Stockwell
Encyclopedia
Stockwell is a district in inner south west
London
, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth
.
It is situated 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south south-east of Charing Cross
. Brixton
, Clapham
, Vauxhall
and Kennington
all border Stockwell. Once one of London's poorest neighbourhoods, it is now an up-and-coming area, owing to its close proximity to central London, excellent transport links, and diverse ethnic and cultural mix.
botanical garden – commemorated in Tradescant Road, which was built over it in 1880, and in a memorial outside St Stephen's church. In the nineteenth century it developed as an elegant middle class suburb. Residents included the artist Arthur Rackham
, who was born in South Lambeth Road in 1867, moving with his family to Albert Square when he was 15.
Its social and architectural fortunes in the twentieth century were more mixed. The area immediately around Stockwell tube station was extensively rebuilt following the Second World War, and the original domed tube station was replaced first in the 1920s, then again with the opening of the Victoria line in 1971.
The area also has much social housing; the main estates are Lansdowne Green, Stockwell park, Studley, Spurgeon, Mursell and Stockwell Gardens. However, many remnants of the area's nineteenth century grandeur can be found in the side and back streets of Stockwell, notably in the Stockwell Park Conservation Area, mostly built between 1825 and 1840 and centred on Stockwell Park Road, Stockwell Park Crescent, Durand Gardens, and Albert Square. The only twentieth century building of significant architectural interest in the area is Stockwell Bus Garage. Before the creation of the County of London
in 1889, Stockwell was part of Surrey
.
In 1986 Kenneth Erskine
, a serial killer dubbed the Stockwell Strangler, killed seven elderly victims, three of whom were from Stockwell.
. Since the elections on 6 May 2010, it has been represented by three Labour councillors: Alex Bigham, Pete Bowyer and Imogen Walker.
communities, known as 'Little Portugal'. Most of the local Portuguese people originate from Madeira
and Lisbon
and have established many cafes, restaurants, bakeries, neighbourhood associations and delicatessens. Stockwell is also home to many people of Caribbean
and West Africa
n origin. They are also well-represented in the local population, and cafes, grocers, barbers' shops and salons run by people from these communities are scattered around Stockwell.
Famous former and current residents of Stockwell include James Loizou, Gary Raymond
Lilian Bayliss, Edward Thomas
, Vincent Van Gogh
(briefly), Violette Szabo
, Dominic Hyde, Joanna Lumley
, Jerry Dammers
, Roger Moore
, Roots Manuva
, Adam Buxton
, Joe Cornish
, and Will Self
.
, Stockwell gained notoriety as the scene of the shooting by police of an innocent Brazil
ian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes
, in the tube station.
, 2
, 155, 196
, 333, P5, 345 and 50
. The night buses and 24 hour buses are routes 88
, 345, N2 and N155.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/stockwell-2240.pdf
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth
London Borough of Lambeth
The London Borough of Lambeth is a London borough in south London, England and forms part of Inner London. The local authority is Lambeth London Borough Council.-Origins:...
.
It is situated 2.4 miles (3.9 km) south south-east of Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
. Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Clapham
Clapham
Clapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
, Vauxhall
Vauxhall
-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
and Kennington
Kennington
Kennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
all border Stockwell. Once one of London's poorest neighbourhoods, it is now an up-and-coming area, owing to its close proximity to central London, excellent transport links, and diverse ethnic and cultural mix.
History
Stockwell probably got the second half of its name from a local well; the other half is from "stoc", which was Old English for a tree trunk or post. From the thirteenth to the start of the nineteenth century, Stockwell was a rural manor at the edge of London. It included market gardens and John Tradescant'sJohn Tradescant the elder
John Tradescant the elder , father of John Tradescant the younger, was an English naturalist, gardener, collector and traveller, probably born in Suffolk, England...
botanical garden – commemorated in Tradescant Road, which was built over it in 1880, and in a memorial outside St Stephen's church. In the nineteenth century it developed as an elegant middle class suburb. Residents included the artist Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham was an English book illustrator.-Biography:Rackham was born in London as one of 12 children. At the age of 18, he worked as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office and began studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art.In 1892 he left his job and started working for The...
, who was born in South Lambeth Road in 1867, moving with his family to Albert Square when he was 15.
Its social and architectural fortunes in the twentieth century were more mixed. The area immediately around Stockwell tube station was extensively rebuilt following the Second World War, and the original domed tube station was replaced first in the 1920s, then again with the opening of the Victoria line in 1971.
