In 1294 there was a small settlement at the junction of Edgware Road and Cricklewood Lane which by 1321 had developed and was being called Cricklewood. In the 1750s The Crown Inn was used by coach travellers and gradually by the 1800s a few cottages and Cricklewood House had been built and by the 1860s a number of grand villas had been built along the Edgware Road starting with Rockhall Lodge.
Childs Hill Station was opened in 1868, later to be named Cricklewood station. The area only fully became an industrial and suburban district in the 1930s. As a result of the Midland Railway Company moving its locomotive works to the new “Brent Sidings” in 1881 new accommodation was built for its workers and this was known as Cricklewood Railway Cottages.
In the 1890s houses and shops had been built and Cricklewood Broadway became a retail area and by 1900 had replaced the Victorian villas. The Queens Hall Cinema which was later named the Gaumont was built and replaced Rock Hall House in 1960.
With the continued development the area attracted a number of important industries, the first of which was Phoenix Telephone Co in 1911 and this was quickly followed by the Handley Page Aircraft Company and Smith’s Industries which was started in 1915 named S.Smith & Sons situated on the Edgware Road. S.Smith & Sons were established to manufacture fuses and instruments and by 1939 was making electrical motors, electric clocks and aircraft accessories. The company grew substantially and acquired other companies and sites overseas but the Cricklewood site continued to be their most important site and between 1937 and 1978 employed approximately 8,000 workers.
Cricklewood also became the home for the first Smith’s Crisps potato crisp factory and with all the development and industry the area flourished.
Today, Cricklewood is set for a £4.5 billion regeneration scheme, included in the scheme is Brent Cross, the development is due to start in 2011 although some of the proposal is subject to discussion and there are for’s and against’s of some parts of the plans.
Cricklewood has several notable residents such as Tim Brooke-Taylor the television actor in ‘The Goodies’, Ching He Huang a well known TV Chef, Ken Livingstone the former Mayor of London and Peter O’Toole a famous actor. The area has also been the setting for the TV shows ‘The Goodies’ and ‘Minder’ as well as the first ‘Hellraiser’ film.
If you live in Cricklewood or are just visiting the area you will find plenty to do as Cricklewood Broadway and its surrounding area is a busy and exciting place with many clubs, pubs and restaurants to visit, so why not contact us and arrange to meet with one of our beautiful
London escorts who will ensure you enjoy an interesting and entertaining evening whether it is at your hotel or in the comfort of your own home, you will not be disappointed.
