London Borough of Hounslow
—  London borough  —
Coat of arms of London Borough of Hounslow Coat of arms Official logo of London Borough of Hounslow Council logo
Hounslow shown within Greater London
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	London
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Status	London borough
Admin HQ	Hounslow
Incorporated	1 April 1965
Government
• Type	London borough council
• Body	Hounslow Borough Council
• Leadership	Leader & Cabinet (Labour)
• Mayor	Cllr Amrit Mann
• MPs	Seema Malhotra Mary Macleod
• London Assembly	Tony Arbour AM for South West
• EU Parliament	London
Area
• Total	21.61 sq mi (55.98 km2)
Area rank	264th (of 326)
Population (2010 est.)
• Total	236,800
• Rank	59th (of 326)
• Density	11,000/sq mi (4,200/km2)
• Ethnicity[1]	53.6% White British 2.4% White Irish 6.7% Other White 0.7% White & Black Caribbean 0.5% White & Black African 1.2% White & Asian 0.9% Other Mixed 18.3% Indian 4.4% Pakistani 0.8% Bangladeshi 2.4% Other Asian 1.3% Black Caribbean 3.2% Black African 0.4% Other Black 0.9% Chinese 2.3% Other
Time zone	GMT (UTC0)
• Summer (DST)	BST (UTC+1)
Postcodes	{{{postcode_areas}}}
Police force	Metropolitan Police
Website	www.hounslow.gov.uk

The London Borough of Hounslow ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a London borough in west London, England.

Political composition[link]

Since the borough was formed it has been controlled by the Labour Party on all but two occasions. In 1968 the Conservatives formed a majority for the first and last time to date until they lost control to Labour in 1971. Labour subsequently lost control of the council in the 2006 local elections which produced a hung result. Although Labour was the largest party on the Council the Conservatives were able to form a coalition with councillors from the independent Isleworth Community Group (ICG). This lasted until the 2010 local elections when all the independent councillors lost their seats. Labour won control of the Council with 35 seats while the Conservatives now have 25. No other parties are currently represented on the Council.^[2]

Seat distribution as of May 2010:

Districts in Hounslow[link]

It includes the areas:

• Ashford
• Bedfont
• Brentford
• Brentford End
• Chiswick
• Cranford
• Feltham
• Grove Park
• Gunnersbury
• Hanworth
• Hatton
• Heston
• Hounslow
• Isleworth
• Lampton
• North Hyde
• Osterley
• Spring Grove
• Woodlands

The Thames at Brentford.

The various electoral wards of Hounslow are divided up into 5 Areas, each of which is afforded a measure of self-government:

• Chiswick
  • Chiswick Homefields
  • Chiswick Riverside
  • Turnham Green
• Central Hounslow
  • Hounslow Central
  • Hounslow Heath
  • Hounslow South
  • Hounslow West
• Isleworth and Brentford
  • Brentford
  • Isleworth
  • Osterley and Spring Grove
  • Syon
• Heston and Cranford
  • Cranford
  • Heston East
  • Heston Central
  • Heston West
• West
  • Bedfont
  • Feltham North
  • Feltham West
  • Hanworth Park
  • Hanworth

History[link]

Etymology[link]

The town of Hounslow, which has existed since the 13th Century, is located at the centre of the Borough of Hounslow. The name Hounslow means 'Hund's mound'; the personal name Hund is followed by the Old English hlaew meaning mound or barrow. (The mound may have been his burial place.) It was recorded in the Domesday Book as Honeslaw.^[3]

Foundations[link]

The borough was formed in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, by the merger of the area of the former Brentford and Chiswick Urban District, Feltham Urban District and the Heston and Isleworth Urban District (which held borough status as did Brentford and Chiswick) of Middlesex.

