St Quintin Park - a history and stories

Table of Contents

1. St Quintin Park - history and stories
   1. Early History
2. Schooldays
   1. Oxford Gardens School 1905 to 1913
   2. Coronation at Oxford Gardens 1953
   3. OXFORD GARDENS PRE-SCHOOL NURSERY CLASS
   4. St Helen's School
   5. St Charles RC Primary School
   6. North Kensington Central School (St Mark's)
3. Around the Streets
   1. The St Quintin Estate
   2. St Helen's Gardens
   3. Kelfield - The Lancaster Road Wesleyan Church War Memorial Athletic Club
   4. Evelyn Fox Court, Kingsbridge Road
   5. LATIMER ROAD
   6. Saved from the Motorway
   7. Motorway Disruption
   8. Pangbourne Avenue, W10
4. New Housing for Overcrowded North Kensington
   1. William Sutton St Quintin Park Estate
   2. THE PEABODY BUILDINGS, DALGARNO GARDENS
   3. Princess Alice House
   4. THE COMMUNITY CENTRE NURSERY SCHOOL
5. Spiritual Needs
   1. My Church, St PIUS the X
   2. The Carmelite Convent.
   3. St Helen's Church
   4. Bethany Hall, Barlby Road
6. Wartime Memories
   1. Audrey Jones - War Time Memories
7. Keeping Healthy -Hospitals and Parks
   1. St Charles Hospital
   2. Princess Louise Hospital
   3. The Little Wormwood Scrubs.
   4. "CANAC"The Canalside Activity Centre

Pangbourne Avenue, W10

My aunt, Sylvia Ellison, bought my house in 1947 - I moved into it from Holland Park when she died in 1990. The house was built in 1928. I modernised it by adding an extension and enlarging the kitchen. The estate was originally owned by Lord St Quintin and sold to the builder, Frederick George Fox, on 21 July 1928. His address was 17 Leinster Street, Paddington,W.2. The purchase price was £1085 which included the Freehold, and "road, sewer, and paving charges". "A phone call to Paddington 6384 making an appointment would ensure personal attention at any time including week ends".

The original specification stated that "These houses, each with Garage Space at rear and Long Gardens are for sale Freehold. They are well planned and Very Soundly Constructed. Every consideration has been given to all details, to ensure all comforts and low upkeep costs in the future. They overlook the Bowling Green and Tennis Courts and are in easy reach of the City"

Also on 21 July 1928, Mr Fox sold my house to a caterer, Mr. Albert Morgan of 219 Latimer Road, North Kensington, W10. He paid £1085 and had a mortgage with the Westbourne Park Permanent Building Society of 136 Westbourne Terrace, Paddington, W2. This mortgage was paid off on 9 July 1940. My aunt moved to the house on 4 January 1947 and had a mortgage of £2800 with Abbey-National Building Society, Abbey House, Baker Street, NW1. I acquired the house when my aunt died, and moved in on 7 October 1990.

There is a lovely garden which my aunt planted. In the summer and the roses are a great joy. The photograph shows a cherry tree in the front garden which flowers in April. The front wall also looks lovely in the spring with the baby daffodils and polyanthus.

There is a lane at the back of the garden and beyond that the West London Bowling Club. This lane is described in the original specification as "a 12-ft Carriage Way for access to Garage and for collection of rubbish and delivery of coal and coke, thus saving dustmen etc. going through the house". There are also "Posts and Chains and a Low Brick Wall to Front Garden and Divisions and Cement Crazy Paving Path to Front Door. First Quality English Tiled Roof and closed boarded under for warmth."

The houses in Pangbourne Avenue were built at the same time as Princess Louise Hospital for Children, which is on the other side of the road. As I write this we are concerned about the future of the Hospital building and site.