LADBROKE GROVE - ACROSS THE BRIDGE

Photos: left, iron bridge over the railway, Ladbroke Grove, 2008,
right: Construction of Kensal House, 1936.(RBK&C )


'BARTLE' BRIDGE

We walked north up Ladbroke Grove, crossing the railway line by the iron bridge.
A.J. found out that:

The track of the Great Western Railway runs south of the canal and was opened in 1838, running from Paddington to Bristol.

Up to 1870s both the canal and railway were crossed and ferry via footpaths to Kensal Green Cemetery which had been opened in 1833. All funerals had to use the Harrow Road. The footpath was a continuation from the convergence of Portobello Road and Wornington Road. This later became Ladbroke Grove Road and ultimately Ladbroke Grove.

A bridge must have been built during the 1870.

“It was widened in 1881 to 1883 to the designs of H. Vignoles, the contractors being Messrs. Nowell & Robson of Kensington. It may be noted that the iron founders who supplied the materials were J.M.Bartle & Co. a local firm with premises in Lancaster Road.” (Survey of London, Volume 37 p.333 – 339ref.7)

This must be the reason why the bridge is now known as Bartle Bridge.

Bartle’s foundry was situated at the end of Rillington Place. This subsequently became Ruston Close following the Christie murders and when the road was rebuilt it was named Bartle Road.
A.J. 2009

KENSAL HOUSE (Ladbroke Grove)



Photos:
Kensal House exterior in 1946.

Kitchen, with the latest gas water heaters, 1937.





On our left we passed Kensal House known in the past as ‘the Gas Flats’. Built by the Gas, Light and Coke Company in 1937, the flats were a unique project tht not only promoted the wonders of gas technology, but also was ground breaking for its design as an 'urban village'. The architect was modernist Maxwell Fry and he worked with Elizabeth Denby, a pioneering housing consultant. Kensal House was planned with shared facilities, its own nursery and playground, clubrooms for adults and young people, resident caretaker and a tenant's executive committee.
However after the war, ownership was handed over to the London County Council and Kensal House deteriorated badly and by the late 1980s, then in the hands of Kensington & Chelsea it was in a sorry state of repair and very run down.

Since then work has been done to bring the flats up to date.

We walked around to the back of the building to see the Nursery that has now been totally refurbished and was officially opened on 29 June 2005. It was interesting to see how the design echoed the circular shape of the gasholder that had been on the site previously.