London Borough of Camden

The **London Borough of Camden** is a borough of London, England, which forms part of Inner London. The southern reaches of Camden form part of Central London.

## Population and demographics

The 2001 census gave Camden a population of 198,000, an undercount that was later revised to 202,600. The projected 2006 figure is 227,500.

Camden is 73% white, 6% Bangladeshi and 6% African. 35% of householders are owner-occupiers; 86% of households live in purpose-built or converted flats.

The borough is home to some of London's most desirable areas such as Hampstead, Dartmouth Park, the Holly Lodge Estate and Camden Town, as well as areas with higher unemployment and very high crime levels (especially drug crime) around Gospel Oak and, to a lesser extent, Somers Town.

On 20 May 1999, The Camden New Journal newspaper documented 'Two Camdens' syndrome as a high profile phenomenon differentiating the characteristics of education services in its constituencies. In 2006, Dame Julia Neuberger's book reported similar variation as a characteristic of Camden's children's health services. Her insider's view was corroboration - in addition to the 2001 "Inequalities" report by Director of Public Health Dr. Maggie Barker, of "stark contrasts in" health and education opportunities - of earlier similar Audit Commission findings and a verification/update of the 1999 CNJ report.

## History

The borough was created in 1965 from the former area of the metropolitan boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and St Pancras, which had formed part of the County of London. The borough was named after Camden Town, which had gained its name from Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden in 1795.

## Districts and environs

The area is in the north side of the city, reaching from Holborn and Bloomsbury in the south to Hampstead Heath in the north. Neighbouring areas are the City of Westminster and the City of London to the south, Brent to the west, Barnet and Haringey to the north and Islington to the east.
It covers all or part of the N1, N6, N7, N19, NW1, NW2, NW3, NW5, NW6, NW8, EC1, EC2, EC4, WC1, WC2, and W1 postcode areas. It contains parts of inner and central London. The districts of Camden are:

* Agar Town
* Belsize Park
* Bloomsbury
* Brondesbury
* Camden Town
* Chalk Farm
* Covent Garden
* Cricklewood
* Dartmouth Park
* Fitzrovia
* Fortune Green
* Frognal
* Gospel Oak
* Hampstead
* Highgate
* Holborn
* Kentish Town
* Kilburn
* King's Cross Central
* Kings Cross
* Peckwater Estate
* Primrose Hill
* Regent's Park Estate
* Saffron Hill
* St Pancras
* Somers Town
* South Hampstead
* Swiss Cottage
* Tufnell Park
* West End of London
* West Hampstead

## Politics

### London Borough Council

Camden's town hall is located in Euston Road/Judd Street near Kings Cross.

The borough is divided into 18 wards each represented by 3 councillors. There are therefore 54 councillors in total who all elected every four years. The most recent election was on 3 May 2018 and the Labour Party retained control with 43 seats (a gain of 3). The Conservative Party forms the opposition group with 7 seats (a loss of 5). The Liberal Democrats have 3 seats, an increase of 2. The remaining seat was held held a Green Party councillor.

The electoral wards in Camden are:

* Belsize (2 Lib Dem, 1 Con)
* Bloomsbury (3 Lab)
* Camden Town with Primrose Hill (3 Lab)
* Cantelowes (3 Lab)
* Fortune Green (2 Lab, 1 Lib Dem)
* Frognal and Fitzjohns (3 Con)
* Gospel Oak (3 Lab)
* Hampstead Town (3 Con)
* Haverstock (3 Lab)
* Highgate (2 Lab, 1 Green)
* Holborn and Covent Garden (3 Lab)
* Kentish Town (3 Lab)
* Kilburn (3 Lab)
* King's Cross (3 Lab)
* Regent's Park (3 Lab)
* St Pancras and Somers Town (3 Lab)
* Swiss Cottage (3 Lab)
* West Hampstead (3 Lab)

### London Assembly

Camden forms part of the Barnet and Camden London Assembly constituency.

### UK Parliament

For elections to the House of Commons the borough is divided into the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras and part of the cross-borough Hampstead and Kilburn seat, the remainder of which consists of wards in the London Borough of Brent.

