middle-class and gentrified with marked property price rises in 2014 and 2015.

Willesden French Market

Politics

The Willesden Green ward is represented onBrent Councilby threeLabourcouncillors,Janice Long, Saqlain Choudry, and Tom Miller.

Willesden forms part of theBrent Centralparliamentary constituency and is home to the localLabour PartyMPDawn Butler.

Demographics

According to the 2011 census, the Willesden Green ward had a population of 15,587. Ethnically, 22% of the population was Other White, followed by 20% White British, 8.2% Other Asian, 8.1% Black African and 7.1% Black Caribbean.52.7% wereBAME.The most spoken foreign language is Portuguese. 2,621 of the tenure households were privately rented; 1,625 were socially rented; 1,540 were owned.

Geography

Roundwood Parkis on the south-western side whileGladstone Parkis nearby to the north of Willesden. It lies about 130 feet (40 m) to 200 feet (60 m) above sea level.

Transport

Rail and tube

Map ofMetro-landshowing theMetropolitan Railwaypassing through Willesden, 1924

SeveralrailandLondon Undergroundlines pass through Willesden, calling at local stations including:

• Dollis Hill tube station(Jubilee line)
• Willesden Green tube station(Jubilee line)
• Willesden Junction station(Bakerloo lineandLondon Overground)

TheJubilee lineconnects the area directly toStanmoreviaWembley Parknorthbound, and toCentral Londonsouthbound. Key southbound destinations includeBaker Street,Bond Street,Westminster,WaterlooandCanary Wharf.Most southbound services terminate atStratford.

NorthboundBakerloo linetrains fromWillesden Junctionterminate at nearbyStonebridge Park,with some continuing towardsWembley CentralandHarrow & Wealdstone.Like the Bakerloo line, southbound services also pass through Central London, with trains toPaddington,Marylebone,Baker Street,Oxford Circus,Waterloo andElephant & Castle.

Metropolitan linetrains pass throughWillesden GreenandDollis Hill,but do not stop. This has not always been the case: Willesden Green station was opened by theMetropolitan Railwayin 1879, and the area owes much of its development to the Metropolitan Railway andMetro-land.Today, passengers from Willesden can access the Metropolitan line by using the Jubilee line and changing at either Wembley Central to the north, orFinchley Roadto the south.

Willesden Junctionis served by several London Overground routes:

Line	Direction	Terminus	Calling at...
Watford DC line	Northbound	Watford Junction	Harlesden, Stonebridge Park, Wembley Central,North Wembley, South Kenton, Kenton, Harrow & Wealdstone,Headstone Lane, Hatch End, Carpenders Park, Bushey,Watford High Street
Watford DC line	Southbound	Euston	Kensal Green, Queen's Park,Kilburn High Road, South Hampstead
North London line	Eastbound	Stratford	Kensal Rise, Brondesbury Park, Brondesbury, West Hampstead, Finchley Road & Frognal, Hampstead Heath, Gospel Oak,Kentish Town West, Camden Road, Caledonian Road & Barnsbury, Highbury & Islington,Canonbury.Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Central,Homerton, Hackney Wick
North London line	Westbound	Richmond	Acton Central, South Acton, Gunnersbury,Kew Gardens
West London line	Westbound	Clapham Junction	Shepherd's Bush,Kensington Olympia,West Brompton,Imperial Wharf

Stations in Willesden straddleLondon fare zones 2and3.

Willesden Green station

Road

Several key routes pass through or around Willesden:

Route	Road	Southbound/Westbound	Northbound/Eastbound
A219	Scrubs Lane	White City Shepherd's Bush Hammersmith	-
A404	Harrow Road/Manor Park Road	Kensal Paddington	Wembley Harrow
A406	North Circular Road	Ealing  M4 forHeathrow Chiswick	Brent Cross  M1 forLuton Finchley  M11 forStansted
A407	High Road	Willesden Junction	Cricklewood Golders Green
A4000	Old Oak Lane	Acton	-
A4003	Willesden Lane	-	Kilburn
A4088	Dudding Hill Lane	-	Wembley
A5	Shoot Up Hill	Kilburn Maida Vale Paddington Marble Arch	Cricklewood  M1 forLuton Brent Cross Edgware

Buses

A large bus garage was built in 1902 and thus, many bus routes start or run through the town.The Queenvisited it during her Golden Jubilee celebrations.London Busesroutes serving Willesden are:6,52,98,206, 226, 260, 266, 297, 460 and N98.

