Balham, London
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Balham ['bæləm] is a neighbourhood in South London
Balham is an inner London suburb possessing many well built Victorian terraced houses now highly valued as family homes. It has been settled since Saxon times and large country retreats for the affluent classes were built here in the eighteenth century. However, most development occurred after the opening of Balham 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 most local people as Tooting Common. These give it a green feel and a distinct boundary that makes it stand out as a district in the area.
It possesses a railway to tube interchange (the origin of the phrase "Balham-Gateway to the South" was reputedly a genuine Southern Railway advertisement 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. All this has combined to make it a popular location and property prices have soared as middle class professionals have moved in displacing the more working class feel the district had up until the 1970s. As a result Balham's town centre now boasts an increasingly vibrant night life with a variety of trendy 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.
Balham has been one of the main centres for Polish people 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. There is also a Polish church.
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 1950's ... It should be spoken with a broad American accent.
- [Peter Sellers - Balham - Gateway To The South excerpt] ([file info])
- *
- * Problems listening to the file? See [Media helpmedia 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, and a web of lies and deceit uncovered which is still notorious and unresolved.
The Bedford[link] - A south London 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 still have an independent record store that survied the growth of music store chains such as Our Price and HMV, Record Corner which was just located across the road from Safeway (now Morrisons). However the Record Corner eventually closed in 2003.
Balham people
Acoustic duo Turin Brakes come from Balham. Their brand of guitar music has seen them enter the top 10 UK album chart on two occasions with Ether Song and Jackinabox. The comedian Peter Baynham is also a Balham resident, as is his Fist of Fun character, also named Peter. Another comedian Arthur Smith also resides in Balham.
Nearby
Nearest places: Nearest tube stations: Nearest railway stations:External links
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