Kensington, South Australia facts for kids

Kensington is a suburb located in Adelaide, South Australia. It's part of the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters council area. What makes Kensington special is that its streets are laid out diagonally, unlike most of Adelaide! A small creek called Second Creek flows through the area. Kensington is home to many old, historic buildings, the Norwood Swimming Centre, and several schools.

Kensington's Past: A Look at Its History

Kensington was one of the very first villages surveyed in this area. It was planned in November 1838 by J.H. Hughes. The suburb got its name from the famous Kensington Palace in London.

The streets in Kensington were designed diagonally on purpose. This helped to avoid too many crossings over Second Creek. The main streets, High Street and Regent Street, run alongside the creek.

The first parts of Kensington to be settled were Wellington and Bridge Streets. Bridge Street was once the main street. This changed when a tramline was built along High Street in the 1870s. The very first house in Kensington was built on Wellington Street. Many brick homes were built after the 1840s.

The first public house, or pub, was called the Kensington Arms. It was built by Dr Henry Scott. Another early pub, the Freemason's Arms, opened in the 1840s. It later closed and was turned into homes.

The Kensington tramline was the first of its kind in Adelaide. It started with horse-drawn trams in 1878. Later, these trams were changed to run on electricity. The tram company built double tracks down The Parade. A single loop track ran up Regent Street and back down High Street.

Important Early Residents of Kensington

Many interesting people lived in Kensington during its early days.

Mary MacKillop, who later became a saint, lived and worked in Kensington from 1872 to 1883. She founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart Congregation here. Today, you can visit the Mary MacKillop Precinct. It has a museum, a conference centre, and St Joseph's Chapel. Mary MacKillop College is also in this area.

Historic Buildings and Landmarks

Kensington has many buildings that are listed as heritage sites. Most of these are old homes, but some were once shops. The Norwood Swimming Pool is also a listed heritage site.

The Rising Sun Hotel: A Historic Pub

The building that housed the Rising Sun Hotel from 1882 to 1909.

The Rising Sun Hotel first opened in 1846. It was started by William Beck, who was known as "Black Becks." The original pub was at 64 Bridge Street. The Beck family ran it for the first 20 years.

In 1858, the pub was described as a brick building with seven rooms. It had a bar, kitchen, stables, sheds, and a garden. Later, it even added a cellar. The owner of Kent Town Brewery, Edwin T. Smith, bought the inn. He made improvements to the building, adding an enclosed front area.

In 1882, the Rising Sun Hotel moved to a new, two-storey building on the corner of High Street. This new location remained the Rising Sun Hotel until 1909. Many important meetings were held at the hotel during the 1880s.

The old building on Bridge Street was turned into three homes. From 1950 to 1972, it was used as a factory. This factory made the only motorcycles ever produced in South Australia! After that, the building was empty for a while. In 1983, it was turned into a special pub. It was also listed as a heritage building that same year.

The famous visual effects company, Rising Sun Pictures, got its name from this pub. Its founders had their first meeting there in 1995. Today, the pub is simply known as "The Rising Sun."

Where is Kensington Located?

Kensington is about 5 kilometers (3 miles) east of the Adelaide city centre.

Some nearby suburbs are Kensington Park and Beulah Park. These are in a different council area, the City of Burnside. Other nearby suburbs like Norwood and Marryatville are in the same council area as Kensington.

Schools in Kensington

Kensington is home to several schools for different age groups.

Marryatville Primary School is a state primary school. It's located in Kensington, even though its name suggests Marryatville. It teaches around 545 students from Reception (the first year of school) to Year 7. Most students from here go on to Marryatville High School. The school started in 1883 and moved to its current spot in 1978.

Mary MacKillop College is a private Catholic girls' high school. It was founded by Mary MacKillop herself in 1872.

McKellar Stewart Kindergarten is a preschool for younger children. It is located on Regent Place.

St Joseph's Memorial School has two campuses. Its junior primary campus, for preschool to Year 1, is in Bridge Street, Kensington. The other campus, for Year 2 to Year 6, is in Norwood.

A special STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) building for Pembroke School is also in Kensington. It opened in 2019.

Other Places to Visit in Kensington

The Village Church and Kensington Pioneer Park.

Parks and Green Spaces

Borthwick Park has entrances on Thornton Street, Bridge Street, and High Street. Second Creek flows through this park. The park has many large river red gum trees. Volunteers have worked hard to plant native plants here, making it better for local wildlife. They have also added sedges and rushes to protect the creek banks. There's even a nature play area for kids!

Kensington Pioneer Park is a small park on Maesbury Street. It was created on an old church graveyard. The park honors the early settlers who were buried there between 1849 and 1864. It is next to "The Village Church," which is now a home. The park has a large rock with a plaque listing the names of those buried there.

Other Amenities

The Norwood Swimming Centre is an outdoor pool. It is owned by the local council and is located on Phillips Street.

The High Street Cafe is a nice spot next to Mary MacKillop School.

Besides the historic Rising Sun, there is another pub called the Kensington Hotel. People often call it "The Kensi." It is located on Regent Street.

Notable People from Kensington

Here are some well-known people who have lived in Kensington:

• Mary MacKillop, a Catholic nun who later became a saint.
• Augustus Short, the first Anglican Bishop in the area.