White City, London
Encyclopedia
White City is a district in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
, to the north of Shepherd's Bush
. Today, White City is home to the BBC Television Centre
and BBC White City
, and Loftus Road
stadium, the home of football club Queens Park Rangers FC.
and the 1908 Summer Olympics
. In 1909 the exhibition site hosted the Imperial International Exhibition and in 1910, the Japan-British Exhibition
. The final two exhibitions to be held there were the Latin-British (1912) and the Anglo-American (1914). During this period it was known as the Great White City due to the white marble
cladding used on the exhibition pavilions, and hence gave its name to this part of Shepherd's Bush
.
The White City Stadium
in the north of the area, known as the Great Stadium, was officially opened by King Edward VII on April 27, 1908 for the Olympics. After the Olympics, it continued to be used for athletics until 1914, and was later turned into a greyhound racing
track, although it was also used for short periods by Queens Park Rangers football club, and for other sports. It hosted one match during the 1966 World Cup
. The stadium was demolished in 1985 to make way for the BBC White City building. Today, the 1908 Olympics are commemorated with a list of athletes inscribed on the side of the BBC Broadcast Centre Building, and the athletics finish line is marked in the paving outside the building.
The Marathon from these London Olympics played an important part in the development of the modern marathon race. In the early years of competitive international sport, the long distance marathon race did not have a standard set distance. The distance run at the first seven Olympics from 1896 to 1920 varied between 40km
and 42.75 km. The starting point of the race at the 1908 Olympics was at Windsor Castle
creating a distance of 26 mile
s 385 yard
s (42.195 km) to the finishing line at White City stadium. In 1921 this was adopted as the standard distance.
To house the growing population of Shepherd's Bush, a five-storey housing estate
was built, which also took the name of the White City.
In 2001, BBC Television Centre was damaged by a car bomb attack
by the Real IRA. The bomb went off on Wood Lane, in front of the Television Centre news building.
On 30 October 2008, Westfield shopping centre was opened.
(A3220
, formerly the M41 motorway), the Westway
(A40
) and Wood Lane
(A219
). This centre has been branded "Westfield London
".
Two stations were built to serve the centre close to the sites of closed former London Underground stations:
In 2007, it was announced that the BBC would sell its landmark Television Centre as part of a cost-cutting programme.
In 2008 English Heritage announced its recommendation to list parts of TV centre as an excellent example of 20th century architecture.
Schools in the area include Burlington Danes Academy
and Phoenix High School
.
, of The Who
and former resident of Shepherd's Bush, released a solo album entitled White City: A Novel
in November 1985 on Atco. The title refers to a story which accompanies the album and which takes place in the London area of White City.
The Pogues
made a song about the stadium and its demolition, called "White City". It can be found on their 1989 album Peace and Love
.
North of the Westfield shopping centre itself, the grade II listed Dimco buildings
(1898), now refurbished as a bus depot were used as the location for the ‘Acme Factory’ in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit
?.
The journalist Daisy Waugh
lives in White City.
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
, to the north of Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
. Today, White City is home to the BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
and BBC White City
BBC White City
BBC White City refers both to a collection of BBC buildings at Wood Lane, White City in west London, and an office building opened in 1990 within that collection of buildings...
, and Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
stadium, the home of football club Queens Park Rangers FC.
History
The area now called White City was level arable farmfields until 1908, when it was used as the site of the Franco-British ExhibitionFranco-British Exhibition (1908)
The Franco-British Exhibition was a large public fair held in London in the early years of the 20th Century. The exhibition attracted 8 million visitors and celebrated the Entente Cordiale signed in 1904 by the United Kingdom and France....
and the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
. In 1909 the exhibition site hosted the Imperial International Exhibition and in 1910, the Japan-British Exhibition
Japan-British Exhibition (1910)
The took place at White City, London in Great Britain from 14 May 1910 to 29 October 1910. It was the largest international exposition that the Empire of Japan had participated in to date, and was driven by a desire of Japan to develop a more favorable public image in Great Britain following the...
. The final two exhibitions to be held there were the Latin-British (1912) and the Anglo-American (1914). During this period it was known as the Great White City due to the white marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
cladding used on the exhibition pavilions, and hence gave its name to this part of Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush
-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
.
