Metropolitan Borough of Kensington
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox historic subdivision The Metropolitan Borough of Kensington was a metropolitan borough in the County of London from 1900 to 1965, which since 1901 was known as the Royal Borough of Kensington, following the death of Queen Victoria, in accordance with her wishes.
History
It bordered Chelsea, Fulham, Hammersmith, Paddington, and Westminster.
It included Kensington, South Kensington, Earls Court, Notting Hill, Brompton and part of Kensal Green.
In 1901 it was granted the status of a royal borough, and therefore from then was also known as the Royal Borough of Kensington.<ref>"The King has been pleased to direct Letters Patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting the title Royal to the Metropolitan Borough of Kensington, and ordaining and declaring that the said Borough shall henceforth be called and styled the Royal Borough of Kensington, and the Council for the Borough The Mayor, Aldermen, and Councillors of the Royal Borough of Kensington." Template:London Gazette</ref> The status was granted after the death of Queen Victoria, in accordance with her wish (she was born at Kensington Palace in the borough).<ref>The Royal Borough's Coat of Arms</ref>
In 1965 it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of Chelsea to form the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
A number of street signs in the area still bear the designation "Royal Borough of Kensington".
The old Town Hall was demolished "in controversial circumstances" involving an impending conservation order in June 1982.<ref>Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea website</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Coat of arms
The coat of arms is derived from those of the former Lords of the Manor, and that of the parish church, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.<ref>(Civic Heraldry) accessed 15 Jan 2008</ref>
Population and area
The Kensington borough covered Template:Convert once part of Kensal New Town (a detached part of Chelsea before 1901) became incorporated. The population of Kensington recorded in the Census, which excludes Kensal New Town before 1901, was:
Kensington Vestry 1801–1899
| Year<ref>Statistical Abstract for London, 1901 (Vol. IV); Census tables for Metropolitan Borough of Kensington</ref> | 1801 | 1811 | 1821 | 1831 | 1841 | 1851 | 1861 | 1871 | 1881 | 1891 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,556 | 10,886 | 14,428 | 20,902 | 26,834 | 44,053 | 70,108 | 120,299 | 163,151 | 166,308 |
Metropolitan Borough 1900–1961
| Year<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 1901 | 1911 | 1921 | 1931 | 1941 | 1951 | 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 176,628 | 172,317 | 175,859 | 180,677 | <ref>The census was suspended for World War II</ref> | 168,160 | 171,272 |
Politics
Under the Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000 ratepayers was to be divided into wards; however the parish of St Mary Abbots Kensington had already been divided into three wards by the Kensington Improvement Act 1851 (14 & 15 Vict. c. cxvi). So the incorporated vestry inherited these wards and assigned vestrymen to them: The Holy Trinity Brompton (27), St John's Notting Hill & St James' Norland (27) and St Mary Abbots (30).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In 1894 as its population had increased the incorporated vestry was re-divided into eight wards (electing vestrymen): Golborne (18), Norland (15), Pembridge (15), Holland (15), Earl's Court (12), Queen's Gate (15), Redcliffe (15) and Brompton (15).<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The metropolitan borough was divided into nine wards for elections: Brompton, Earl's Court, Golborne, Holland, Norland, Pembridge, Queen's Gate, Redcliffe and St Charles.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Borough council
Parliament constituency
For elections to Parliament, the borough was divided into two constituencies:
In 1950 the borough's representation was increased to two and a half seats, when part of it was merged with Chelsea:
In 2010, the constituencies of Kensington North and South were merged to create a single constituency once again and Chelsea was branched off to create a new constituency.