Balham, London
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Balham | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference: | TQ285735 |
| Administration | |
| London borough: | Wandsworth |
| County level: | Greater London |
| Region: | London |
| Constituent country: | England |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom |
| Other | |
| Ceremonial county: | Greater London |
| Historic county: | Surrey |
| Services | |
| Police force: | Metropolitan Police |
| Fire brigade: | London Fire Brigade |
| Ambulance service: | London Ambulance |
| Post office and telephone | |
| Post town: | LONDON |
| Postal district: | SW12 |
| Dialling code: | 020 |
| Politics | |
| UK Parliament: | |
| London Assembly: | Merton and Wandsworth |
| European Parliament: | London |
| London | List of places in London | |
Balham ['bæləm] is a neighbourhood in South London
Balham is an inner London suburb containing many Victorian terraced houses now highly prized as family homes. It has been settled since Saxon times, and large country retreats for the affluent classes were built there in the eighteenth century; however, most development occurred after the opening of Balham railway station in 1856. Most of Balham is in the London Borough of Wandsworth, although a small portion of the London SW12 (Balham) Postcode area is actually within the London Borough of Lambeth, creating ambiguity over the extent of the neighbourhood.
Balham is situated between four south London Commons: Clapham Common to the north, Wandsworth Common to the west, Tooting Graveney Common to the south, and the adjoining Tooting Bec Common to the east - the latter two historically distinct areas are referred to by both Wandsworth council and some local people as Tooting Common.
It possesses a railway/tube interchange station (the origin of the phrase "Balham - Gateway to the South" was reputedly a genuine Southern Railway advertisement dating from the 1926 opening of the tube station). The stations connect Balham easily and quickly to both the City of London and the West End. This has helped make it an increasingly popular location, and property prices have soared as middle class professionals have moved in, causing the district to lose the more working class feel it had up till the 1970s. As a result, Balham's town centre now boasts an increasingly vibrant night life with a variety of bars and restaurants. In May 2006, Waitrose, the supermarket subsidiary of the John Lewis Partnership, opened a store in Balham marking another stage in the gentrification of the area. And in October of the same year, a new organic supermarket opened its doors on a site previously occupied by a branch of the frozen food chain, Iceland.
Balham has been one of the main centres of the Polish community in London since the 1950s. The White Eagle Club is still a thriving community centre, and its traditional Saturday night dance ("zabawa") draws people from across London. Opposite the White Eagle, there is also a Polish Catholic church.
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[edit] Balham is famous for
Bal - ham, Gateway to the South - This is a line in a celebrated sketch made famous by Peter Sellers but actually written by Frank Muir and Denis Norden as part of a BBC radio series called 'Third Division' in the 1950s; It should be spoken with a broad American accent.
- Peter Sellers - Balham - Gateway To The South excerpt (file info) — play in browser (beta)
- The opening scene of Peter Sellers' Bal-ham - Gateway To The South
- Problems listening to the file? See media help.
Prostitution - The Bedford Hill area of Balham was associated with street prostitution throughout the seventies and eighties. Despite attempts by the local authority, police and residents to clean up the area, the association remains.
The Charles Bravo Murder - In 1876, a local resident and lawyer, Charles Bravo, was poisoned, possibly by his wife. The case remains unresolved.
The Bedford[1] - A pub venue on Bedford Hill famous for live music and comedy, with Eddie Izzard and Al Murray among the famous names to have graced the stage at the 'Banana Cabaret'. It has won various awards including The Publican Music Pub of the Year 2004, The Morning Advertiser Pub of the Year 2004 and The Evening Standard Pub of the Year 2002.
Record Corner - Balham was one of the few towns in South East England to have an independent record store that survived the growth of music store chains such as Our Price and HMV; Record Corner was located just across the road from Waitrose. However the Record Corner eventually closed in 2003.
My Back Pages - One of the few independent bookshops left in London, My Back Pages (named after the song on Bob Dylan 1964 album 'Another Side of Bob Dylan', is a lovely shop which stocks second-hand, antiquarian and new books. The shop opened in 1991.
Du Cane Court - DCC is, reportedly, the largest block of apartments under one roof in Europe. Its 676 flats range from studios up to 4-bedroom penthouses. The block has boasted many famous residents, including comedian Tommy Trinder, actress Dame Margaret Rutherford and, currently, comedian and writer Arthur Smith.
The White Stripes - American Indie group The White Stripes filmed their video for Dead Leaves on the Dirty Ground in a house in Balham
[edit] Balham people
Acoustic duo Turin Brakes come from Balham. The comedian Peter Baynham is also a Balham resident, as is his Fist of Fun character, also named Peter. Another comedian, Arthur Smith, also lives in Balham.
Rupert Penry-Jones of Spooks fame currently lives in Balham.
[edit] Nearby
Nearest places:
Nearest tube stations:
Nearest railway stations:
