ANNUAL REPORT Year 1958 - 59 THE, KE,NSINGTON SOCIETY
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THE KENSINGTON SOCIETY ANNUAL REPORT Year 1958 - 59 THE, KE,NSINGTON SOCIETY President: Tns Rr. HoN. VrscouNT ESHER, G.B.E. Vice-Presidents: Tne Rr. Rsv. THr Lono BrsHop or K¡nstNcroN Srn H¡nolo Krrvolr, M.B.E., J.P. Council Miss Jean Alexander The Lord Harlech, K.G., G.C.M.G. Miss Rachel Alexander The Hon. Mr. Justice Karminski Hardy Amies, Esq. Oliver Messel, Esq. The Hon. Mr. Justice Barry Lady Norman, J.P. W. W. Begley, Esq., F.R.Hist.S., Duncan Oppenheim, Esq. I L.R.I.B.A, Dorothea, Lady Ponsonby 1 Sir Hugh Casson, R.D.I., F.R.LB.A., Miss Irene Scharrer I F,S,I.A. H. Clifford Smith, Esq., F.S.A. I The Marquess of Cholmondeley, G.C.V.O. Lord Spens, K.B.E., Q.C. Prof. Arnold Toynbee, D.Litt., Ashley Dukes, Esq., F.R.S.L. D,C.L., F.B.A. S. J. L. Egerton, Esq. Orlo Williams, Esq., C.B,, M,C., William F. Grimes, Esq., V.P.S.A. D.C.L. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chairman: H. Stephen Pasmore, Esq., M.B., B.S.(Lond.) Vice-Chairman: C. H. Gibbs-Smith, Esq., F.R.S.A., F.M.A. Geoffrey Agnew, Esq Keon Hughes, Esq. C. G. Boxall, Esq. John Paul, Esq. F. Carter, Esq. Hugh Shillito, Esq. W. G. Corfield, Esq. Miss P. M. Ward H. Gandell, Esq. R. T. D. Wilmot, Esq. Hon. Treasurer.' E. Norman-Butler Hon. Seuetary; Mrs. G. Christiansen 18, Kensington Square, W.8. Tel.: WEStern 0931 Hon. Auditors.' Messrs, Wright, Stevens & Lloyd -+3+ FOREWORD The character of London is changing so fast that very little of it's nineteenth century appearance is likely to remain. It is becom- ing a new town, constructed on similar lines as a thousand cities all over the world from New York to Sydney, square blocks of flats or offices set upon end, with no national character or individuality. It is therefore all the more important that the efforts of the Kensing- ton Society to preserve the Royal Borough as a quiet and dignified oasis in this trackless desert of modernity should be successful. The list of activities in which the Society has been concerned during the year, sent to me by the Secretary, is a formidable one, and we have every reason to be proud of possessing a full measure of that nuisance value which is the essential quality of an amenity society. But I observe that it is not only to presetve the past, Kensington Square and Yeomans Row, but also to keep a ceaseless watch upon development, Knightsbridge and Kensington High Street, that has become our two-edged task. And now St. Mary Abbots church, the central feature of our Kensington scene, is in grave danger. It is proposed to build near it a block 25 feet higher than the spire; and I hope that the news of its obliteration by such a deed of vandalism will promp every intelligent citizen who has not done so to join the Kensington Society, and support the strong arm of our protest. (Sgd.) Esher, President. +5+ Sir Harold Kenyon, M.B.E., J.P. expenditure as compared with 1957. The Report and Accounts We regret to open this Report with the sad announcement of the were both passed unanimously. great loss suffered by the Society by the recent death of our Vice- Miss seconded, 'President, Mr. Gurney moved, and Saward the confirmation Sir Harold Kenyon. of the re-election of the Officers of the Society and the Executive Sir Harold Kenyon was Vice-President of the Society from its Committee. This was carried unanimously. foundation. To this veteran Kensingtonian the Society o\4/es a deep The re-election of Messrs. Wright, Stevens & Lloyd as Hon. debt of gratitude for the countless ways in which he so ably and Auditors was moved by Mr. Gandell and seconded by Miss Ward graciously served the Society. and carried unanimously. An elder statesman of West London Local Government, his The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Secretary, whose service was divided between Kensington and Paddington, he had untiring efforts contributed so much to the success of the Society, been Alderman of both Boroughs and was Mayor of Kensington in and to the Hon. Auditors, Messrs. Wright, Stevens & Lloyd. l93l-34, of Paddington in 1920-24 and again from 1935-37. He given represented South Paddington on the L.C.C. from 1931-46. He The meeting was followed by a lecture by Dr. Stephen Pasmore, was leader of the Municipal Reform Party for several years and was entitled "The Life and Times of Sir Walter Cope of its Chairman 192H5. He was Chairman of the Paddington bench Holland House, 1604-14." of Magistrates from 1942-46, of the Central Council for District Nursing in London for many years. He had sat on the Boards of Management of St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington and the Princess Louise Hospital for Children. Mr. Ashley Dukes. He was Founder-President of the Paddington and