## Major public or private bodies

* The Architectural Association
* Birkbeck, University of London
* The British Library
* British Medical Association
* The British Museum
* Cancer Research UK
* Central School of Speech and Drama
* National Union of Students
* Great Ormond Street Hospital
* Royal College of Surgeons
* King's Cross Station, St Pancras Station, Euston Station
* Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
* Royal College of Physicians
* Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
* Royal Free Hospital
* Royal Veterinary College (Camden Campus)
* School of Oriental and African Studies
* Slade School of Fine Art
* University College Hospital
* University College London
* University of London Headquarters
* Wellcome Trust

## Attractions

* Bloomsbury Theatre
* BT Tower
* Camden Arts Centre
* Camden Catacombs *(see also Catacombs of London)*
* Camden Market
* Parts of Covent Garden
* Charles Dickens Museum
* Dominion Theatre
* Drama Centre London
* Fenton House
* Foundling Museum
* Freud Museum
* Gray's Inn
* Hampstead Cemetery
* Hampstead Heath
* Hatton Garden
* Highgate Cemetery
* Keats' House
* Kenwood House
* Lincoln's Inn
* The eastern part of Regent's Park is in the borough.
* Russell Square
* Shaftesbury Theatre
* Sir John Soane Museum
* The Roundhouse
* Wellcome Collection

## Education

The London Borough of Camden is the local education authority for the borough, organised through the *Children, Schools and Families Directorate*.

### Primary schools

(CE) indicates Church of England, RC Roman Catholic schools, (J) indicates a junior school and (H) a specialist hospital school).

* Beckford
* Brecknock
* Brookfield
* Carlton
* Christ Church (Hampstead) (CE)
* Christ Church (Redhill St) (CE)
* Christopher Hatton
* Edith Neville
* Eleanor Palmer
* Emmanuel CE
* Fitzjohns
* Fleet
* Gospel Oak
* Hampstead parochial CE
* Hawley (I)
* Holy Trinity (Trinity Walk) CE
* Holy Trinity and St Silas CE
* Kentish Town CE
* Kingsgate
* Netley
* New End
* Our Lady's RC
* Primrose hill
* Rhyl
* Richard Cobden
* Rosary RC
* St Albans CE
* St Aloysius RC
* St Dominics RC
* St Eugene de Mazenod RC
* St George the Martyr CE
* St Josephs RC
* St Mary & St Pancras CE
* St Marys (Kilburn) CE
* St Michaels (Camden Town) CE
* St Patricks RC
* St Pauls CE
* Torriano (J)

### Secondary schools

* Camden School for Girls
* Hampstead School
* Haverstock School
* La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School
* Parliament Hill School
* South Camden Community School (SCCS)
* South Hampstead High School
* William Ellis School

*Both the Royal Free and Great Ormond St operate specialist secondary education in hospital units.*
### Independent

* Devonshire House Preparatory School
* Hall School (Hampstead)|Hall School (Boys)
* Heathside Preparatory School
* Lyndhurst House Preparatory School (Boys)
* Maria Montessori School
* North Bridge House School
* University College School|Phoenix School
* Royal School Hampstead (Girls)
* South Hampstead Junior School (Girls)
* Southbank International Preparatory School
* St. Anthony's School, Hampstead|St Anthony’s Preparatory School (Boys)
* St Christopher's School (Girls)
* St Margaret's School (Girls)
* St Mary's School (Hampstead)
* The Academy School
* University College School(Junior Branch) (Boys)

## Transport

Three of central London's northern railway terminals (Euston, St. Pancras and Kings Cross) are located in the borough; they are the southern termini for the West Coast Main Line, Midland Main Line and East Coast Main Line, respectively. On 14th November 2007 St Pancras became the new terminus of Eurostar.

## London Fire Brigade

Four fire stations (Belsize, Euston, Kentish Town, West Hampstead) are operated by London Fire Brigade in the borough of Camden. None of these fire stations are home to any specialist units; just pumping appliances and a rescue tender. In 2006/2007, the four stations attended just under eight thousand incidents.

During 2006/2007 the ward of King's Cross had the most malicious calls; with over 40 against a total for the borough of 161.

Since 2002, Camden has seen a steady decrease in the number of fires attended (2002/2003 - 768; 2006/2007 - 547: -28%). Something the LFB will put down to its commitment to its Community Fire Safety scheme.

Three of London's busiest railway stations are in the borough; with somewhere in the region of 52 million passengers using the three every year.

## Popular Culture

Camden is the setting for series 3 of the The Mighty Boosh BBC3 program.