Kingsbury, London

Kingsbury was historically a rural parish of a fairly modest 6.9 square kilometres (2.7 sq mi) in the Hundred of Gore and county of Middlesex.[1] It formerly included Queensbury.[2] Following local government redrawing of electoral wards Kingsbury corresponds to the Fryent and Barnhill wards and in all of its various older guises, a minority or all of the Queensbury ward.[3]

The early English kings had parted with their manor of Kingsbury long before the Conquest. An estate called Tunworth, in the northern part of Kingsbury parish, was granted by Edwy to his thegn Lyfing in 957. By 1066 it probably formed part of the manor of Kingsbury, which was then held by Wlward White, a thegn of the Confessor, and passed from him to Ernulf of Hesdin who died in 1097 and his lands passed to the family of Walter of Salisbury. Thereafter the overlordship of Kingsbury descended with Edgware manor. By 1086 on the Domesday survey of property, Ernulf's manor in Kingsbury had been subinfeudated to Albold as Lord. It was not mentioned again until 1317, when, under the name of the manor of Kingsbury, it belonged to Baldwin Poleyn of Tebworth.[4]

Kingsbury developed little in housing and population in the 19th century, remaining a polyfocal village. In this age, Oliver Goldsmith, writer and playwright, lived at Hyde Farm, Kingsbury (1771–1774); the third Lord Mansfield was buried at St. Andrew's churchyard in 1840.

Although it lay close to London, development started slowly, and it was not until after the First World War that the district became built up. An aircraft industry was established in the part of Kingsbury adjacent to Hendon aerodrome during the war, while the road network was improved to cater for the British Empire Exhibition in nearby Wembley in 1924.[5] The number of inhabited houses in the civil parish increased from just 140 in 1901 to 3,937 in 1931. By 1951 this had risen to 11,776.[6] Between 1921 and 1931 Kingsbury's population increased by 796%.[5]

Population growth meant the existing parish church, built in 1884, dedicated to the Holy Innocents, and adjacent to the more historic Old St Andrew's church, became too small. It was replaced during the 1930s. The current church, completed to designs by Samuel Daukes in 1847, had originally been constructed in Wells Street in central London but after its use declined it was deconstructed, transported and rebuilt (by Holland, Hannen & Cubitts, directed by architect William Adam Forsyth) in its entirety in Kingsbury in 1933–34.[7][8][9]

John Logie Baird's experimental television transmissions from the United Kingdom to Berlin, Germany were transmitted from the stable block of Kingsbury Manor, now the Veterans Club in Roe Green Park.

From 1923 to 1979 Kingsbury Road was the location of the Vanden Plas specialist motor body works, body makers for Bentley and later part of Austin, BMC, and British Leyland. The site is now Kingsbury Trading Estate.

No. 154 Slough Lane, from the 1920s

A congregation of Jews affiliated to the United Synagogue is first recorded in Kingsbury in 1939. In 1942 Eden Lodge at Kingsbury Green was registered for worship, becoming Kingsbury district synagogue in 1954.[10]

The 2011 census showed that the Fryent ward's largest ethnic group was Indian at 21%. Whites as a whole form 37% (17% British, 14% Other, 6% Irish). 11% was Other Asian. 41% were Christian, 21% Muslim and 20% Hindu.[12] The Welsh Harp ward, which covers southern areas of Kingsbury Green, was 17% White Other, 17% Indian, and 16% White British.[13]

The first two series of BBC children's drama Grange Hill were filmed at Kingsbury High School.[14] Video of Round Here, about George Michael's childhood, features Roe Green Park, Roe Green Primary School and other local landmarks.

• John Beard (trade unionist), had his last home in 27 Wyndale Avenue at the time of his death in 1950.[15]
• James Hanratty, among last condemned to hang for murder, lived in Kingsbury.
• Charlie Watts, drummer of The Rolling Stones, was raised in Kingsbury. [16]
• Julie Rogers, singer, was educated and lived in Kingsbury.
• Shirley Eaton, actress.
• Courtney Pine OBE, jazz musician, was raised in Kingsbury from age 14.[17]
• Chris Squire, bassist of Yes and The Syn, was born in Kingsbury.
• Steve Nardelli, guitarist and vocalist wth The Syn, went to Kingsbury County Grammar School.
• Tony Kanal, bassist of No Doubt, was raised in Kingsbury.[18]
• Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan, singer/songwriters, Sugababes, born and raised in Kingsbury.
• Jet Harris, musician with Tony Meehan and The Shadows, was born in Kingsbury.
• Gary Waddock, former Wycombe Wanderers manager, was born in Kingsbury.
• Jasmyn Banks, actress, was educated in Kingsbury.
• Stuart Pearce, footballer, raised in Kingsbury.
• George Michael, singer and songwriter, was raised in Kingsbury.
• Brian Michaels, theatre and opera director, was born and raised in Kingsbury.
• Liam Beary, just for being Liam Beary, born and raised in Kingsbury.

Some historical maps show Kingsbury to be centred to the south of Church Lane around Blackbird Hill, an area that is seldom referred to as Kingsbury today but instead Wembley Park or Neasden.

• Barn Hill Open Space
• Fryent Country Park
• Kingsbury Green Recreation Ground
• Roe Green Park
• Silver Jubilee Park
• Grove Park Open Space
• Eton Grove Park

• Kingsbury High School
• Jewish Free School (JFS)
• Fryent Primary School
• Oliver Goldsmith Primary School
• Kingsbury Green Primary School
• Roe Green Primary School
• St Robert Southwell Primary School

• Old St Andrew's Church, Kingsbury
• Kingsbury Aviation

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kingsbury.

• Kingsbury heritage
• Kingsbury history
• Highfort Court, Buck Lane. Designed in the style of a fortified castle by local architect E. G. Trobridge
• Vanden Plas Kingsbury Works - A Potted History