This outer borough of Greater London lies on the Middlesex bank of the River Thames and was the site of the first stop on an important coach route to Southampton, Bath, Bristol and Exeter. The A30 "Great South West Road" trunk road, which runs down to Penzance in Cornwall, starts in the borough. Hounslow town developed on either side of the main Great West Road from London to the West of England (not to be confused with the modern road of the same name), causing a large number of inns to be built to serve the travellers. A few, such as The Bell retain their names, although the buildings have largely been replaced. The Bell marks the former junction of the coaching routes. Historic milestones are preserved on the Staines Road (now re-numbered as the A315 but joining the "old" A30 again just inside the borough's western boundary)

Hounslow grew rapidly in the latter half of the 20th century due to other travellers. This time it was mainly due to its connection to Heathrow Airport, though in fact the aviation links date back to the early 1900s when some of London's earliest airfields were sited here because of the extremely flat terrain. The Great West Road, which runs from the start of the M4 motorway at Chiswick westwards towards Heathrow, at one time contained some of the most famous manufacturing names in the world, including Firestone, Gillette, Coty. As a result, the area became known as the "Golden Mile". Few of these factory sites remain today, Gillette Corner being one of the remaining few, but the Great West Road is still home to many prestigious names (see "famous companies" below).

Transport[link]

Air[link]

Hounslow abuts the perimeter of London Heathrow Airport (itself located in the London Borough of Hillingdon). Plans for the expansion of Heathrow Airport are vigorously opposed by Hounslow, despite the alleged employment benefits it might bring to the borough.^[4]

Bus[link]

The borough has forty-seven bus routes (27, 65, 81, 90, 94, 105, 110, 111, 116, 117, 120, 190, 195, 203, 222, 235, 237, 267, 272, 281, 285, 290, 391, 423, 440, 481, 482, 490, 635, 681, 813, 941, E2, E3, E6, E8, H20, H22, H25, H26, H28, H32, H37, H91, H98, R70, X26) and two all-night services (N9 and N11).

Rail[link]

The borough's railway stations are:

• on the North London Line: Gunnersbury.
• on the Hounslow Loop Line: Chiswick, Kew Bridge, Brentford, Isleworth, Syon Lane, and Hounslow.
• on the mainline: Feltham.

River[link]

River services between Westminster Pier and Hampton Court depart from Kew Gardens Pier just across the River Thames from Hounslow.

Road[link]

Principal roads in Hounslow include the A4 (Great West Road), the elevated section of the M4 motorway, the A406 (North Circular) and A205 (South Circular) roads, all of which meet at Gunnersbury just west of Chiswick. The A4 runs eastwards into central London via the Hogarth Roundabout where it meets the A316 (Great Chertsey Road) which runs south-west, eventually joining the M3 motorway.

Underground[link]

The borough is served by branches of two London Underground lines: the District and Piccadilly. Three District and five Piccadilly line stations are located within the borough:

• Stamford Brook: District line, Richmond and Ealing Broadway branches;
• Turnham Green: District line, Richmond and Ealing Broadway branches and Piccadilly line (early mornings and late evenings only);
• Gunnersbury: District line, Richmond branch;
• Boston Manor: Piccadilly line, Heathrow branch;
• Osterley: Piccadilly line, Heathrow branch;
• Hounslow East: Piccadilly line, Heathrow branch;
• Hounslow Central: Piccadilly line, Heathrow branch; and
• Hounslow West: Piccadilly line, Heathrow branch.

Three further stations lie just outside the borough's northern boundaries. Chiswick Park and Acton Town (both in the London Borough of Ealing) and Hatton Cross tube station (in the London Borough of Hillingdon) serve the borough's residents.

Economy[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

The borough is home to the headquarters of GlaxoSmithKline, and British Sky Broadcasting's studio complex, both based in Brentford's 'Golden Mile'. Fuller's Griffin Brewery is also in the borough, in Chiswick. Aston Martin were based in Feltham for several years before moving to Newport Pagnell.^{[citation needed]}

Air France-KLM's head office for United Kingdom and Ireland operations, which includes facilities for Air France and KLM, is located in Plesman House in Hatton Cross, Borough of Hounslow. The facility's inauguration was on 6 July 2006. Air France moved the office from Hammersmith, where it had been located for 15 years, to Hatton.^[5] The Plesman House, outside of Terminal 4 of London Heathrow Airport, has the UK commercial team, sales team, and support team.^[6] Sega Europe has its head office in Brentford.^[7] Menzies Aviation has its head office in Feltham.^[8][9] JCDecaux UK has its head office in Brentford.^[10]

Before its dissolution, British Mediterranean Airways was headquartered at the Hetherington House in Hounslow, near London Heathrow Airport.^[11][12]

Sport & Leisure[link]

The borough of Hounslow has several Non-League football clubs:

• CB Hounslow United F.C. who play at the Osterley Sports Ground.
• Hanworth Villa F.C. who play at Rectory Meadow.
• Feltham F.C. who currently play at the Orchard in East Bedfont.
• Bedfont Town F.C. who play at The Orchard ground.
• Bedfont Sports F.C. who play at the Bedfont Sports Recreation Ground.
• Ashford Town F.C. (Middlesex) who play at the The Robert Parker Stadium.

