Editing Harlesden (section)

==History==
Harlesden was once a [[Saxon]] settlement. The [[Domesday Book]] calls it "Hervlvestvne". For centuries the area was a small rural community set in orchards with some inns.

In the 19th century, Harlesden, then a rural village in the parish of [[Willesden]], began to develop some of its urban appearance with the arrival of the railways. [[Willesden Junction tube station|Willesden Junction]], [[Kensal Green station|Kensal Green]] and [[Harlesden station|Harlesden]] stations on the [[London & Birmingham Railway]] all had an effect on the developing village. Cottages for railway and industrial workers were built, as was grander housing for the local [[middle class]]. The London–[[Harrow, London|Harrow]] coach passed through the village every day by 1839. The village gained a blacksmith, grocer and a shoemaker during this period.<ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|title=Harlesden, district in the London Borough of Brent, Jubilee Clock|url=http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/harlesden.htm|access-date=2021-07-23|website=Brent-heritage.co.uk|archive-date=5 April 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070405071808/http://www.brent-heritage.co.uk/harlesden.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Jubilee Clock, Harlesden - geograph.org.uk - 1576697.jpg|thumb|left|Jubilee Clock on High Street]]
Harlesden increasingly lost its rural nature, with factories replacing farms and woodland. Sewerage arrived here in 1871 and soon houses were being built. A mainly middle class population resided here who enjoyed the availability of numerous churches, cinemas, a court, a library and recreational pleasure at [[Roundwood Park]]. From late Victorian times until the 1930s, housing completed its spread across the area, and Harlesden became part of the London conurbation. A [[jubilee clock]] tower was built in 1888.<ref name="auto2"/>  Harlesden gained excellent transport links by the train stations as well as a frequent horse bus service to [[Paddington]] as early as 1890. [[Electric tram]]s came to Harlesden in 1907. That year also saw the opening of Willesden Hippodrome Theatre,<ref name="auto2"/> which was destroyed by German bombing in 1940. Much of the working class in Harlesden suffered from poverty, with the ''Willesden Chronicle'' mentioning "nearness to starvation" of those people in 1908.<ref name="auto2"/>

In 1908, the [[1908 Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] were held in London. The marathon race course went through Harlesden, and ended at the White City Stadium.  The course entered Harlesden via Craven Park Road, turned down Manor Park Road, down the High Street and passed the Jubilee Clock.  After that, the course headed towards North Acton via Station Road and passing Willesden Junction.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 9, 2024 |title=Route; 1908 Olympic marathon |url=https://fastestknowntime.com/route/1908-london-olympic-marathon |website=Fastest known time}}</ref>

[[File:McVitie's Biscuit Factory - geograph.org.uk - 4774329.jpg|thumb|[[McVitie's]] factory in Harlesden]]

Mainly after [[World War I]], one of Europe's biggest [[Industrial park|industrial estates]] was constructed at nearby [[Park Royal]], and large factories there and within Harlesden included [[McVitie's|McVitie & Price]] (later [[United Biscuits]]) from 1910, and [[H. J. Heinz Company|Heinz]] from 1919. Industrial growth led to a middle class exodus as Harlesden turned entirely into a working class area in the inter-war period.<ref name="auto2"/> The McVitie & Price factory became the largest biscuit factory in the western world, employing 2,600 people by 1978.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url=https://www.brent.gov.uk/page-not-found |title=Archived copy |access-date=23 July 2021 |archive-date=1 October 2011 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20111001031728/http://www.brent.gov.uk/regeneration.nsf/Files/LBBA-70/$FILE/wembleywayissue8.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> 

[[File:Amber Grill (geograph 2834725).jpg|thumb|left|Former Willesden Junction Hotel on Station Road]]
By 1939 the last of the really large Victorian houses, Roundwood House and Knowles Tower, had both been demolished by Willesden Council.<ref name="auto"/> At 6am on 16 January 1939, the [[Irish Republican Army]] blew up the Harlesden electricity cable bridge. The bridge crossed the [[Grand Junction Canal]], and carried the power line from [[Battersea Power Station]]. No one was injured in the attack.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Harlesden Explosion|date=16 January 1939|work=Coventry Evening Telegraph}}</ref> In the interwar period, a cargo ship, built on Tyneside, was named after the area. In 1941, the ship was sunk by the German battle cruiser Gneisenau, approximately 600 miles west of Newfoundland. Seven members of the crew were killed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harlesden 1932 |url=http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/H-Ships/harlesden1932.html |access-date=May 15, 2022 |website=Tyne Built Ships}}</ref>

