Wormholt Park

Wormholt Park
Wormholt Park
Wormholt Park is located in London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
Wormholt Park
Location in Hammersmith and Fulham, London
LocationHammersmith and Fulham, London, England
Coordinates51°30′37″N 0°14′15″W / 51.5102°N 0.237624°W / 51.5102; -0.237624

Wormholt Park is a 7.75 acres (3.14 ha) urban park in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, near White City, Shepherd's Bush.

Wormholt Park has a multi-use games area and two play areas, one for under 8s and one for over 8s.

History

Origins

The park dates from the early 1900s when the Ecclesiastical Commissioners decided to sell parts of the Wormholt Farm and Old Oak Farm for development.[1] On 9 December 1909, the land was conveyed to The Council for the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.[2]

Ordnance Survey of Wormholt Park in 1874

On 27 June 1911, the park was opened by Councillor Norman William Shairp, Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.[3]

Pre-war

1912 Ordnance Survey of Wormholt Park

In June 1923, the Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Bath opened next to the park.[4]

A bandstand was built in 1931 and records for 1934 show attendance ranged from between 400 to 650 people for each performance.

In 1936, a bowling green and pavilion were built, becoming the home of Shepherds Bush Bowling Club, previously based out of Ravenscourt Park.[5]

World War II

During World War II, the park was dug up and turned into shelter trenches and allotments, which remained until 1950.[5]

Post-war

In the early 1950s, shelter trenches were filled in, two war-damaged tennis courts were reconstructed and the playground was resurfaced.[5]

In 1988, the bowling green was closed down and was replaced by a new children's play area.[5]

In 1979, the Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Bath was converted to an indoor centre named White City Pools. The pools were renamed Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre in 1990.[4]

In the 1980s, the park was used as a location for some episode of BBC children's series Grange Hill.[5]

In 2003, the Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre was demolished and later converted into flats.[4]

Following concern about the park's state of disrepair, the Friends of Wormholt Park community group was formed in 2009.[5]

In 2015-2016, Hammersmith & Fulham Council funded a landscape refurbishment, which included excavation and removal of the remains of the Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre, the over-grown former bowling green and the former tennis court.[6][7]

In 2024, the W12 festival was held in the park.[8]

References

  1. ^ History of Wormholt Park Retrieved July 2015
  2. ^ Libraries, LBHF (6 January 2015). "Wormholt Park: the first hundred years". H&F Libraries and Archives. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  3. ^ "Wormholt Park | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham". www.lbhf.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Baths". H&F Libraries and Archives. LBHF Libraries. 22 December 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Wormholt Park – The First Hundred Years – Independent Rs". www.indyrs.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  6. ^ London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (18 January 2016). "Wormholt Park Landscape Refurbishment Project 2015-16" (PDF). London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Wormholt Park — Levitt Bernstein". www.levittbernstein.co.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  8. ^ "W12 Festival | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham". www.lbhf.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2024.