De Beauvoir Town facts for kids
Quick facts for kids De Beauvoir Town |
|
|---|---|
 Aerial view of De Beauvoir Square |
|
 De Beauvoir Town
|
|
| OS grid reference | TQ3384 |
| • Charing Cross | 3.8 mi (6.1 km) SW |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LONDON |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
|
| London Assembly |
|
De Beauvoir Town is a cool neighbourhood in east London, located in the London Borough of Hackney. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the City of London, which is the historic heart of London. People sometimes call it "Beavertown" for short!
This area was built in the mid-1800s. It was carefully planned to be a nice place for well-off families to live. Today, it still has a special feel, with many old and interesting buildings.
Contents
What are the Boundaries?
De Beauvoir Town has clear borders. To the east, you'll find Kingsland Road. The Regent's Canal forms its southern edge. Southgate Road is to the west, and Balls Pond Road is to the north. The area covers just over 0.7 square kilometres (0.27 sq mi). Its neighbours include Canonbury, Dalston, and parts of Shoreditch like Hoxton and Haggerston.
A Look Back in Time
How it Started (19th Century)
Before 1820, De Beauvoir Town was mostly open countryside with a few big houses. But then, something important happened: the Regent's Canal opened in 1820! This made the area more appealing.
In 1821, a builder named William Rhodes (who was the grandfather of the famous Cecil Rhodes) got a lease for about 150 acres (0.61 km2) of land from Peter de Beauvoir. Rhodes wanted to build fancy homes for rich people on wide, grid-like streets. He even planned four squares connected by diagonal roads.
However, his plans hit a snag. Work stopped in 1823 because Rhodes had gotten the lease unfairly. After a long court case, the land went back to the de Beauvoir family in 1834. By then, the rich families Rhodes wanted to attract had moved to other new areas. So, the building plans were made smaller. Only one of the planned squares, De Beauvoir Square, was built. The area became home to the new middle class families in the 1840s.
The 20th Century and Beyond
In 1907, a very important meeting took place here. The Fifth Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party was held at the Brotherhood Church. Famous leaders like Lenin, Stalin, and Leon Trotsky attended. They discussed their plans for Russia's future.
Later, in the 1930s, some parts of De Beauvoir Town near the Kingsland Basin became industrial areas, meaning they were used for factories. This was because it was easy to get goods in and out using the canal.
In the 1960s, some older parts of the town were rebuilt. New housing estates, like the Kingsgate estate and the De Beauvoir Estate, were created.
In 1968, local people formed the De Beauvoir Association. They wanted to protect their neighbourhood from being completely torn down and rebuilt. Thanks to their efforts, much of De Beauvoir Town became a "conservation area" in 1969. This means the area's special character and historic buildings are now protected.
In the 1970s, new ideas were tried out to make the streets safer. Special road designs were put in place to reduce traffic, making it easier for kids to play outside.
De Beauvoir Town in Movies and Music
This area has been featured in some cool productions!
- The music video for "Stay With Me" by Sam Smith shows him walking down a street in De Beauvoir Town.
- Parts of the movies 28 Weeks Later and The Gentlemen were filmed here.
- The cover of Tinie Tempah's album Youth features a scene from the De Beauvoir Estate.
Who Represents the Area?
The local Member of Parliament (MP) is Meg Hillier. An MP is someone elected to speak for the area in the UK Parliament. Also, two councillors, James Peters and Polly Billington, represent the De Beauvoir ward (a ward is a local area for elections).
Schools and Learning
Getting Around
 |
Highbury | Newington Green | Dalston | |
| Canonbury |  |
Dalston | ||
 De Beauvoir Town  |
||||
 |
||||
| Islington | Hoxton | Haggerston |
- Nearest Train Stations
- Essex Road (trains to Welwyn Garden City)
- Canonbury (London Overground)
- Dalston Junction (London Overground)
- Haggerston (London Overground)
- Nearest Underground (Tube) Stations
- Angel (Northern line)
- Old Street (Northern line and trains)
- Highbury & Islington (Victoria line and trains)
- Nearby Bus Routes
The area has many London Buses routes, making it easy to travel around.
|
Walking and Cycling
You can easily access the Regents Canal towpath, which is a path next to the canal. It's great for walking or cycling! If you go east, you can reach Victoria Park. If you go west, you can get to Islington.
