Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick facts for kids
| Brentford and Chiswick | |
| Motto: Firmior (Stronger) | |
 Chiswick Town Hall |
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 Brentford and Chiswick within Middlesex in 1961 |
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| Geography | |
| Status | Urban district (until 1932) Municipal borough (from 1932) |
| 1931 area | 2,341 acres (9.5 km2) |
| 1961 area | 2,333 acres (9.4 km2) |
| History | |
| Created | 1927 |
| Abolished | 1965 |
| Succeeded by | London Borough of Hounslow |
Quick facts for kids Demography |
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|---|---|
| 1921 population | 57,970 (equivalent area) |
| 1961 population | 54,833 |
 Coat of arms of the borough council |
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Brentford and Chiswick was a special area in Middlesex, England. It had its own local government from 1927 to 1965. This area included the towns of Brentford and Chiswick, which are now part of Greater London.
Contents
A Brief History of Brentford and Chiswick
Brentford and Chiswick started as an "urban district" in 1927. This happened when two smaller areas, the Brentford Urban District and the Chiswick Urban District, joined together. An urban district was a type of local government area.
Becoming a Municipal Borough
In 1932, Brentford and Chiswick became a "municipal borough." This meant it had a slightly higher level of local government. The borough included the areas known as Chiswick, New Brentford, and Old Brentford.
Joining Greater London
In 1965, the municipal borough of Brentford and Chiswick was officially ended. Its area then became part of Greater London. It joined with other nearby districts to form the London Borough of Hounslow. This is how the area is governed today.
The Local Parliament Seat
For many years, there was also a special area for voting in parliament called Brentford and Chiswick. This voting area covered the same places. It existed until 1974. After that, it was made bigger and renamed Brentford and Isleworth.
Understanding the Coat of Arms
The coat of arms for Brentford and Chiswick was given on September 1, 1932. A coat of arms is a special design that represents a town or family.
Symbols and Their Meanings
The design of the coat of arms uses different colors and symbols:
- It has a diagonal cross, with white and red sections.
- At the top, there is a picture of Saint Nicholas. This refers to the parish church in Chiswick, which is dedicated to him.
- At the bottom, there are two wavy blue lines. These lines represent the River Brent and the River Thames, which flow through the area.
- In the middle, there are two Saxon swords, called "seaxes." These swords come from the coat of arms of Middlesex County Council, where Brentford and Chiswick used to be.
The Crest and Supporters
- The crest is at the very top of the coat of arms. It shows a black phoenix bird rising from flames. The phoenix is a mythical bird that rises from its own ashes. Here, it represents the new borough rising from the older urban districts.
- The supporters are the figures on either side of the shield. For Brentford and Chiswick, these are two golden griffins. Griffins are mythical creatures with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Each griffin has a wavy blue collar around its neck, also representing the rivers. The griffins do not seem to have a specific historical meaning for the area.
