Kensington, Liverpool
Encyclopedia
Kensington is an inner city
area of Liverpool
, England
. It is located immediately to the east of Liverpool city centre, and is bordered by Everton to the north, Fairfield
to the east and Edge Hill
to the south.
The majority of Kensington is in the Liverpool City Council ward of Kensington and Fairfield, whilst the westernmost area, Kensington Fields, is included in the Central ward. According to the 2001 Census, Kensington had a population of 12,740.
terraced houses
. A number of local shops, including newsagents and convenience stores as well as some supermarkets exist along Kensington, Prescot Road and Edge Lane, the area's three main roads. Many shop fronts have been refurbished by the Government's New Deal for Communities
programme. The area boasts a number of traditional Liverpool pubs. Kensington is also home to the historic Deane Road Jewish Cemetery, which was awarded £494,000 in 2010 by the Heritage Lottery Fund
to aid restoration.
Due to its close proximity to the Knowledge Quarter
of Liverpool, Kensington has developed into a popular Student quarter, comprised mainly of University of Liverpool
and Liverpool John Moores University
students. In 2001, 12.29% of the population of Kensington were registered students.
The northwestern area of Kensington features a series of streets named in honour of The Beatles
, which opened during the early 1980s, these include: John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close, Ringo Starr Drive, Epstein Court, Apple Court and Cavern Court.
KensingtonVision, a Social Enterprise Community Interest Company established in May 2007, has produced videos and other media-related projects about the Kensington area, including the Venture Housing 'Green Apprentices' video. KensingtonVision has also provided free broadband
connections and ran a temporary community radio station at various times since 2007 .
and St Helens
.
, Paul McCartney
, George Harrison
and other members of the Quarrymen skiffle group, which later evolved into The Beatles
, made their first sound recording at Phillips' Sound Recording Services
studio located at 38 Kensington, Kensington, Liverpool.
The Kensington area is referred to in the song Streets of Kenny on the HMS Fable
album by Liverpudlian band Shack
.
programme The Secret Millionaire (episode broadcast 6 December 2006). He assisted a family living in a council house as well as paying several thousand pounds to a local asylum centre. Strictly, the road he lived on throughout his stay, Balmoral Road, is in the Fairfield
district. Shots of boarded up houses, edited into the film to support the opinion from a local person that there was little sign of regeneration in Kensington, were actually from the Gladstone Road area of Edge Hill
district and were scheduled for demolition (currently underway). The person being interviewed was at the time on Balmoral Road, approx 1 mile away.
Inner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
area of Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located immediately to the east of Liverpool city centre, and is bordered by Everton to the north, Fairfield
Fairfield, Liverpool
Fairfield is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, encompassing streets between Tuebrook and Kensington and stretching to Old Swan. It consists of a variety of houses; there are some traditional red-brick terraces, larger Victorian villas and also the notable and rather wonderful 300...
to the east and Edge Hill
Edge Hill, Liverpool
Edge Hill is a district of Liverpool, England. It is located to the south east of Liverpool city centre, bordered by the city centre, Kensington, Wavertree and Toxteth. Edge Hill University was founded here, but moved to Ormskirk in the 1930s.-History:...
to the south.
The majority of Kensington is in the Liverpool City Council ward of Kensington and Fairfield, whilst the westernmost area, Kensington Fields, is included in the Central ward. According to the 2001 Census, Kensington had a population of 12,740.
Description
The area is occupied largely by VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
terraced houses
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
. A number of local shops, including newsagents and convenience stores as well as some supermarkets exist along Kensington, Prescot Road and Edge Lane, the area's three main roads. Many shop fronts have been refurbished by the Government's New Deal for Communities
New Deal for Communities
New Deal for Communities is a regeneration programme led by the government of the United Kingdom for some of the England's most deprived neighbourhoods...
programme. The area boasts a number of traditional Liverpool pubs. Kensington is also home to the historic Deane Road Jewish Cemetery, which was awarded £494,000 in 2010 by the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
to aid restoration.
