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PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS
The London Borough of Hammersmith covers an area of 3,995 acres,
bounded on the South by the Thames, on the North by Brent, to the East by
Kensington and Chelsea, and to the West by Ealing and Hounslow.
The subsoil in the Northern section of the Borough is mainly clay,
whilst in the South there is a layer of some twenty feet of gravel over
blue clay. There is a variation of approximately 120 feet in elevation from
the river to the Northern boundary whilst the lowest point is 13 feet
above sea level.
There are more than 900 factories of varied nature within the
Borough and most trades are represented. This development is undoubtedly
due to the excellent water, road, and rail transport facilities
available. Of equal importance to the industrialist and the resident
alike are the comprehensive passenger transport services of the area which,
for eighteen hours a day, provide train and bus schedules to most parts
of London and to surrounding districts. The Borough is easily accessible
to London Airport.
Hammersmith has all the usual amenities for recreation and relaxation.
There are swimming baths at Lime Grove and North End Road, whilst
Bloemfontein Road has an open-air swimming pool measuring 150 feet by
75 feet.
For the onlooker there is a very wide choice indeed as, at most weekends,
the river is a spectacle with racing eights, sailing boats and
skiffs from the various rowing and sailing clubs. The highlights of such
activities are undoubtedly the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and the Head
of the River Race, both held in the Spring.
The White City Stadium stages national and international athletics,
and greyhound racing, whilst the Royal International Horse Show, (Patron
H.M. The Queen), and organised by the British Horse Society, is also held
there. Olympia attracts thousands to its well-known exhibitions and shows;
whilst the B.B.C. Television Centre in Wood Lane and Lime Grove Studios,
which provide entertainment for millions, are household names.
The Borough enjoys many sporting facilities, and includes the
Association Football grounds of Chelsea, Fulham and Queen's Park Rangers
in its area.
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