Greenford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greenford |
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 Greenford Broadway |
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 Greenford
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| Population | 46,787 (2011 Census) |
| OS grid reference | TQ135825 |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GREENFORD |
| Postcode district | UB6 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly |
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Greenford is a large town in west London, England. It's part of the London Borough of Ealing. Greenford is about 11 miles (18 km) west of Charing Cross, a famous spot in central London. Around 46,787 people live here.
The town has its own train and Tube stations. Greenford Station is on the London Underground Central Line and a Great Western Railway line. South Greenford is also a train station. However, the main part of Greenford, called Greenford Broadway, is served by many local buses.
Greenford is near places like Yeading, Hanwell, and Perivale. A famous landmark here is Horsenden Hill, which is 279 feet (85 meters) high. Greenford is a big area with three main parts: North Greenford, Greenford Green, and Greenford Broadway. Even though Perivale is a separate place, it shares the same UB6 postcode with Greenford.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Greenford was first written down in the year 848 as Grenan forda. This Old English name means 'place at the green ford'. A 'ford' is a shallow part of a river or stream that you can cross. Greenford used to be called Great Greenford to tell it apart from Little Greenford, which is now known as Perivale.
A Look Back in Time
Greenford has a long history. It was an old parish in the area of Middlesex.
Greenford's Industrial Past
Greenford is famous as the birthplace of the modern organic chemical industry! In March 1856, Sir William Henry Perkin discovered the world's first aniline dye, called 'mauveine', at his factory here. You can find a blue plaque marking this important spot today.
For many years, Greenford was also home to the Hovis factory, which made bread. There's a local story that Queen Elizabeth I only ate bread made from wheat grown in Greenford!
J. Lyons and Co.
After the First World War, a big food company called J. Lyons and Co. needed more space. In 1921, they bought a large area in Greenford. This was a great spot because it was close to the Grand Union Canal and major railway lines. This made it easy to bring in ingredients and send out finished products.
The factory opened in July 1921. It quickly became the biggest employer in Greenford. Lyons used the latest technology to make their factories very efficient. They even had their own power plants and medical facilities for workers. They made famous products like the breakfast cereal Ready Brek. The factory was so advanced that even King George V and Queen Mary visited it!
Over time, the company changed, and the factory eventually closed. Today, the area is an industrial estate called Lyon Way.
Art and Culture in Greenford
Greenford has a connection to famous music! The rock group called the Detours met their drummer, Keith Moon, at a pub called the Oldfield Tavern here. On February 20, 1964, they were introduced as the Who for the first time!
Some members of the band Edison Lighthouse, known for their hit song "Love Grows," also came from Greenford.
Schools in Greenford
Greenford has many schools for young people.
Primary and Junior Schools
- Coston Primary School
- Horsenden Primary School
- Oldfield Primary School
- Our Lady of the Visitation Catholic Primary School
- Ravenor Primary School
- Selborne Primary School
- Stanhope Primary School
- The Edward Betham CofE Primary School
- Vicar's Green Primary School
High Schools
- Greenford High School
- The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School
- William Perkin Church of England High School
Getting Around Greenford
The A40, a big road with two lanes in each direction, runs through the area.
Tube (Underground)
North Greenford is served by Sudbury Hill station on the Piccadilly line. Greenford station is on the Central line.
Rail (Trains)
Greenford and South Greenford stations have Great Western Railway services. These trains go to West Ealing.
Buses
Many bus routes serve Greenford, connecting it to other parts of London. Some of these include routes 92, 95, 105, 282, and many more.
Greenford's Green Spaces
Greenford has several lovely parks and green areas. The biggest park is Ravenor Park, which used to be a farm. The annual Greenford Carnival is held here every July.
Other green spaces include Perivale Wood, Horsenden Hill, Northala Fields (near Northolt), Marnham Fields, and Brent Valley Park. These places are great for walks and enjoying nature.
Nearby Areas
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Northolt | North Greenford, Sudbury Hill, Harrow-on-the-Hill | Horsenden Hill, Sudbury, Wembley | |
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Perivale, Alperton | ||
 Greenford Green  |
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| Northolt, Yeading | Greenford Broadway, Dormers Wells | Perivale, Pitshanger, Ealing |
Who Lives in Greenford?
Greenford is home to a diverse mix of people from different backgrounds. Many people here are from Polish, English, and other Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.
Sports and Fun
Greenford has two local football teams: London Tigers F.C. and North Greenford United F.C..
There was once a place called the Greenford Park Trotting Track. This was an early place for speedway races between 1928 and 1930.
Places to Visit
The Greenford Heritage Centre is a cool place to visit. It shows off many everyday items from British homes and gardens from the 20th century. It's like a trip back in time to see what life was like!
The London Motorcycle Museum is also in Greenford. It's the only motorbike museum in London! It opened in 1999 and now has around 200 motorbikes on display.
The Parish Church of Holy Cross is a very old church, built in the late 1400s or early 1500s. Betham House is an 18th-century building that used to be a charity school.
Greenford's Economy
Greenford has several important businesses. These include British Bakeries, IBM, and Royal Mail (which has a big distribution center here).
In Greenford Green, near the railway station, you'll find the large Westway Cross Shopping Park. This shopping area has many popular stores like Next, Smyths Toys, and Sports Direct.
Famous People from Greenford
Many interesting people have connections to Greenford:
- Sculptor C. J. Allen (1862–1956) was born here.
- Tennis player Blanche Bingley (1863–1946), who won Wimbledon six times, was born in Greenford.
- Model Jourdan Dunn (born 1990) grew up in Greenford.
- Pop singer Elyar Fox was raised here.
- Comedian Freddie Frinton (1909–1968) lived in Greenford.
- Jack Good, a TV producer who worked with bands like the Beatles, was born in Greenford.
- Doug Sandom (1930-2019), the first drummer for the Who, was born in Greenford.
- Professional footballers Jason Roberts and Bukayo Saka attended school in Greenford.
See also
In Spanish: Greenford para niños
