White City, Gloucester facts for kids

White City is a neighborhood in the city of Gloucester, England. It got its name because the first homes built there were made of white concrete.

After World War I, many people in the United Kingdom needed better places to live. There was a big effort across the country to build new homes for working families, especially those living in crowded city areas. Before White City, some modern homes were already built nearby in 1914, creating Northfield Road and Northfield Square. In 1927, the local government in Gloucester bought Starveall Farm to build the new houses that would become White City.

The Beginning of White City

The White City neighborhood was officially opened on July 14, 1928. A special ceremony was held, and Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, helped by planting a tree. This marked the start of a new community for many families.

Modernizing White City Homes

In the 1990s, many of the original homes in White City were updated. The Gloucester City Council decided to knock down some of the older houses. New homes were then built by two housing groups, Oxbode Housing Association and Beazer, making the neighborhood more modern.

Exploring White City's Streets

The streets in White City have interesting names. Some of them are Avening Road, Barkis Bungalows, Barnfields, Beaufort Road, Bibury Road, Broadway, Darwin Road, Dickens Close, Finlay Place, Finlay Road, Hazelton Close, Nickelby Bungalows, Northfield Road, Northfield Square, Reservoir Road, Sapperton Road, Selwyn Road, and Stow Close.

What Do the Street Names Mean?

Many street names in White City are inspired by two things:

• They are named after small villages in the county of Gloucestershire.
• They are named after characters from the famous novels of Charles Dickens. Charles Dickens was a well-known writer who even visited Gloucester docks in the 1850s.

White City Gets Official Recognition

For a long time, White City was a well-known neighborhood, but it didn't appear on official maps of Gloucester. The people living in White City worked hard to change this. They wanted their neighborhood to be officially recognized as a part of the city and to be shown on maps and road signs.

A New Chapter for White City

Their efforts were successful! In October 2012, the current Duke of Gloucester (a different Duke of Gloucester from the one who opened the estate) was invited back to White City. He helped celebrate the neighborhood's new official status, marking an important moment for the community.