See also[link]

London portal

• Hounslow local elections
• The Community Group (London Borough of Hounslow)
• List of schools in Hounslow

References[link]

1. ^ Data Management and Analysis Group, Greater London Authority, Demography Update October 2007, (2007)
2. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/council/html/3908.stm
3. ^ Room, Adrian: “Dictionary of Place-Names in the British Isles”, Bloomsbury, 1988
4. ^ http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/index/news_and_events/campaigns/heathrow.htm hounslow.gov.uk
5. ^ "AIR FRANCE and KLM celebrate official inauguration of new office in London." Air France. 6 July 2006. Retrieved on 13 February 2010.
6. ^ "Career Opportunities." Air France UK and Ireland. Retrieved on 13 February 2010.
7. ^ "Corporate." SEGA. Retrieved on 31 January 2011. "SEGA Europe Ltd. 27 Great West Road Brentford Middlesex TW8 9BW United Kingdom ."
8. ^ "Contact Us." Menzies Aviation. Retrieved on 18 February 2011. "Menzies Aviation plc, 4 New Square, Bedfont Lakes, Feltham, Middlesex, TW14 8HA, United Kingdom."
9. ^ "Head Office Location." Menzie's Aviation. Retrieved on 18 February 2011.
10. ^ "Contact Us." JCDecaux UK. Retrieved on 28 September 2011. "JCDecaux UK - Head Office 991 Great West Road Brentford, Middlesex"
11. ^ "Contact." British Mediterranean Airways. 26 June 2006. Retrieved on 20 May 2009.
12. ^ "Maps & GIS." London Borough of Hounslow. Retrieved on 20 May 2009.

External links[link]

• The London Borough of Hounslow
• Public Transport Guide

Sources[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: London Borough of Hounslow

• Hounslow Community - The history of Hounslow and the local area

v t e London Borough of Hounslow Districts Brentford Brentford End Chiswick Cranford East Bedfont Feltham Grove Park Gunnersbury Hanworth Hatton Heston Hounslow Hounslow West Isleworth Lampton Lower Feltham North Feltham North Hyde Osterley Spring Grove Woodlands Attractions Boston Manor Chiswick House Griffin Park football stadium Hogarth's House Holland Gardens Kew Bridge Steam Museum Osterley Park and House (NT) Syon House Tabard Theatre Watermans Arts Centre Parks and open spaces Duke's Meadows Gunnersbury Park Hanworth Park Hounslow Heath Inwood Park Lampton Park Osterley Park Other topics People Public art Schools Bridges Barnes Railway Bridge Chiswick Bridge Kew Bridge Kew Railway Bridge Tube and rail stations Boston Manor Brentford railway station Chiswick railway station Feltham railway station Gunnersbury Hounslow railway station Hounslow Central Hounslow East Hounslow West Isleworth railway station Kew Bridge railway station Osterley Stamford Brook Syon Lane railway station Turnham Green Parks and open spaces in Hounslow

Coordinates: 51°28′3″N 0°21′42″W / 51.4675°N 0.36167°W / 51.4675; -0.36167

Coordinates: 51°28′00″N 0°21′03″W / 51.4668°N 0.3507°W / 51.4668; -0.3507

Hounslow
Osterley House
Hounslow  Hounslow shown within Greater London
OS grid reference	TQ145755
- Charing Cross	10.6 mi (17.1 km)  ENE
London borough	Hounslow
Ceremonial county	Greater London
Region	London
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HOUNSLOW
Postcode district	TW3
Dialling code	020
Police	Metropolitan
Fire	London
Ambulance	London
EU Parliament	London
UK Parliament	Brentford & Isleworth
London Assembly	South West
List of places: UK • England • London

Hounslow is the principal town in the London Borough of Hounslow. It is a suburban development situated 10.6 miles (17 km) west south-west of Charing Cross. It forms a post town in the TW postcode area.^[1]

Etymology[link]

The origin of the name Hounslow is uncertain. It may derive from the Anglo-Saxon Honeslaw (meaning an area of land suitable for hunting), or from a name or description for a mound or hill associated with the pagan Hundi, of Anglo-Saxon times.