Cycling

To the north of Willesden,Quietway 3runs unbroken betweenGladstone ParkandShoot Up Hillon quiet, residential streets. The route is coordinated byTransport for London(TfL) and is planned to extend eastbound intoWest HampsteadtowardsRegent's Park.

A direct, traffic-free cycle route runs to the south of Willesden along theGrand Union Canaltowpath.Cyclistsshare the routewith pedestrians, but the towpath provides cyclists with an unbroken, traffic-free connection toPaddington.From Paddington, cyclists can access further Central London destinations using traffic-freeCycle Superhighway 3.

Notable people from Willesden Green

• Ronald Coase(1910–2013), Nobel Prize winner in Economics, was born and grew up in Willesden.
• Graham Cole,actor.
• Ernest Eldridge(1897–1935), racing driver
• John Neville(1925-2011), actor
• Zadie Smith's younger brother, Ben Smith, is an undergroundBritish rapperwho goes by the nameDoc Brown.He is featured on the track "Think Back" from the albumThe Enthusiastproduced by the British DJ Evil Ed. He raps "Born and bred in Kilburn" but also says "Veteran Willesden tenant. Brent the borough of residence."
• J. Keighley Snowden(1860-1947), author and journalist lived and died here
• Kelvin Krash,aTrap musicproducer

Popular culture

• Emma Thompson's character inLast Chance Harveymentions she lives in Willesden Green.
• The town was featured in the popular novelsWhite TeethandNWbyZadie Smith,published in 2000 and 2012 respectively; the first novel was the basis of a subsequent TV series.
• Joe Strummerand the Mescaleros song from "Willesden to Cricklewood" on their albumRock Art and the X-ray Style.
• Willesden is the origin of the formation of the 1980s breakdance group the Willesden Dodgers with Pete Q. Harris, Nigel Green and Richard Jon Smith as the main members.
• "Willesden Green" is the title of a song written byRay Daviesand performed bythe Kinksand is included in the soundtrack of the 1971 filmPercy.Lyrics from the song:

Well I tried to settle down Fulham Broadway
And I tried to make my home in Golders Green
But I gotta get that train
And go back home again
Oh how I miss the folks back home in Willesden Green

You know, I tried, I really tried to settle in this big city
And I always thought I could make it all on my very own
But there's one thing that keeps calling me
To that little, that little semi-detached
That's the folks, yeah, the folks back home
In Willesden Green

• Willesden Green is a running reference/joke on the animated TV cartoon seriesDanger Mouse.
• The Last Detective(2002) was set and filmed in and around Willesden and used the Rising Sun pub as its central location.
• Jonathan Creekis regularly filmed around Willesden.
• The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Bandmake a short reference to Willesden Green on their track "Shirt", the second track of their 1969 albumTadpolesquote: "Now, here in Willesden Green, yes, brrr, it is a bit chilly but no matter. Here comes a gentleman and we're going to talk to him about shirts."
• Lead Balloon,a BBC4 sitcom starringJack Dee,is filmed principally in Willesden.
• Astatic inverter plantofHVDC Kingsnorthwas located in Willesden.
• In the bookThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,Christopher's mother lives in Willesden.
• Willesden was the first home ofJive Records.It remained there for many years while growing into an international music company, which released the music of such global artists asWhodini,DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince,andBritney Spears.It was eventually acquired byBertelsmann Music Groupand relocated to New York.
• The family who share their house with a ghost in the BBC's 1992 SitcomSo Haunt Melived on Meadow Road, Willesden.
• On the popular 1980s/90s TV showMinder,Arthur Daley had a lock-up full of questionable merchandise located in Willesden. He also orchestrated many of his dodgy deals in the area and other parts of northwest London. In the episode "Willesden Suite", Arthur finds himself caught up in the web of a dishonest manager whilst supplying a hotel with dodgy gear.
• Willesden was once home toMorgan Studios,where many well-known rock albums by artists such as Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Supertramp were produced.Morgan Studioswas the first to use 24-track recording.
• InNines' "Can't Blame Me" music video, the rapper can be seen wheelie-ing on his pedal bike down Willesden Lane outside the launderette where he washes his millions.
• The second volume of Louis Ferdinand CelineGuignol's Bandtells the story of Colonel O'Cologhan, whose mansion is situated in Willesden.

See also

• St Matthew's Church, Willesden
• Willesden Jewish Cemetery
• Liberal Jewish Cemetery, Willesden

External links

• A Short History of Brent
• Willesden Town Centre Partnership
• Willesden cycling club
• Willesden: Settlement and Growth from