Due to its close proximity to the Knowledge Quarter
Liverpool Knowledge Quarter
The "Knowledge Quarter" in Liverpool, England is a modern term in business given to the vicinity of Liverpool City Centre that focuses heavily on the education, knowledge and research sectors....
of Liverpool, Kensington has developed into a popular Student quarter, comprised mainly of University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
and Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University
Liverpool John Moores University is a British 'modern' university located in the city of Liverpool, England. The university is named after John Moores and was previously called Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts and later Liverpool Polytechnic before gaining university status in 1992, thus...
students. In 2001, 12.29% of the population of Kensington were registered students.
The northwestern area of Kensington features a series of streets named in honour of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, which opened during the early 1980s, these include: John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close, Ringo Starr Drive, Epstein Court, Apple Court and Cavern Court.
Community and regeneration
Since the year 2000, an influx of money from the 'The Kensington Regeneration' programme has allowed improvements to be made to the local area, with run-down houses having been redeveloped, and street monitors put in place to maintain good social order.KensingtonVision, a Social Enterprise Community Interest Company established in May 2007, has produced videos and other media-related projects about the Kensington area, including the Venture Housing 'Green Apprentices' video. KensingtonVision has also provided free broadband
Broadband
The term broadband refers to a telecommunications signal or device of greater bandwidth, in some sense, than another standard or usual signal or device . Different criteria for "broad" have been applied in different contexts and at different times...
connections and ran a temporary community radio station at various times since 2007 .
Transport
There are regular buses (numbers 8, 9, 10 and variants thereof) providing services to the city centre, as well as to HuytonHuyton
Huyton is a suburb of Liverpool within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, with some parts belonging to the borough of Liverpool in Merseyside, England. It is part of the Liverpool Urban Area and has close associations with its neighbour, Roby, having both formerly been part of the Huyton with...
and St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
.
Notable residents
- Terence Davies, screenwriter and film maker.
- Natasha HamiltonNatasha HamiltonNatasha Maria Hamilton is a British singer-songwriter, dancer and occasional stage actress. She was a member of Atomic Kitten from 1999 to 2008.-Early life and career:...
, singer and member of Atomic KittenAtomic KittenAtomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
. - John HeadJohn HeadJohn Head is an English musician from Kensington, Liverpool. He is the younger brother of Mick Head and has performed with in Shack and The Strands as lead guitarist. He has also performed with Love.-External links:* and from BBC Liverpool08...
, musician and lead-guitarist of the bands ShackShack (band)Shack are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1987. Originally Shack consisted of Mick Head , his brother John Head , Justin Smith and Mick Hurst.-The Pale Fountains:...
and The StrandsThe StrandsThe Strands were an offshoot of the Liverpool based band Shack. The band consisted of Mick Head and John Head , Iain Templeton and Michelle Brown . They released one album, titled The Magical World of The Strands in 1997.-External links:* and from BBC Liverpool08...
. - Mick HeadMick HeadMichael Head often called Mick Head, is an English musician. He is most famous as the lead singer and songwriter for Shack and The Strands, both of which also feature his younger brother John...
, musician and lead-singer of the bands The Pale FountainsThe Pale FountainsThe Pale Fountains were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1980, and composed of Mick Head , Chris McCaffery , Thomas Whelan and former Dislocation Dance trumpeter Andy Diagram .-Career:...
, ShackShack (band)Shack are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1987. Originally Shack consisted of Mick Head , his brother John Head , Justin Smith and Mick Hurst.-The Pale Fountains:...
and The StrandsThe StrandsThe Strands were an offshoot of the Liverpool based band Shack. The band consisted of Mick Head and John Head , Iain Templeton and Michelle Brown . They released one album, titled The Magical World of The Strands in 1997.-External links:* and from BBC Liverpool08...
. - Paul MasonPaul Mason (footballer)Paul Mason is a former professional footballer. After being released by Everton FC as a schoolboy he had trials at Manchester City and Tranmere Rovers but rejected them. He was working as a labourer in Holland when he was spotted by FC Groningen scouts whilst playing for his local pub team...
