| South Africa connection 18:57 - Sep 16 with 3353 views | jamois |
I'm in Cape Town and missed the game but watched it live in a pub here. There was a conversation about our South Africa connection, Bloemfontain Road, SA Road and apparently there's even a stadium over here called Loftus. Nobody, including me sadly, understood what it's all about. Save for internet searching which I'm too hungover to do, can anyone enlighten me as to what it's all about? |  |
| |  |
| South Africa connection on 19:02 - Sep 16 with 3337 views | Pablo_Hoopsta |
From wiki, seems reasonable enough:
Significant communities of travellers from Australia and New Zealand exist in Shepherds Bush. Street names in the area suggest links to South Africa but these were inspired by places and personalities from the Boer War or by their proximity to the former position of the South Africa Pavilion in the White City exhibition area. There is a Polish community, with a community centre in nearby Hammersmith. Somali, West Indian, Syrian, Lebanese, Iranian, Irish, Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities have a strong association with the area. |  | | |
| South Africa connection on 19:47 - Sep 16 with 3271 views | dennisbailey92 |
My wife is South African and from Pretoria where Loftus Versfeld is, its home to the blue bulls rugby team who 2 years ago were the best rugby team in the southern hemisphere, therefore the world I suppose.
I wasnt sure if basing my marriage on a loose connection to QPR was right but so far so good |  | | |
| South Africa connection on 20:32 - Sep 16 with 3200 views | eastside_r |
No I think these road names pre-date the 1908 Exhibition.
In the late Victorian expansion of London, it was commonplace for streets to be named after place in the Empire. The were quite often themed and grouped together.
|  | | |
| South Africa connection on 22:36 - Sep 16 with 3117 views | willis1980 |
| South Africa connection on 20:32 - Sep 16 by eastside_r |
No I think these road names pre-date the 1908 Exhibition.
In the late Victorian expansion of London, it was commonplace for streets to be named after place in the Empire. The were quite often themed and grouped together.
|
i tend to agree with the theme theory, theres a group of roads in battersea all named after places in the crimean war and all the roads off townmead road in fulham are names after rivers. |  | | |
| South Africa connection on 09:47 - Sep 17 with 3011 views | nadera78 |
We've had this thread on here before. The streets are definitely named after the 1908 event held up the road at White City. | | | |
| South Africa connection on 10:44 - Sep 17 with 2979 views | smegma |
| South Africa connection on 09:47 - Sep 17 by nadera78 |
We've had this thread on here before. The streets are definitely named after the 1908 event held up the road at White City. |
I make you right. (sort of)
The area now called White City was level arable farmfields until 1908, when it was used as the site of the Franco-British Exhibition and the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1909 the exhibition site hosted the Imperial International Exhibition and in 1910, the Japan-British Exhibition. The final two exhibitions to be held there were the Latin-British (1912) and the Anglo-American (1914). During this period it was known as the Great White City due to the white marble cladding used on the exhibition pavilions, and hence gave its name to this part of Shepherd's Bush.
The White City Stadium in the north of the area, known as the Great Stadium, was officially opened by King Edward VII on April 27, 1908 for the Olympics. After the Olympics, it continued to be used for athletics until 1914, and was later turned into a greyhound racing track, although it was also used for short periods by Queens Park Rangers football club, and for other sports. In 1931, a 440yd running track was installed for the Amateur Athletic Association Championships, held there from 1932 to 1970. It hosted one match during the 1966 World Cup. The stadium was demolished in 1985 to make way for the BBC White City building. Today, the 1908 Olympics are commemorated with a list of athletes inscribed on the side of the BBC Broadcast Centre Building, and the athletics finish line is marked in the paving outside the building.
The Marathon from these London Olympics played an important part in the development of the modern marathon race. In the early years of competitive international sport, the long distance marathon race did not have a standard set distance. The distance run at the first seven Olympics from 1896 to 1920 varied between 40km and 42.75 km. The starting point of the race at the 1908 Olympics was at Windsor Castle creating a distance of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 km) to the finishing line at White City stadium. In 1921 this was adopted as the standard distance.
To house the growing population of Shepherd's Bush, a five-storey housing estate was built, which also took the name of the White City.
In 2001, BBC Television Centre was damaged by a car bomb attack by the Real IRA. The bomb went off on Wood Lane, in front of the Television Centre news building.[1]
On 30 October 2008, Westfield shopping centre was opened.[2]
| | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
