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Kew Bridge Road

Kew Bridge Road is a continuation of Brentford High Street eastern end to the original site of the fountain near Kew Bridge.

Origins

Earlier censuses treated this part of the road as the High Street. The first reference found (as at 2023) to 'Kew Bridge Road' in the British Newspaper Archive is in the Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette 25 August 1877 which reported on business of the Local Board:
The Drinking Fountain Committee reported that everything on the opening day passed off with the utmost satisfaction; the necessary expenses had been met by voluntary contributions. It had been suggested that trees might be planted on either side of Kew Bridge road, west of the fountain.

This refers to the fountain near the northern end of Kew Bridge, around which Brentford Market operated at the time.

The Acton Gazette, 8 June 1878, Brentford Local Board:
The Surveyor reported that Mr Watkins had very nearly completed the flagging in Kew Bridge Road and Ealing Lane, and that the kerbing of Boston Lane had been commenced.
There followed some comments about the 'unsatisfactory way in which some of the work had been performed' and responsibility for sorting this out was handed over to the Works Committee.

Numbering

Around 1877 the High Street and Kew Bridge Road were numbered. Like the High Street, Kew Bridge Road was numbered sequentially from the southern side, eastern end, ending up at the northern side, eastern end.

The OS map, surveyed 1959 to 1960, published 1962 has the following numbers:

Southern side from Kew Bridge westwards

• 24 PH
• 26 PH
• 27 to 31 terrace

• 33 to 36 terrace
• 37 and 38 with an entry to west
• 39 and 40 with premises and grounds to west
• 40A with large warehouse
• 41 and 42 semi-detached
• 43 with builders yard to side and rear

What happened to numbers 1 to 23? Perhaps the stretch of road round the corner to the northern end of Kew Bridge? The Oxford and Cambridge PH at 18 Kew Bridge Road was here but does not leave much space for numbers 1 to 17. Please get in touch if you know.

Northern side from Green Dragon Lane eastwards

Green Dragon Lane

• 44 to 47 terrace set back, 44 a larger property (1967 OS map shows engineering Works behind 44, access from Green Dragon Lane)
  Access to Works behind 48
• 48 det (1967 OS map shows Transport Depot behind 58)
• 49 to 51 terrace with long back gardens
• 52 and 53 semi-det
  Gap between 53 and 54
• 54 and 55 semi-det
• 56 (PH)
• 57 to 60 terrace, 57 a bank, back on to Kew Bridge station

Photos/Ephemera/Maps

Map showing Kew Bridge Road pubs: Jim Storrar

Photo of Gwen Abigail's tea party around 1917 in the garden of 59 Kew Bridge Road: Roger Davis

Postcard of the fountain in Janet McNamaras piece about Brentford Market

View from the fountain towards Brentford, 1973: Peter Young

Waggon and Horses, 26 Kew Bridge Road,1972: Peter Young

Brentford Timber Company, 38 and 39 Kew Bridge Road and some occupants: Paul Tippell and Celia Cotton

Joseph Kingham & Sons Ltd operated from 40 Kew Bridge Road: Carole Ann Bartholomew (nee Sharp)

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Published April 2023