Category: History

1953 – Kensington Improvement Act

When the Council is finally asked to take over the gardens, the secretary had to get the consent of all the freeholders and leaseholders. To help with this exhausting

1952 – The Postwar Years

The war and the trench shelter were the “coup de grace” for the concept of an “ornamental pleasure ground” the shelter had destroyed the east end of the garden. The compensation

1940 – Bombed

On 26 th September, 1940, between 1 and 1.15 am a incendiary bomb fell in the garden somewhere near 2 – 4 Ladbroke Gardens. Unfortunately, the bomb incident map

1939 – The Trench Site no 13

Inside the shelter the four W.C.s are latrines, with two buckets apiece. According to the Local War Instructions of 28th July, 1939, the shelter is to be supplied with

1938 – The War

At the beginning of September 1938 the Home Office instructed the borough council to dig exploratory trenches for shelters for the 12,000 people the police estimate as likely to

1937 – Inadequate Funds

Wage rises and reluctant rent payers mean less labour.  While the garden rent remained the same, wages had risen by around 70% since the war. The budget would only run to a

1928 – Between the wars

The evidence shows a garden striving to maintain the ideal of an “ornamental pleasure ground”. A loyal gardener plants a number of our present flowering shrubs as well as

1871 – “Coffin Row”

In 1871 OS map showing the development of Notting Hill. The number of “carcase” houses has earned Ladbroke Gardens the nickname “coffin row”. It is also a haunt for

1864 – Portobello farm

Looking South from Portobello Farm showing Notting Hill in the distance on the right. The buildings shown are from left to right: Portobello Farm, All Saints Church, St Peters

1863 – The Pleasure Ground

“At one in the afternoon of 5th January, 1863”, in the offices of Taylor, Stileman and Underwood, of 15 Furnival’s Inn, EC “the memorial is registered of the “Deed