, F.C. Groningen, Aberdeen F.C.Aberdeen F.C.Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, Ipswich Town F.C.Ipswich Town F.C.Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
and Woodbridge Town football player. - Joe McGannJoe McGannJoseph 'Joe' McGann is an English actor. His most well known role is the lead role of Charlie Burrows, the "housekeeper" in the TV comedy series The Upper Hand . He is also known as a television reporter on the BBC's South Today programme, reporting on local events in the south of England...
actor. - Mark McGannMark McGannMark McGann is an English actor, director and musician.- Acting career :McGann first appeared on stage in 1981 in the production Lennon at the Everyman Theatre and the London Astoria where he portrayed John Lennon, role which won him the first of his two Olivier Award nominations for best actor in...
actor, director and musician. - Paul McGannPaul McGannPaul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
actor. - Stephen McGannStephen McGannStephen McGann is an English actor - one of a family of acting brothers including Joe, Paul and Mark. He began his professional career in 1982, starring in the West End musical Yakety Yak. He has since worked extensively in British theatre and on screen.In 1989 he starred as Mickey in the West End...
actor. - David MorrisseyDavid MorrisseyDavid Mark Morrissey is an English actor and director. Morrissey grew up in the Kensington and Knotty Ash areas of Liverpool, and learned to act at the city's Everyman Youth Theatre. At the age of 18, he was cast in the television series One Summer , which won him recognition throughout the country...
actor and director. - Sidney Silverman, Labour MP, co-founder of CND, led opposition to capital punishment.
- Geoff TaylorGeoff TaylorGeoff Taylor is an English fantasy artist. He has illustrated books for famous fantasy writers such as Robert Holdstock, Philip K. Dick, David and Leigh Eddings, Graham Edwards, Raymond E. Feist, Katharine Kerr, J. R. R. Tolkien, Roger Zelazny, and David Zindell...
, musician Age of ChanceAge of ChanceAge of Chance were a British alternative rock-dance crossover band from Leeds, England active from 1985 to 1991. They were perhaps most known for their mutant metallic cover of Prince's "Kiss" which topped the UK Indie Chart in 1986, and peaked at #50 in the UK Singles Chart in January the...
. - Phil ThompsonPhil ThompsonPhilip Bernard Thompson is a retired English footballer, who played as a defender for Liverpool team of the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, he also represented the England national football team on 42 occasions...
, Liverpool F.C.Liverpool F.C.Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Sheffield United and EnglandEngland national football teamThe England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international football player. - Colin WellandColin WellandColin Welland is a British actor and screenwriter. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his script for Chariots of Fire ,,,....
, actor, film director.
Music
On 14 July 1958, John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
, George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
and other members of the Quarrymen skiffle group, which later evolved into The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, made their first sound recording at Phillips' Sound Recording Services
Phillips' Sound Recording Services
Phillips' Sound Recording Services was a studio in the house of Percy Francis Phillips and his family at 38 Kensington, Kensington, Liverpool, England...
studio located at 38 Kensington, Kensington, Liverpool.
The Kensington area is referred to in the song Streets of Kenny on the HMS Fable
HMS Fable
H.M.S. Fable is the third album by Liverpudlian band Shack, released in June 1999 via London Records. It was the band's first album following their reformation after the interest generated by their previous much-delayed album Waterpistol and the album by offshoot band The Strands. H.M.S...
album by Liverpudlian band Shack
Shack (band)
Shack are an English band formed in Liverpool in 1987. Originally Shack consisted of Mick Head , his brother John Head , Justin Smith and Mick Hurst.-The Pale Fountains:...
.
Television
Millionaire John Elliott spent ten days in the district living in a council flat under state benefits as part of the Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
programme The Secret Millionaire (episode broadcast 6 December 2006). He assisted a family living in a council house as well as paying several thousand pounds to a local asylum centre. Strictly, the road he lived on throughout his stay, Balmoral Road, is in the Fairfield
Fairfield, Liverpool
Fairfield is an area of Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, encompassing streets between Tuebrook and Kensington and stretching to Old Swan. It consists of a variety of houses; there are some traditional red-brick terraces, larger Victorian villas and also the notable and rather wonderful 300...
district. Shots of boarded up houses, edited into the film to support the opinion from a local person that there was little sign of regeneration in Kensington, were actually from the Gladstone Road area of Edge Hill
Edge Hill, Liverpool
Edge Hill is a district of Liverpool, England. It is located to the south east of Liverpool city centre, bordered by the city centre, Kensington, Wavertree and Toxteth. Edge Hill University was founded here, but moved to Ormskirk in the 1930s.-History:...
district and were scheduled for demolition (currently underway). The person being interviewed was at the time on Balmoral Road, approx 1 mile away.