Earl’s Court

Underground station, existing between 1871 and now.

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Underground station · * · SW5 ·
JANUARY
5
2024
Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Earl’s Court has undergone a remarkable transformation over the centuries. Once a rural area characterised by green fields and market gardens, it was part of the ancient manor of Kensington under the lordship of the Vere family - the Earls of Oxford - for over 500 years. The Vere family were descendants of Aubrey de Vere, who held the manor of Geoffrey de Montbray, bishop of Coutances, as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The earls held their manorial court at the site now known as Old Manor Yard, adjacent to the present-day Earl’s Court Underground station.

The construction of the Metropolitan District Railway (MDR) station between 1865 and 1869 marked a turning point in the development of Earl’s Court. On 12 April 1869, the MDR (now the District Line) extended its tracks through Earl’s Court, connecting its station at Gloucester Road to West Brompton, where it established an interchange with the West London Extension Joint Railway. Earl’s Court station itself opened in 1871.

In the following 25 years, Earl’s Court underwent a dramatic transformation, evolving into a densely populated suburb with 1200 houses and two churches. The development of the area progressed rapidly, with the construction of Eardley Crescent and Kempsford Gardens between 1867 and 1873, followed by the commencement of building in Earl’s Court Square and Longridge Road in 1873. Nevern Place was developed in 1874, Trebovir Road and Philbeach Gardens in 1876, and Nevern Square in 1880.

After the Second World War, Earl’s Court became a popular destination for Polish immigrants, earning Earl’s Court Road the nickname "The Danzig Corridor." In the late 1960s, the area became a hub for Australian and New Zealand travellers, gaining the moniker "Kangaroo Valley." At the time, it was one of the most affordable areas in close proximity to central London. Until the 1990s, Earl’s Court remained a relatively less affluent district compared to its more upscale neighbours to the north and west.

In recent years, the demographics of Earl’s Court have shifted, with many of the Australian and New Zealand residents moving to more affordable areas further north and west. This change can be attributed to the rapid increase in property prices during the early 2000s and the ongoing gentrification of the area. Although there is still a significant presence of students and individuals on temporary visas, the economic divide between the eastern and western parts of Earl’s Court illustrates the extent of the transformation the area has undergone.


Licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence

CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

Lived here
Former Philbeach Gardens Resident   
Added: 14 Jul 2021 00:44 GMT   

Philbeach Gardens Resident (Al Stewart)
Al Stewart, who had huts in the 70s with the sings ’Year of the Cat’ and ’On The Borders’, lived in Philbeach Gdns for a while and referenced Earl’s Court in a couple of his songs.
I lived in Philbeach Gardens from a child until my late teens. For a few years, on one evening in the midst of Summer, you could hear Al Stewart songs ringing out across Philbeach Gardens, particularly from his album ’Time Passages". I don’t think Al was living there at the time but perhaps he came back to see some pals. Or perhaps the broadcasters were just his fans,like me.
Either way, it was a wonderful treat to hear!

Reply

LATEST LONDON-WIDE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PROJECT

Comment
Tony Whipple   
Added: 16 Apr 2024 21:35 GMT   

Frank Whipple Place, E14
Frank was my great-uncle, I’d often be ’babysat’ by Peggy while Nan and Dad went to the pub. Peggy was a marvel, so full of life. My Dad and Frank didn’t agree on most politics but everyone in the family is proud of him. A genuinely nice, knowledgable bloke. One of a kind.

Reply
Comment
Theresa Penney   
Added: 16 Apr 2024 18:08 GMT   

1 Whites Row
My 2 x great grandparents and his family lived here according to the 1841 census. They were Dutch Ashkenazi Jews born in Amsterdam at the beginning of the 19th century but all their children were born in Spitalfields.

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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


NEARBY LOCATIONS OF NOTE
Goodwins Field - a field with a story.
Coleherne House Coleherne House once stood on the corner of Brompton Lane (later Brompton Road) and Walnut Tree Lane (now Redcliffe Gardens).
Cromwell Curve The Cromwell Curve was a short section of railway line between Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington stations.
Earl’s Court Earls Court is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Earl’s Court Farm Earl’s Court Farm is pictured here as it was in 1867, before the opening of the underground station two years later.
New Local Government Network Nokes Estate was an agricultural estate in the Earl’s Court area, formerly known as Wattsfield.
The Great Wheel Hungarian impresario Imre Kiralfy arranged for the installation of a giant Ferris wheel, inspired by one at the 1893 Chicago Exhibition.

NEARBY STREETS
Ambassador’s Court, SW5 Ambassador’s Court is a road in the SW1A postcode area (Earl’s Court)
Ashburn Gardens, SW7 Ashburn Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW7 postal area (Gloucester Road)
Ashburn House, SW5 Ashburn House is a block on Collingham Road (Gloucester Road)
Ashley Cottages, SW5 Ashley Cottages dated from the 1860s
Astwood Mews, SW7 Astwood Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW7 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Barkston Gardens, SW5 Barkston Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Bolton Gardens Mews, SW10 Bolton Gardens Mews is a road in the SW10 postcode area (Chelsea)
Bolton Gardens, SW5 Bolton Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Boltons Court, SW5 Boltons Court is a block on Old Brompton Road (Earl’s Court)
Boltons Place, SW5 Boltons Place is a road in the SW5 postcode area (Brompton)
Bramham Gardens, SW5 Bramham Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
BurtonWhite House, SW5 BurtonWhite House can be found on West Cromwell Road (Earl’s Court)
Chatsworth Court, W8 Chatsworth Court is a block on Pembroke Road (Kensington)
Childs Place, SW5 Childs Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Cluney Mews, SW5 Cluny Mews, Philbeach Gardens and Warwick Road was the work of a family of builders - the Mineard family who worked on this area between 1876 and 1891
Colbeck Mews, SW7 Colbeck Mews is a road in the SW7 postcode area (Gloucester Road)
Coleherne Road, SW10 Coleherne Road is one of the streets of London in the SW10 postal area (Chelsea)
Collingham Gardens, SW5 Collingham Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Collingham Place, SW5 Collingham Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Collingham Road, SW5 Collingham Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Corelli Court, SW5 Corelli Court is a block on West Cromwell Road
Courtfield Gardens, SW5 Courtfield Gardens is named after the field beneath it, cultivated until the 19th century (Earl’s Court)
Cromwell Crescent, SW5 Cromwell Crescent is a road in the SW5 postcode area (Earl’s Court)
Cromwell Road, SW5 The road was named after one of Cromwell’s sons who lived here (Earl’s Court)
Eardley Crescent, SW5 Eardley Crescent is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (West Brompton)
Earls Court Gardens, SW5 Earls Court Gardens runs from Earl’s Court station to Knaresborough Place (Earl’s Court)
Earls Court Road, SW5 Earls Court Road is the high street of the Earl’s Court area (Earl’s Court)
Earls Court Square, SW5 Earls Court Square is a residential square (Earl’s Court)
Emperor’s Gate, SW7 This is a street in the SW7 postcode area (Kensington)
Emperors Gate, SW7 Emperors Gate is one of the streets of London in the SW7 postal area (Kensington)
Euro House, SW5 Euro House is a block on Warwick Road
Farnell Mews, SW5 Farnell Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Fenelon Road, SW5 Fenelon Road - at first Alma Road - was created in the 1850s but disappeared during the 1960s
Gledhow Gardens, SW5 Gledhow Gardens is a road in the SW5 postcode area (Brompton)
Grenville Place, SW7 Grenville Place connects Cornwall Gardens and Launceston Place in the north with Cromwell Road in the south (Kensington)
Hesper Mews, SW5 Hesper Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Hogarth Place, SW5 Hogarth Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Hogarth Road, SW5 Hogarth Road had been developed as South Row (Earl’s Court)