St. Marylebone The Society has suffered a great loss in the recent death of Mr. Rotary Club and for over 25 years President of the Paddington and Ashley Dukes. He had attended the first meeting at which the Bayswater Chamber of Commerce. He was awarded the M.B.E. Kensington Society was founded and had served on the Council of in 1931 and Knighted,in 1937. the Society since that time. A lesser known aspect of his full and varied life was his tremen- He always took an enthusiastic interest in all the activities of the dous knowledge of the history of West London, he was an authority Society and was ever ready to give the Society the benefit of his on the history of Kensington and his lectures to our members were of great knowledge and experience. unforgettable interest. Each year Sir Harold has taken the Chair at the Annual General Meeting. We shall miss him very much. Mr. Ashley Dukes had been active in the theatre for half a century, in the capacity of dramatic critic, playwright, producer and theatrical manager. During this long period Notting Hill Gate was his home. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The most popular of his original plays was The man with a Load # of Mischief, and it was the success with this and others that enabled Th nnual General Meeting of the Society was held at Queen him to build his own theatre, "The Mercury" at Notting Hill Gate E,lizab College, Campden Hill Road, on l6th December, 1958, (home of the Ballet Rambert) from a church hall in Ladbroke Road. with Sir Harold Kenyon, Vice-President, in the Chair. Here the public saw for the first time T. S. Elliott's Murder in the The Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting, previously Cathedral, and many other pioneer productions. approved by the Executive Committee, \ryere taken as read and signed He took a great interest in the Notting Hill Gate redevelopment by the Chairman. scheme. His last years were fllled with the dream of building a Dr. Stephen Pasmore, as Chairman of the Executive Committee, really great theatre at Notting Hill Gate-and concrete moves had moved the adoption of the Report and Accounts for 1958. In already been made towards its creation-this dream, which has doing so, he referred to various activities of the Society during the outlived him, will be his memorial. past year, in particular the Public Meeting held to discuss the redevelopment of the Notting Hill Gate area, and the re-lighting Baron Spens of Blairsanquhar. scheme of the Borough. It was with great pleasure that the Society learned that Sir Mr. Norman-Butler, as Treasurer, seconded the motion, pointing Patrick Spens had been created a Baron in the Queen's Birthday out that there was a slight increase in the balance of income over I{onours. +6+ +7+ ¡ Lord Spens is on the Council of The Kensington Society and The Society has had considerable correspondence with the tàkes a keen interest in all its activities. As M.P. for South Ken- Borough Council during the past 12 months on this matter. A list of the streets which are to be included in Stage II of the scheme was sington he las given the Society much valuable help and advice on many occasrons. requested by the Society, the following list was received' Northern Section Central Section Southern Section Notting Hill Gate Redevelopment Scheme. Acklam Road *Dukes Lane Ashburn Gardens The London County Council has decided that a roundabout will Admiral Mews Elsham Road Bramham Gardens not be necessary in the new Notting Hill Gate. The reasons given Aldermaston Street *Holland Park Road *Cambridge Place were that the widening of Notting Hill Gate, the northern end of All Saints Road Ilchester Place Cathcart Road *Kensington Cornwall Gardens Street end of Pembridge Road Arundel Gardens Church Kensington Church and the southern Basing Street Court Cornwall Gardens will provide a great deal of additional road space and by allowing Boyne Terrace Mews *Kensington Church Stables room for right turn vehicles to wait without obstructing through Brewster Gardens Walk Courtfield Gardens traffic, will greatly facilitate the vehicles. The traffc Cambridge Gardens Lorne Gardens Earls Court Gardens flow of *Earls Terrace junction, be seventy per cent (except between St. Old Court Place capacity of this it is estimated, will Mark's Road and Palace Gardens Mews *Earls Walk greater than before the improvement. L;adbr'oke Grove) Phillimore Walk *Edwardes Square *Egerton The London County Council Planning Department has informed Chepstow Place Vicarage Gate (cul- Crescent Codrington Mews de-sac only) Egerton Gardens the Society that approval has been given to a proposal to use Colville Gardens York House Place Egerton Gardens Mews cantilever canopies on the frontage between Pembridge Road and Convent Gardens Evelyn Gardens Ladbroke Terrace.