The White City Stadium
White City Stadium
White City Stadium was built in White City, London, for the 1908 Summer Olympics, often seen as the precursor to the modern seater stadium and noted for hosting the finish of the first modern distance marathon. It also hosted speedway and a match at the 1966 World Cup, before the stadium was...
in the north of the area, known as the Great Stadium, was officially opened by King Edward VII on April 27, 1908 for the Olympics. After the Olympics, it continued to be used for athletics until 1914, and was later turned into a greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
track, although it was also used for short periods by Queens Park Rangers football club, and for other sports. It hosted one match during the 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
. The stadium was demolished in 1985 to make way for the BBC White City building. Today, the 1908 Olympics are commemorated with a list of athletes inscribed on the side of the BBC Broadcast Centre Building, and the athletics finish line is marked in the paving outside the building.
The Marathon from these London Olympics played an important part in the development of the modern marathon race. In the early years of competitive international sport, the long distance marathon race did not have a standard set distance. The distance run at the first seven Olympics from 1896 to 1920 varied between 40km
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
and 42.75 km. The starting point of the race at the 1908 Olympics was at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
creating a distance of 26 mile
Mile
A mile is a unit of length, most commonly 5,280 feet . The mile of 5,280 feet is sometimes called the statute mile or land mile to distinguish it from the nautical mile...
s 385 yard
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
s (42.195 km) to the finishing line at White City stadium. In 1921 this was adopted as the standard distance.
To house the growing population of Shepherd's Bush, a five-storey housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
was built, which also took the name of the White City.
In 2001, BBC Television Centre was damaged by a car bomb attack
4 March 2001 BBC bombing
At 12:30 AM on Sunday 4 March 2001, the Real IRA detonated a car bomb outside the BBC's main news centre within BBC Television Centre, on Wood Lane in the White City area of West London....
by the Real IRA. The bomb went off on Wood Lane, in front of the Television Centre news building.
On 30 October 2008, Westfield shopping centre was opened.
New development
Westfield Group (with Hausinvest Europa) has built a new shopping centre, bounded by the West Cross RouteWest Cross Route
The West Cross Route is a short, dual carriageway section of the A3220 route in central London in The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, with a small part being shared with borderlining borough Hammersmith and Fulham. It runs north-south between the northern elevated roundabout junction...
(A3220
A3220 road
The A3220 is a primary A road in London. It runs north from Clapham Common to the A40 Westway at Ladbroke Grove.The road crosses the River Thames at Battersea Bridge and from this point until its end it forms the western boundary of the London Congestion Charge zone...
, formerly the M41 motorway), the Westway
Westway (London)
The Westway is a long elevated dual carriageway section of the A40 route in west London running from Paddington to North Kensington. The road was constructed between 1964 and 1970 to relieve congestion at Shepherd's Bush caused by traffic from Western Avenue struggling to enter central London on...
(A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
) and Wood Lane
Wood Lane
Wood Lane is a street in London. It runs north from Shepherd's Bush, under the Westway past Wormwood Scrubs where it meets Scrubs Lane. The road is wholly in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham...
(A219
A219 road
The A219, is a road in West London, England, which connects the A404 Harrow Road in Harlesden to the A24 in South Wimbledon. Running from North to South, it starts near Willesden Junction station, crosses the Grand Union Canal and runs through Shepherd's Bush, Hammersmith and Fulham, crossing the...
). This centre has been branded "Westfield London
Westfield London
Westfield London is a shopping centre in White City in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The centre was developed by the Westfield Group at a cost of £1.6bn,...
".
Two stations were built to serve the centre close to the sites of closed former London Underground stations:
- Wood LaneWood Lane tube stationWood Lane is a London Underground station, located in the White City area of west London, England, UK. It is on the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines, between Latimer Road and Shepherd's Bush Market stations. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 2....
on the Hammersmith and City line, located to provide a walking distance connection with the Central LineCentral LineThe Central line is a London Underground line, coloured red on the tube map. It is a deep-level "tube" line, running east-west across London, and, at , has the greatest total length of track of any line on the Underground. Of the 49 stations served, 20 are below ground...
station at White CityWhite City tube stationWhite City tube station is a London Underground station situated on Wood Lane in White City in west London. The station is on the Central Line, between Shepherds Bush and East Acton stations, in Travelcard Zone 2.-History:...
. - Shepherd's BushShepherd's Bush railway stationShepherd's Bush station is a railway station located in the district of Shepherd's Bush in west London, England, UK. It opened in 2008 on the West London Line and is served by London Overground and Southern rail services...
on the West London LineWest London LineThe West London Line is a short railway in inner West London which links lines at in the south to lines near Willesden Junction in the north. It has always been an important cross-London link especially for freight services...
, to the east of the site adjacent to the Holland Park roundabout and served by London OvergroundLondon OvergroundLondon Overground is a suburban rail network in London and Hertfordshire. It has been operated by London Overground Rail Operations since 2007 as part of the National Rail network, under the franchise control and branding of Transport for London...
trains.
