Wormholt Park

Park in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

Wormholt Park

Wormholt Park

Location in Hammersmith and Fulham, London

Location| Hammersmith and Fulham, London, England
Coordinates| 51°30′37″N 0°14′15″W﻿ / ﻿51.5102°N 0.237624°W﻿ / 51.5102; -0.237624

Wormholt Park is a 7.75 acres (3.14 ha) urban park in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, near White City, Shepherd's Bush.

Wormholt Park has a multi-use games area and two play areas, one for under 8s and one for over 8s.

## History

[edit]

### Origins

[edit]

The park dates from the early 1900s when the Ecclesiastical Commissioners decided to sell parts of the Wormholt Farm and Old Oak Farm for development.[1] On 9 December 1909, the land was conveyed to The Council for the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.[2]

Ordnance Survey of Wormholt Park in 1874

On 27 June 1911, the park was opened by Councillor Norman William Shairp, Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Hammersmith.[3]

### Pre-war

[edit]

1912 Ordnance Survey of Wormholt Park

In June 1923, the Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Bath opened next to the park.[4]

A bandstand was built in 1931 and records for 1934 show attendance ranged from between 400 to 650 people for each performance.

In 1936, a bowling green and pavilion were built, becoming the home of Shepherds Bush Bowling Club, previously based out of Ravenscourt Park.[5]

### World War II

[edit]

During World War II, the park was dug up and turned into shelter trenches and allotments, which remained until 1950.[5]

### Post-war

[edit]

In the early 1950s, shelter trenches were filled in, two war-damaged tennis courts were reconstructed and the playground was resurfaced.[5]

In 1988, the bowling green was closed down and was replaced by a new children's play area.[5]

In 1979, the Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Bath was converted to an indoor centre named White City Pools. The pools were renamed Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre in 1990.[4]

In the 1980s, the park was used as a location for some episode of BBC children's series Grange Hill.[5]

In 2003, the Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre was demolished and later converted into flats.[4]

Following concern about the park's state of disrepair, the Friends of Wormholt Park community group was formed in 2009.[5]

In 2015-2016, Hammersmith & Fulham Council funded a landscape refurbishment, which included excavation and removal of the remains of the Janet Adegoke Leisure Centre, the over-grown former bowling green and the former tennis court.[6][7]

In 2024, the W12 festival was held in the park.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ History of Wormholt Park Retrieved July 2015
2. ^ Libraries, LBHF (6 January 2015). "Wormholt Park: the first hundred years". H&F Libraries and Archives. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
3. ^ "Wormholt Park | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham". www.lbhf.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
4. ^ a b c "Bloemfontein Open Air Swimming Baths". H&F Libraries and Archives. LBHF Libraries. 22 December 2014.
5. ^ a b c d e f "Wormholt Park – The First Hundred Years – Independent Rs". www.indyrs.co.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
6. ^ London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (18 January 2016). "Wormholt Park Landscape Refurbishment Project 2015-16" (PDF). London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
7. ^ "Wormholt Park — Levitt Bernstein". www.levittbernstein.co.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
8. ^ "W12 Festival | London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham". www.lbhf.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 August 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Friends of Wormholt Park Retrieved July 2015
* Wormholt Park at the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Retrieved July 2015