In the 1950s, the transport of coal from [[Durham, England|Durham]] and steel from [[Sheffield]] became a main contributor to the local economy, these industries employed a mass of labour from Irish and Jamaican immigrants.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Judah |first=Ben |title=This is London |publisher=Picador |year=2016 |location=Croydon, England |pages=293 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Craven Park Road, Harlesden - geograph.org.uk - 22040.jpg|thumb|Craven Park Road]]
The image of Harlesden today began to take shape in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Continued immigration from [[Ireland]] and new immigration from the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Indian sub-continent]] changed the racial and cultural make up of the area.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=5942254&c=Harlesden&d=14&e=16&g=327782&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1204805227775&enc=1&dsFamilyId=87|title=Harlesden (Ward) Ethnic Group (UV09)|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=2001 Census Neighbourhood Statistics|year=2001|access-date=2008-03-06|archive-date=12 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612174515/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=5942254&c=Harlesden&d=14&e=16&g=327782&i=1001x1003x1004&o=1&m=0&r=1&s=1204805227775&enc=1&dsFamilyId=87|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite the immigration the population of Harlesden still declined from 39,527 in 1951 to 26,970 in 1971, but remained densely populated. [[Prefab]] homes for those made homeless by Second World War bombings were still in existence by the end of the 1960s.<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/387280/Harlesden.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=29 December 2020 |archive-date=14 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314151326/https://www.brent.gov.uk/media/387280/Harlesden.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

By the 1960s, the Curzon Crescent estate was known for poverty and became a vandalism hotspot. At the same time, immigration from the West Indies and Indian sub-continent led to racist articles in a national newspaper. Poverty increased further by the decline of industry and the building of [[Brent Cross Shopping Centre]].<ref name="auto1"/> Steps were taken to improve the area, such as the Harlesden City Challenge community project in the 1990s that involved the creation of public artwork in the area, as well as the renovation of the jubilee clock on the High Street in 1997.<ref name="auto1"/> More recently from the end of the 20th century the area has become home to [[Brazilian people|Brazilian]], [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] and [[Somali people|Somali]] communities,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.homesandproperty.co.uk/area-guides/brent-borough/harlesden/living-in-harlesden-area-guide-to-homes-schools-and-transport-a109896.html|title=This diverse north-west London area is set to be one of the capital's best connected neighbourhoods|website=Homesandproperty.co.uk|date=16 June 2017}}</ref> as well as [[Polish people|Polish]], [[Afghan people|Afghan]] and [[Colombian people|Colombian]] communities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2014/nov/01/walking-adventures-in-harlesden|title = Walking adventures in Harlesden|website = [[TheGuardian.com]]|date = November 2014}}</ref>

[[Charles, Prince of Wales|Prince Charles]] visited Harlesden in March 2007. He commented "I don't think I have enjoyed myself so much for a long time going down the high street and popping into one or two shops. I'm sorry I couldn't go into more of them."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2007/03/06/Charles-kicks-up-heels-on-tour/47781173215486/|title = Charles kicks up heels on tour|website=Upi.com}}</ref>

The fortunes of Harlesden have been on the up more recently. Reduced crime rates have led to higher house prices,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/buy/rise-harlesden-gun-crime-capital-highest-house-prices-increases/|title = The rise of Harlesden: From gun crime capital to the highest house prices increases in London|newspaper = [[The Daily Telegraph]]|date = 18 April 2017|last1 = Alexander|first1 = Martha}}</ref> but the district retains a non-[[gentrified]] atmosphere.<ref name="auto3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/west-london-news/brexit-making-people-crazy-what-15374128|title=What life's like on one of London's 'unhealthiest' high streets|website=Mylondon.news|date=6 November 2018}}</ref> In 2015 a new community "Town Garden" was opened for locals to garden, socialise and exercise,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kilburntimes.co.uk/news/new-community-garden-opens-in-harlesden-3739194|title = New community garden opens in Harlesden|website=Kilburntimes.co.uk|date = 15 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.actionfunder.org/|title=Home|website=ActionFunder.org|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref> established by the funding of local volunteers and charities. It has become a green sanctuary in the heart of Harlesden.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20221006192805/http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/8d0109_64bf4fedcb924ee187e2e60d82c7287d.pdf?index=true] </ref>