In 2007, it was announced that the BBC would sell its landmark Television Centre as part of a cost-cutting programme.
In 2008 English Heritage announced its recommendation to list parts of TV centre as an excellent example of 20th century architecture.
Schools in the area include Burlington Danes Academy
Burlington Danes Academy
Burlington Danes Academy is a Church of England non-selective, co-educational secondary school within the English academy programme, located in White City, London on a site....
and Phoenix High School
Phoenix High School, London
Phoenix High School is a secondary school near White City, London, England. In 2003 it had 759 students, of whom 429 were boys.In 1994 the school had been placed in special measures and was listed as one of the eight most challenging schools in England...
.
Nearest places
- Wormwood Scrubs
- Notting Hill
- Kensal Green
- BayswaterBayswaterBayswater is an area of west London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to the west . It is a built-up district located 3 miles west-north-west of Charing Cross, bordering the north of Hyde Park over Kensington Gardens and having a population density of...
- North KensingtonNorth KensingtonNorth Kensington is an area of west London lying north of Notting Hill Gate and south of Harrow Road.North Kensington is the key neighbourhood of Notting Hill...
- ActonActon, LondonActon is a district of west London, England, located in the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross.At the time of the 2001 census, Acton, comprising the wards of East Acton, Acton Central, South Acton and Southfield, had a population of 53,689 people...
- West KensingtonWest Kensington- Commercial/education :Local business consists of small shops, offices and restaurants, with the Olympia Exhibition Centre nearby. Indeed, it is the mix of local shops that give the area its character....
- Shepherd's BushShepherd's Bush-Commerce:Commercial activity in Shepherd's Bush is now focused on the Westfield shopping centre next to Shepherd's Bush Central line station and on the many small shops which run along the northern side of the Green....
Nearest tube stations
- White CityWhite City tube stationWhite City tube station is a London Underground station situated on Wood Lane in White City in west London. The station is on the Central Line, between Shepherds Bush and East Acton stations, in Travelcard Zone 2.-History:...
- Shepherd's Bush Market
- Wood LaneWood Lane tube stationWood Lane is a London Underground station, located in the White City area of west London, England, UK. It is on the Circle and Hammersmith & City Lines, between Latimer Road and Shepherd's Bush Market stations. The station lies in Travelcard Zone 2....
- Shepherd's Bush
- Goldhawk RoadGoldhawk Road tube stationGoldhawk Road station is a London Underground station located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, on the south side of Goldhawk Road, about 250m west of Shepherd's Bush Green...
- Latimer RoadLatimer Road tube stationLatimer Road Station is a London Underground station in North Kensington on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines between Wood Lane and Ladbroke Grove stations...
- East ActonEast Acton tube stationEast Acton is a London Underground station in East Acton in west London. The station is on the Central Line, between White City and North Acton stations, and in Travelcard Zone 2...
Popular culture
Pete TownshendPete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
, of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and former resident of Shepherd's Bush, released a solo album entitled White City: A Novel
White City: A Novel
White City: A Novel is a solo concept album by Pete Townshend of The Who, released in 1985 on Atco.The title refers to a story that accompanies the album, and which takes place in a low-income housing estate in the West London area of White City, near where Townshend grew up...
in November 1985 on Atco. The title refers to a story which accompanies the album and which takes place in the London area of White City.
The Pogues
The Pogues
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before...
made a song about the stadium and its demolition, called "White City". It can be found on their 1989 album Peace and Love
Peace and Love (Pogues album)
Peace and Love is a 1989 album by The Pogues, their fourth full-length studio production.The album continued the band's gradual departure from traditional Irish music. It noticeably opens with a heavily jazz-influenced track...
.
North of the Westfield shopping centre itself, the grade II listed Dimco buildings
Dimco Buildings
The Dimco buildings are a historic structure in White City, London, just north of Shepherd's Bush. Originally built in 1898, they were constructed as a shed for the Central Line London Underground power station.Today the Dimco Buildings house a bus station...
(1898), now refurbished as a bus depot were used as the location for the ‘Acme Factory’ in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a 1988 American fantasy-comedy-noir film directed by Robert Zemeckis and released by Touchstone Pictures. The film combines live action and animation, and is based on Gary K. Wolf's novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, which depicts a world in which cartoon characters...
?.
The journalist Daisy Waugh
Daisy Waugh
Daisy Louisa Dominica Waugh , known as Daisy Waugh, is an English journalist, travel writer, novelist and television presenter.She has also worked as a restaurant critic and as an agony aunt for The Independent...
lives in White City.