The Kensington Society annual for 2019-2020 is here!

Although the Kensington Society AGM has been postponed until Covid-19 has been beaten (or at least severely wounded), the annual for 2019-2020 is ready and will be mailed to all members within the next few days.

As always, it contains lots of interesting stuff, spread over 116 pages:

  • The tradition to feature a local artist in each annual continues, and this time it’s painter Emma Sergeant. Although mainly known as a portrait painter, she paints a lot of other things as well. Her painting “Drinks at Milapote, family and friends” adorns the cover.
  • Simon Thurley, keynote speaker at last year’s AGM, has written a fascinating piece based on his keynote speech: Kensington became London’s affluent suburb thanks to the fast and comfortable steel sprung coach, which enabled wealthy individuals to daily commute between the smoke-filled, dirty city and a comfortable mansion west of London, where their families could live securely in much cleaner air.
  • Those who haven’t heard of KCO, will know much more after reading the article about Kensington Chamber Orchestra, which has existed since 1935 and has 50 members.
  • There is also an article about the blue plaque holder John Stuart Mills, the philosopher, political economist and Liberal MP, who lived in 18 Kensington Square from the age of eight until he was 42; an article about the many places of worship around St James’s Gardens; a look back at 50 years of Notting Hill Carnival, today the largest carnival outside Rio; a piece about all the April Fool’s press releases produced by Albert Hall’s marketing team since 2014; and a presentation of this year’s keynote speaker, architect and TV presenter George Clarke. If he will still be available to speak at this year’s AGM, will of course depend on when.

Those itching to read the new annual do not have to wait for the printed copy, because a digital copy can be found in the Archive, or by clicking on this link.

Emma Sergeant’s painting “Drinks at Milapote, family and friends” adorns the cover.

First published 06/04/2020