The area also has much social housing; the main estates are Lansdowne Green, Stockwell park, Studley, Spurgeon, Mursell and Stockwell Gardens. However, many remnants of the area's nineteenth century grandeur can be found in the side and back streets of Stockwell, notably in the Stockwell Park Conservation Area, mostly built between 1825 and 1840 and centred on Stockwell Park Road, Stockwell Park Crescent, Durand Gardens, and Albert Square. The only twentieth century building of significant architectural interest in the area is Stockwell Bus Garage. Before the creation of the County of London
County of London
The County of London was a county of England from 1889 to 1965, corresponding to the area known today as Inner London. It was created as part of the general introduction of elected county government in England, by way of the Local Government Act 1888. The Act created an administrative County of...
in 1889, Stockwell was part of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
.
In 1986 Kenneth Erskine
Kenneth Erskine
Kenneth Erskine is an English serial killer who became known as the Stockwell Strangler.-Early life:Erskine was born in July 1963 to an English mother and Antiguan father...
, a serial killer dubbed the Stockwell Strangler, killed seven elderly victims, three of whom were from Stockwell.
Politics
Stockwell is a ward in the London Borough of LambethLambeth
Lambeth is a district of south London, England, and part of the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated southeast of Charing Cross.-Toponymy:...
. Since the elections on 6 May 2010, it has been represented by three Labour councillors: Alex Bigham, Pete Bowyer and Imogen Walker.
Churches
In addition to Anglican and Catholic churches, Afro-Caribbean communities have influenced the expression of Christianity in the area, with a variety of congregations, some sharing churches with more long established Anglican and Catholic congregations. One of the many Afro-Caribbean churches is C.A.C. Stockwell.Schools
There are three schools in Stockwell ward - St Stephen's, Allen Edwards and Stockwell Primary School - and also a campus of Lambeth College. In the Stockwell area (on Clapham Road) there is also Stockwell Park High School, a secondary school, Lansdowne School and numerous primary schools.Population of Stockwell
Stockwell and neighbouring South Lambeth are home to one of the UK's biggest PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
communities, known as 'Little Portugal'. Most of the local Portuguese people originate from Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
and have established many cafes, restaurants, bakeries, neighbourhood associations and delicatessens. Stockwell is also home to many people of Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n origin. They are also well-represented in the local population, and cafes, grocers, barbers' shops and salons run by people from these communities are scattered around Stockwell.
Gary Raymond
Gary Raymond is an English actor.He made his film debut as Cliff Lewis in Tony Richardson's film adaptation of John Osborne's Look Back in Anger , opposite Richard Burton and Claire Bloom...
Lilian Bayliss, Edward Thomas
Edward Thomas
Edward Thomas may refer to:People:*Edward Beers Thomas, American judge*Edward J. Thomas , librarian and author of several books on the history of Buddhism*Edward Lloyd Thomas, Confederate American Civil War general...
, Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh
Vincent Willem van Gogh , and used Brabant dialect in his writing; it is therefore likely that he himself pronounced his name with a Brabant accent: , with a voiced V and palatalized G and gh. In France, where much of his work was produced, it is...
(briefly), Violette Szabo
Violette Szabo
Violette Reine Elizabeth Bushell Szabo, GC, was a Second World War French-British secret agent.-Early life and marriage:...
, Dominic Hyde, Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lumley
Joanna Lamond Lumley, OBE, FRGS is a British actress, voice-over artist, former-model and author, best known for her roles in British television series Absolutely Fabulous portraying Edina Monsoon's best friend, Patsy Stone, as well as parts in The New Avengers, Sapphire & Steel, and Sensitive...
, Jerry Dammers
Jerry Dammers
Jeremy David Hounsell "Jerry" Dammers is a British musician who is a founder and keyboard player of the Coventry, England based ska revival band The Specials, The Special A.K.A...
, Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Sir Roger George Moore KBE , is an English actor, perhaps best known for portraying British secret agent James Bond in seven films from 1973 to 1985. He also portrayed Simon Templar in the long-running British television series The Saint.-Early life:Moore was born in Stockwell, London...
, Roots Manuva
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
, Adam Buxton
Adam Buxton
Adam Offord Buxton is an English comedian and actor. With Joe Cornish, he forms one half of the duo Adam and Joe. The pair presented Adam and Joe on BBC 6 Music, whilst Buxton also presents his own show on 6 Music on Sundays, called Adam Buxton's Big Mix Tape, currently on hiatus.-Major work:His...
, Joe Cornish
Joe Cornish
Joe Cornish may refer to:* Joe Cornish , British comedian, radio host, writer and director* Joe Cornish , British landscape photographer-See also:...
, and Will Self
Will Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
.
Stockwell shooting
On 22 July 2005, following the 21 July 2005 London bombings21 July 2005 London bombings
On 21 July 2005, four attempted bomb attacks disrupted part of London's public transport system two weeks after the 7 July 2005 London bombings. The explosions occurred around midday at Shepherd's Bush, Warren Street and Oval stations on London Underground, and on a bus in Shoreditch...
