page_title: Kennington Park
section_title: 20th century
hierarchical_section_title: Kennington Park / Kennington Park / 20th century
caption_attribution_description: English: The Refreshment House Kennington Park
context_page_description: Kennington Park is a public park in Kennington, south London and lies between Kennington Park Road and St. Agnes Place. It was opened in 1854 on the site of what had been Kennington Common, where the Chartists gathered for their biggest "monster rally" on 10 April 1848. Soon after this demonstration the common was enclosed and, sponsored by the royal family, made into a public park.
  Kennington Common was a site of public executions until 1800 as well as being an area for public speaking. Some of the most illustrious orators to speak here were Methodist founders George Whitefield and John Wesley who is reputed to have attracted a crowd of 30,000.
  The common was one of the earliest London cricket venues and is known to have been used for top-class matches in 1724. Kennington Park hosts the first inner London community cricket ground, sponsored by Surrey County Cricket Club whose home, The Oval, is close to the park. Casual games of both cricket and football are regularly held in the park.
  In the 1970s, the old tradition of mass gatherings returned to the park which was host to the start of many significant marches to Parliament.
context_section_description: 1900 Bandstand completed with seated concerts from military bands playing there until 1950 Sundays, Wednesdays and bank holidays – This was 'Rational Recreation' set against the vulgarity of the surrounding music hall and tavern culture. Charlie Chaplin grew up locally and is said to have met his first girlfriend in the park. His errant father habituated the Horns.
  1902 An outdoor gymnasium for children was opened. The site is now the modern Fitness Trail
  1914 c "The ancient privileges of the 'ton' are preserved, however, on a triangular piece of ground fenced off for the purpose (the site probably of the mound), where a notice states that here public meetings may be held." 'A tradition may neither be made nor destroyed' Benjamin Disraeli (from Prehistoric London: its mounds and circles, by E.O. Gordon Covenant Publishing 1914).
  1914 c. The railings were removed for war use. The first bomb dropped on London in World War I is said to have been dropped from a Zeppelin on the south field.
  1920 Kennington Park Extension Committee formed who bought land that became the swimming pool, flower garden and children's playground.
  1924 War Memorial designed by Lucas Lancaster and Lodge erected (by public subscription?). It commemorated the casualties of the 24th Bn, The London Regiment, whose headquarters were in New Street, now Braganza Street.
  1926 The park occupied during the General Strike.
  1930s Wooden shelter (replaced in the 1950s and repaired at the end of 2006).
  1931 Old English Garden opened, based on the designs of Col. J. J. Sexby.
  1931 The Lido provided by the LCC was opened. (It closed at the end of the 1987 season – see external link below.)
  1934 Last licence given to Princess of Wales Theatre.
  1938 Architecturally bland Park Superintendent's house built in north east corner.
  1940 The local areas of Lambeth and Southwark very heavily bombed in The Blitz.
  1940 (15 October) A public trench-style bomb shelter dug as a grid of trenches in the field, known as the 'south pitch', suffers a direct hit during the Blitz.  An estimated 104 people are killed. Only c. 50 bodies could be identified by name.  Due to treacherous wet ground conditions, with the shelter walls collapsing on rescuers, the remains of up to another 54 local people were left in the ground, covered in lime, and the trenches were filled in.
  1940 The north field of the Park used for allotments so people can grow their own food. (source: aerial photos taken by the Royal Air Force)
  1944 (16 August) Horns pub was badly damaged by a flying bomb.
  1947 Additional panels were added to the war memorial to commemorate World War II casualties.
  1949 A 24 ft high illuminated Christmas tree erected in the park.
  1950s The Horns Tavern was 'one of the most famous landmarks of South London'. It is still remembered as being a centre of Kennington's community spirit in the 1950s.
  1951 Eighteen acres of land to the east of the park were earmarked as an extension to the park.
  1958 St. Agnes new parish church, designed by Ralph Covell (who was the parish organist), is consecrated by the Lord Bishop of Kingston. The old church designed by George Gilbert Scott was demolished in the 1940s following bombing by enemy action. John Betjeman, poet laureate, dedicated his first Collins Guide to the English Parish Church to the memory of St. Agnes Kennington Park, describing it as being "...destroyed by the diocese of Southwark after some war damage."
  1960s Horns demolished (replaced by Col. Richard Siefert's Department of Social Security – see photo) From a social centre to a centre of social control?
  196? Land to the east of St. Agnes Place is designated public open space that becomes Kennington Park East.
  1963 Two piece bronze Reclining Figure No. 3 by sculptor Henry Moore bought for the new prizewinning Brandon High rise Estate, Southwark (adjacent to Kennington Park East).
  1965 A scene from the film The Ipcress File was filmed in Kennington Park. Based on a Len Deighton book it starred Michael Caine and Nigel Green. It shows the park bandstand (the concrete area in front of Prince Cons
caption: The Refreshment House, built in 1897
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