Cecil Rhodes House formally renamed today
Following a vote by residents that took place earlier this year, Cecil Rhodes House has now been officially renamed to Park View House.
Since the vote in February, the Council has been supporting residents to change their addresses as well as updating internal databases and other organisations such as the London Fire Brigade and Royal Mail to make the name change official.
Today the new signs were unveiled for Park View House, which is named after the building’s view of St Pancras Gardens.
The renaming of Cecil Rhodes House was an important task for us as a community and as a Council. Commemorating Cecil Rhodes was at odds with who we are as an organisation, as well as for our residents, so this is a great step in us strengthening our diverse and inclusive vision for the borough. This is a significant moment for us, and I look forward to the official renaming event next week where we can celebrate this achievement alongside residents of the newly named Park View House.
In 2020, Camden Council launched a review into individuals memorialised across the borough and as part of this review, Cecil Rhodes House was identified for renaming. The renaming of Cecil Rhodes House is one part of a wider programme of work to ensure Camden’s public realm is inclusive and representative of our diverse and vibrant communities.
Earlier this month, Beckford Primary School was also officially renamed to West Hampstead Primary School after a vote by staff, parents and pupils in September 2020. The school was previously named after William Beckford, who enslaved over 2000 Africans to work on his plantations and supported the slave trade that kept his family among the wealthiest of their generation.
To find out more, please head to www.camden.gov.uk/renaming-crh