History[link]

Positioned on the Great Western Road, Hounslow was centred around Holy Trinity Priory founded in 1211.^[2] The priory developed what had been a small village into a town with regular markets and other facilities for travellers heading to and from London. Although the priory was dissolved in 1539 the town remained an important staging post on the Great Western Road. The adjacent Hounslow Heath that had been used as a military encampment by both Oliver Cromwell and James II developed a reputation as the haunt of highwaymen and footpad.

The building of the Great Western Railway line from London to Bristol from 1838 seriously impacted travel along the Great Western Road. By 1842 the local paper was reporting that the 'formerly flourishing village', which used to stable 2,000 horses, was suffering a 'general depreciation of property'.^[3]

The construction of the Great West Road in the 1920s gave the town a new lease of life as an industrial area. These factories were the town's primary employer until their decline in the 1970s. In the next two decades offices replaced factories and Hounslow expanded to what it is now.

London buses confined to Hounslow bus station during the 2009 snowfall

Transport[link]

South West Trains also provide National Rail services from Hounslow railway station. Hounslow abuts the perimeter of London Heathrow Airport, which is itself located in the London Borough of Hillingdon. To the north of Hounslow is the Great West Road.

There is a large bus garage, with adjoining bus station, located at the junction of London Road and Kingsley Road. The property is owned by the Transdev London group and operated through their company London United Busways Ltd, previously owned by London Transport. In addition to its frequent and regular daytime services throughout the surrounding areas Hounslow figures on the N9 night service from Heathrow to Central London.

Owing to its proximity to Heathrow and the ease of access into Central London, central Hounslow has developed a number of new hotels - some converted from former office buildings. In the 1960's Hounslow experienced a large influx of south Asian immigrants, hailing from the former British colonies.

Hounslow Heath Aerodrome was a grass airfield, operational 1914-1920. It was situated in the London borough of Hounslow, and in 1919 was the location from which the first scheduled daily international commercial air services took place.

Hounslow Heath and other parks[link]

Hounslow Heath is a large public open space and local nature reserve to the west of Hounslow, a London borough. It now covers about 200 acres (80 ha), the residue of the historic Hounslow Heath that covered over 4,000 acres (1,600 ha).

The Heath has major historical importance, originally crossed by principal routes from London to the west and southwest of Britain. Staines Road, the northern boundary of the present Heath, is formerly the Roman Road, Via Trinobantes. There are several historic references to Roman camps on or close to the Heath. Continuous recorded history dates back to Norman times. It gave its name to what became Heathrow Airport.

Notable people[link]

• Comedian Jimmy Carr was born in Hounslow

• Singer/songwriter Elvis Costello attended Hounslow Secondary Modern School (now St Mark's Catholic School)

• Actor Cyril Cusack (1910-1993) lived in Hounslow at the time of his death

• Ian Gillan, vocalist of rock band Deep Purple, was born in Hounslow

• Gustavus Green (1865-1964), aircraft engine pioneer, was born in Hounslow

• Charles Hawtrey (1914-1988), Carry On film legend, was born in Hounslow

• Actress Patsy Kensit lived in Hounslow during her teenage years

• Eminent historian Francis Maddison (1927-2006) was born and educated in Hounslow

• Award-winning musician M.I.A. was born in Hounslow

• Father Ted actor Dermot Morgan (1952-1998) lived in Hounslow at the time of his death

• Alistair Overeem, mixed martial arts champion, was born in Hounslow

• Cyril Vosper (1935-2004), adherent then critic of Scientology, was born in Hounslow

• Maria Whittaker, 1980s page three girl, was born in Hounslow

• Actor Jack Wild (1952-2006), definitive Artful Dodger in the film Oliver! and star of H.R. Pufnstuf, grew up in Hounslow

Gallery[link]

See also[link]

London portal

Nearest places

References[link]

Notes

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2010)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Hounslow (town)

• Hounslow Online - www.hounslowtw3.net Hounslow's local community website
• Community Guide to Hounslow - www.activhounslow.com Hounslow's online guide