Inkerman House, SW5 Inkerman House is a block on Nevern Road
Kempsford Gardens, SW5 Kempsford Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (West Brompton)
Kenway Road, SW5 Kenway Road was originally called North Row (Earl’s Court)
Knaresborough House, SW5 Knaresborough House is located on Knaresborough Place (Earl’s Court)
Knaresborough Place, SW5 Knaresborough Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Kramer Mews, SW5 Kramer Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Chelsea)
Langham Mansions, SW5 Langham Mansions is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Laverton Place, SW5 Laverton Place is a road in the SW5 postcode area (Earl’s Court)
Lexham Gardens, W8 Lexham Gardens is a street in Kensington (Kensington)
Lexham House, W8 Lexham House is a block on Lexham Gardens (Kensington)
Logan Place, W8 Logan Place is a road in the W8 postcode area (Earl’s Court)
Longridge Road, SW5 Longridge Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Marlborough Court, W8 Marlborough Court is a block on Logan Place (Earl’s Court)
Matthias House, SW5 Matthias House is a building on Philbeach Gardens
McLeod’s Mews, SW7 McLeod’s Mews is a road in the SW7 postcode area (Kensington)
Melbourne House, SW5 Melbourne House is a block on Collingham Road (Earl’s Court)
Nevern Place, SW5 Nevern Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Nevern Road, SW5 Nevern Road was laid out after 1873
Nevern Square, SW5 Nevern Square is a charming garden square situated in the Earl’s Court area
Old Brompton Road, SW5 Old Brompton Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Chelsea)
Old Manor Yard, SW5 Old Manor Yard runs beside Earl’s Court station (Earl’s Court)
Pembroke Gardens, W8 Pembroke Gardens is a road in the W8 postcode area (Kensington)
Pembroke Road, SW5 Pembroke Road is a street in Kensington (Earl’s Court)
Pembroke Villas, W8 Pembroke Villas is a road in the W8 postcode area (Kensington)
Pembroke Walk, W8 Pembroke Walk is a road in the W8 postcode area (Kensington)
Pennant Mews, SW5 Pennant Mews is a street in Kensington (Kensington)
Penywern Road, SW5 Penywern Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Philbeach Gardens, SW5 Philbeach Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
PO Box 4, SW5 Earl’s Court Square is located on Earl’s Court Squar (Earl’s Court)
Redcliffe Close, SW5 Redcliffe Close is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Redfield Lane, SW5 Redfield Lane is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Rupert House, SW5 Rupert House is a building on Nevern Square
Sherborne Court, SW5 Sherborne Court is a block on the corner of Cromwell Road and Marloes Road (Earl’s Court)
Sibyl Thorndike Casson House, SW5 Sibyl Thorndike Casson House is a block on Kramer Mews (West Brompton)
South Bolton Gardens, SW5 South Bolton Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Brompton)
Spear Mews, SW5 Spear Mews is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Templeton Place, SW5 Templeton Place is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
The Little Boltons, SW10 The Little Boltons - originally called "The Grove" - connects Old Brompton Road with Tregunter Road (Chelsea)
The Mansions, SW5 The Mansions is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Earl’s Court)
Trebouir Road, SW5 Trebouir Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Trebovir Road, SW5 Trebovir Road was begun in 1876
Wallgrave Road, SW5 Wallgrave Road was built from 1860 on land owned by Charles Wallgrave. (Earl’s Court)
Warwick Road, SW5 Warwick Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Weir Road, SW5 Weir Road is a road in the SW17 postcode area (Earl’s Court)
West Cromwell Road, SW5 West Cromwell Road is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area
Wetherby Gardens, SW5 Wetherby Gardens is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Brompton)
Wetherby Mansions, SW5 Wetherby Mansions is one of the streets of London in the SW5 postal area (Chelsea)
Wetherby Mews, SW5 Wetherby Mews is a road in the SW5 postcode area (Earl’s Court)
Wharfedale Street, SW10 This is a street in the SW10 postcode area (Chelsea)
Yale House, SW5 Yale House is a block on Old Brompton Road (Chelsea)

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