Watford Close, SW11

Road in/near Battersea, existing between 1965 and now.

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(51.47609 -0.16645, 51.476 -0.166) 
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Road · * · SW11 ·
FEBRUARY
28
2019
Watford Close is a small street on the Ethelburga Estate.

This substantial estate between Battersea Bridge and Albert Bridge Roads is understated for an LCC development of its date, 1963–5. Its planning, pleasantly knitting together a series of internal squares, makes up for a certain want of architectural imagination.

The LCC’s involvement with the wedge of land between the main roads to the bridges dates back to 1958, when it agreed to build a hostel here for 200 students as part of the deal for turning Battersea Polytechnic into a college of advanced technology. This tall and imposing building, the future Ralph West Hall, was erected to designs by the LCC Architect’s Department in 1959–61 (job architect, Michael Horsman). It was demolished in 2009. Its prominent site facing Albert Bridge Road was noted at the planning stage as adjoining an ‘area to be redeveloped by the Council to the west’.

The Ethelburga Estate scheme came before the London County Council in November 1960. It would be a mixed development on a site of 14 acres, comprising 578 dwellings distributed between one tower block, three blocks of seven-storey flats, and many of lower groups. The LCC housing architect in charge of the project was H. G. Gillett.

The naming of the blocks and internal roads held local significance: Jagger House, and Henty and Maskelyne Closes were called after famous Battersea residents; Watford Close after Watford Villas, and Searles House after Searle Street, both obliterated by the development.


Main source: Bartlett Architecture: Battersea Park
Further citations and sources


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CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LOCALITY

Comment
Peter H Davies   
Added: 17 Jun 2021 09:33 GMT   

Ethelburga Estate
The Ethelburga Estate - named after Ethelburga Road - was an LCC development dating between 1963�’65. According to the Wikipedia, it has a "pleasant knitting together of a series of internal squares". I have to add that it’s extremely dull :)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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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.

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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.

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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



LOCAL PHOTOS
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Badric Road, SW11 (1950s)
TUM image id: 1647278035
Licence: CC BY 2.0
Petworth Street sign
TUM image id: 1493989872
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In the neighbourhood...

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Albert Bridge opened in 1873 and was immediately designated as a dangerous structure. It was noticed early on that vibrations could threaten the structural integrity of the bridge.
Credit: The Underground Map
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The Fascination of Chelsea
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Battersea Park Road (1900). Looking east through the double railway arches. Just beyond the bridges would be the later site of the modern dogs and cats home.
Old London postcard
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Coppock Close
Credit: The Underground Map
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Rowena Crescent
Credit: GoArt/The Underground Map
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Winders Road
Credit: The Underground Map
Licence: CC BY 2.0


Rosenau Road, SW11 Schloss Rosenau is a castle, formerly in Saxe-Coburg, now lying in Bavaria. Schloss Rosenau was the boyhood home of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, who became the husband of Queen Victoria. Due to the name of nearby Albert Bridge, builders rook the opportunity to call many of the roads of this area of Battersea after connections with the Prince Consort.
Credit: The Underground Map
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Petworth Street sign
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Old Battersea Bridge, Walter Greaves (oil on canvas, 1874) Old Battersea Bridge, seen from upstream, on Lindsey Row (now Cheyne Walk), with Battersea on the far shore. The boatyard belonging to the Greaves family is in the foreground. On the extreme left is the wall surrounding the garden of the artist William Bell Scott. In the far distance Crystal Palace is just visible. Battersea Bridge was demolished in 1881, and replaced with the present bridge. Before the alterations Greaves recalled the danger to shipping and the difficulty of steering through the arches unless the ‘set of the tide was known’. On the horizon, Crystal Palace can be seen
Credit: Tate Gallery
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Battersea Bridge, a painting by John Atkinson Grimshaw (1885)
Credit: The Maas Gallery
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