, Stockwell gained notoriety as the scene of the shooting by police of an innocent Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian electrician, Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes
Jean Charles de Menezes was a Brazilian man shot in the head seven times at Stockwell tube station on the London Underground by the London Metropolitan police, after he was misidentified as one of the fugitives involved in the previous day's failed bombing attempts...
, in the tube station.
Buses
Stockwell is well served by buses, with a number of routes either terminating there or passing through the area. The buses are routes 88London Buses route 88
London Buses route 88 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, 2
London Buses route 2
London Buses route 2 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:Route 2 was the last West End bus route that was operated by step-entrance buses other than Routemasters...
, 155, 196
London Buses route 196
London Buses route 196 is a Transport for London-contracted bus route in London, U.K. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-Service:...
, 333, P5, 345 and 50
London Buses route 50
London Buses route 50 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Arriva London.-History:...
. The night buses and 24 hour buses are routes 88
London Buses route 88
London Buses route 88 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London.-History:...
, 345, N2 and N155.
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/pdf/stockwell-2240.pdf
Nearest places
- BrixtonBrixtonBrixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
- VauxhallVauxhall-Demography:Many Vauxhall residents live in social housing. There are several gentrified areas, and areas of terraced townhouses on streets such as Fentiman Road and Heyford Avenue have higher property values in the private market, however by far the most common type of housing stock within...
- KenningtonKenningtonKennington is a district of South London, England, mainly within the London Borough of Lambeth, although part of the area is within the London Borough of Southwark....
- ClaphamClaphamClapham is a district in south London, England, within the London Borough of Lambeth.Clapham covers the postcodes of SW4 and parts of SW9, SW8 and SW12. Clapham Common is shared with the London Borough of Wandsworth, although Lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. According...
- BatterseaBatterseaBattersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
- South Lambeth
- CamberwellCamberwellCamberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
- Elephant and CastleElephant and CastleThe Elephant and Castle is a major road intersection in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is also used as a name for the surrounding area....
Nearest tube station
- Stockwell tube stationStockwell tube stationStockwell tube station is a London Underground station in Stockwell, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is located on the Northern Line between Oval and Clapham North, and on the Victoria Line between Brixton and Vauxhall. It is the southernmost station on the London Undergound that serves more...
- Brixton tube stationBrixton tube stationBrixton tube station, a station on the London Underground opened on July 23, 1971, is the southern terminus of the Victoria line.It is located in Brixton Road, and is about 100m from Brixton railway station . From the ticket hall, three escalators take passengers to and from the platforms...
- Clapham North tube stationClapham North tube stationClapham North tube station is an Underground station in Clapham, London. It is on the Northern Line between Clapham Common and Stockwell. The station is in Travelcard Zone 2 and is close to Clapham High Street railway station, although there is no direct interchange link...
- Vauxhall tube station
- Oval tube stationOval tube stationOval tube station in Kennington is a station on the Northern line of the London Underground between Stockwell and Kennington stations. It is the only station on the Morden branch of the Northern line whose name begins with a vowel and is one of only two stations on the London Underground with only...
- Elephant and Castle tube station
Nearest railway stations
- Brixton railway stationBrixton railway stationBrixton Railway Station is a commuter railway station in the centre of Brixton, inSouth London, UK. It is on the Chatham Main Line which runs from London Victoria to Orpington. Trains are operated by Southeastern. The typical service is one train every 15 minutes in both directions.Brixton Railway...
- Vauxhall stationVauxhall stationVauxhall station is a National Rail, London Underground and London Buses interchange station in central London. It is at the Vauxhall Cross road junction opposite the southern approach to Vauxhall Bridge over the River Thames in the London district of Vauxhall...
- Wandsworth Road railway stationWandsworth Road railway stationWandsworth Road railway station is on the South London Line from London Victoria to .It is operated by Southern. The next stations are to the west, towards Victoria and to the east, towards London Bridge.-History:...
- Clapham High Street railway stationClapham High Street railway stationClapham High Street railway station is on the South London Line from London Victoria to .It is close to station and interchange between the two is counted as an Out of Station Interchange on Oyster, so journeys involving a change between the two are charged as through journeys and not two...
External links
- Stand Up for Stockwell Website with news about Stockwell and the 3 local Labour councillors in Stockwell
- We Love Larkhall Community website for residents of Larkhall ward in Stockwell, run by Labour councillor
- Stockwell News News, features and history relating to Stockwell
- http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/NR/exeres/611F94A3-F7D2-4B0E-BA3F-CD221C452AAB.htm About Stockwell ward on Lambeth Council website.