MV Willesden (1944)

Willesden was a 6,997 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1944 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Canning. She was sold in 1946 and renamed Willesden. In 1958 she was sold to Hong Kong, serving various owners in the next five years under the names Golden Lambda, Marine Explorer and East Vim. In 1963, she was sold back to the United Kingdom and renamed Wakasa Bay. A further sale to Hong Kong in 1966 saw her renamed Golden Wind, serving until she was scrapped in December 1966.

Description

The ship was built by Caledon Shipbuilding & Engineering Co Ltd, Dundee as yard number 412. She was launched on 30 October 1944 and completed in December 1944.

The ship was 431 feet 3 inches (131.45 m) long, with a beam of 56 feet 3 inches (17.15 m) and a depth of 35 feet 2 inches (10.72 m). Her GRT was 6,997 and she had a NRT of 3,852.

She was propelled by a 4-stroke, Single Cycle Single Action diesel engine which had eight cylinders of 25⁵⁄₁₆ in (65 cm) bore by 55¹⁄₈ in (140 cm) stroke. The engine was built by Hawthorn, Leslie & Co Ltd, Newcastle upon Tyne.

MV Willesden

Willesden was the name of a number of ships.

Willesden

Coordinates: 51°32′48″N 0°13′46″W / 51.5468°N 0.2295°W / 51.5468; -0.2295

Willesden is an area in north west London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Charing Cross. It was historically a parish in the county of Middlesex, that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933 and has formed part of Greater London since 1965.

History

Etymology

The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon Willesdune, meaning the Hill of the Spring, and a settlement bearing this name dates back to 939 AD. The Domesday Book of 1086 records it as Wellesdone. However, on 19th century maps of the town such as those from the 'Ordnance Survey First Series', the town is shown as Wilsdon. The motto of Willesden Borough Council was Laborare est orare ("to labour is to pray").

Early history

From the 14th to 16th centuries, the town was a place of pilgrimage due to the presence of two ancient statues of the Virgin Mary at the Church of St Mary. One of these statues is thought to be a Black Madonna, which was insulted by the Lollards, taken to Thomas Cromwell's house and burnt in 1538 on a large bonfire of "notable images" including those of Walsingham, Worcester and Ipswich. There was also a "holy well" which was thought to possess miraculous qualities, particularly for blindness and other eye disorders.

Municipal Borough of Willesden

Willesden was a local government district in the county of Middlesex, England from 1874 to 1965. It formed part of the Metropolitan Police District and London postal district. Willesden was part of the built-up area of London and bordered the County of London to the east and south.

It was formed as a Local government district in 1874, became an urban district in 1894 and was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1933. In 1901 the population was 114,811. The population peaked in 1931 at 184,434 and by 1961 it had fallen to 171,001. It occupied 4,384 acres (17.74 km²) in 1911 and 4,633 acres (18.75 km²) in 1961. It included the districts of Kilburn, Harlesden, Neasden, Willesden, Cricklewood, Dollis Hill and Brondesbury. The district was abolished in 1965 and its former area transferred to Greater London, merging with the Borough of Wembley to form the London Borough of Brent.

The offices of the local board were established at Dyne Road, Kilburn in 1891. These were later enlarged to become Willesden Town Hall. Following the formation of the London Borough of Brent, administration was transferred to Wembley, and the town hall was demolished in 1972.

Willesden (disambiguation)

Willesden is an area of north west London.

Willesden may also refer to: