View source for Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

{{Short description|Royal borough in London, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                            = <!-- at least one of the first two fields must be filled in -->
| official_name                   = Royal Borough of<br />Kingston upon Thames
| other_name                      =
| settlement_type                 = [[London boroughs|London borough]], [[Royal borough]]
<!-- transliteration(s) -------->
<!-- images, nickname, motto --->
| image_skyline                   = River Thames at Kingston-upon-Thames - geograph.org.uk - 4639104.jpg
| imagesize                       = 260px
| image_alt                       =
| image_caption                   = [[River Thames]] passing through [[Kingston upon Thames]]
| image_shield                    = Coat of Arms of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.svg
| shield_size                     = 100px
| shield_alt                      =
| shield_link                     =
| image_blank_emblem              = Kingston upon Thames.svg
| blank_emblem_type               = Council logo
| blank_emblem_size               = 100px
| blank_emblem_alt                =
| blank_emblem_link               =
| motto                           =
<!-- maps and coordinates ------>
| image_map                       = Kingston upon Thames in Greater London.svg
| map_alt                         =
| map_caption                     = Kingston upon Thames shown within [[Greater London]]
| coor_pinpoint                   = <!-- to specify exact location of coordinates (was coor_type) -->
| coordinates                     =
| coordinates_footnotes           = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
<!-- location ------------------>
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name                = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Country of the United Kingdom|Constituent country]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[England]]
| subdivision_type3               = [[Regions of England|Region]]
| subdivision_name3               = [[Greater London|London]]
| subdivision_type4               = [[Ceremonial counties of England|Ceremonial county]]
| subdivision_name4               = [[Greater London]]
| established_title               = Created
| established_date                = 1 April 1965
| established_title1              =
| established_date1               =
| named_for                       = <!-- seat, smaller parts -->
| seat_type                       = Admin HQ
| seat                            = [[Kingston upon Thames]]
<!-- government type, leaders -->
| government_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| government_type                 = [[London borough council]]
| governing_body                  = [[Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council]]
| leader_title2                   = London&nbsp;Assembly
| leader_name2                    = [[Gareth Roberts (politician)|Gareth Roberts]] ([[Liberal Democrat (UK)|Liberal Democrats]]) AM for [[South West (London Assembly constituency)|South West]]
| leader_title3                   = [[List of MPs elected in the 2019 United Kingdom general election|MPs]]
| leader_name3                    = [[Ed Davey|Sir Ed Davey]] ([[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]]) <br /> [[Sarah Olney]] ([[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrat]])
| leader_title4                   =
| leader_name4                    =
<!-- display settings  --------->
| total_type                      = <!-- to set a non-standard label for total area and population rows -->
| unit_pref                       = <!-- enter: Imperial, to display imperial before metric -->
<!-- area ---------------------->
| area_footnotes                  = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_magnitude                  = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_total_km2                  = 37.25
| area_total_sq_mi                = <!-- see table @ Template:Infobox settlement for details -->
| area_total_dunam                = <!-- used in Middle East articles only -->
| area_land_km2                   =
| area_land_sq_mi                 =
| area_water_km2                  =
| area_water_sq_mi                =
| area_water_percent              =
| area_urban_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_urban_km2                  =
| area_urban_sq_mi                =
| area_rural_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_rural_km2                  =
| area_rural_sq_mi                =
| area_metro_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_metro_km2                  =
| area_metro_sq_mi                =
| area_rank                       = {{English district area rank|ONS=00AX|GSS=E09000021}} [[List of English districts by area|(of {{English district total}})]]
| area_blank1_title               =
| area_blank1_km2                 =
| area_blank1_sq_mi               =
| area_blank2_title               =
| area_blank2_km2                 =
| area_blank2_sq_mi               =
<!-- population ---------------->
| population_footnotes            = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| population_total                = {{English district population|ONS=00AX|GSS=E09000021}}
| population_as_of                = {{United Kingdom statistics year}}
| population_rank                 = {{English district rank|ONS=00AX|GSS=E09000021}} [[List of English districts by population|(of {{English district total}})]]
| population_density_km2          = auto
| population_density_sq_mi        =
| population_blank2_title         =
| population_blank2               =
| population_demonym              =
<!-- time zone(s) -------------->
| timezone                        = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset                      = ±00:00{{!}}UTC
| timezone_DST                    = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset_DST                  = +1
<!-- postal codes, area code --->
| postal_code_type                = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcodes]]
| postal_code                     = {{postcode|KT}}, {{postcode|SW}}
| area_code_type                  = <!-- defaults to: Area code(s) -->
| area_code                       = [[020]]
| geocode                         =
| iso_code                        = GB-KTT
| registration_plate              = <!-- blank fields (section 1) -->
| blank1_name                     = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
| blank1_info                     = 00AX
| blank2_name                     = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank2_info                     = E09000021
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
| blank_name_sec2                 = [[List of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom|Police]]
| blank_info_sec2                 = [[Metropolitan Police]]
<!-- website, footnotes -------->
| website                         = http://www.kingston.gov.uk/
| footnotes                       =
}}
The '''Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames''' is a [[London boroughs|borough]] in southwest [[London]]. The main town is [[Kingston upon Thames]] and it includes [[Chessington]], [[Malden Rushett]], [[New Malden]], [[Surbiton]] and [[Tolworth]]. It is the oldest of the four [[List of place names with royal patronage in the United Kingdom|royal borough]]s in England. The others are [[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead|Windsor and Maidenhead]], the site of [[Windsor Castle]], and the London boroughs of [[Royal Borough of Greenwich|Greenwich]], and [[Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea|Kensington and Chelsea]]. The local authority is [[Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council]].
The neighbouring districts (clockwise from north) are the London boroughs of [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames|Richmond upon Thames]], [[London Borough of Wandsworth|Wandsworth]], [[London Borough of Merton|Merton]] and [[London Borough of Sutton|Sutton]], and the [[Surrey]] districts of [[Epsom and Ewell]], [[Mole Valley]] and [[Borough of Elmbridge|Elmbridge]].
==History==
Kingston upon Thames, on the south bank of the [[River Thames]] has existed for many hundreds of years. Many [[Roman Britain|Roman]] relics have been found in the surrounding areas. A church has stood on the site of [[All Saints Church, Kingston upon Thames|All Saints' Church]], in the centre of Kingston, for more than a thousand years. An earlier church was sacked by the [[Vikings]] in 1009 AD. Kingston was the site of the [[coronation]]s of seven [[Anglo-Saxon monarchs]]:
* [[Edward the Elder]], son of [[Alfred the Great]], 900AD
* [[Athelstan]], 925AD
* [[Edmund I]], 939AD
* [[Eadred]], 946AD
* [[Eadwig]], 956AD
* [[Edward the Martyr]], 975AD
* [[Ethelred the Unready]], 979AD
The [[Coronation Stone (Kingston upon Thames)|Coronation Stone]], on which they are said to have been crowned stands outside the local council offices, the Guildhall. A coin from the reign of each of those kings is set into the base of the stone.
[[File:Saxon Coronation Stone( Edward).jpg|thumb|left|220px|The Saxon Coronation Stone]]
===Administrative history===
The town of Kingston upon Thames was an [[ancient borough]], having been formally incorporated in 1441, with a long history prior to that as a [[royal manor]] dating back to [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] times.<ref>{{cite book |title=Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Reports from places in any district |date=1834 |page=2892 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hs9OAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA2892 |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 |date=1911 |publisher=Victoria County History |location=London |pages=487–501 |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/surrey/vol3/pp487-501 |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> The borough was reformed to become a [[municipal borough]] in 1836 under the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]], which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country.<ref>{{cite book |title=Municipal Corporations Act |date=1835 |page=460 |url=https://archive.org/details/statutesunitedk35britgoog/page/460/mode/2up |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> Kingston was often described as a [[royal borough]], with its right to that title being formally confirmed in 1927.<ref>{{cite news|title=Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames|date=27 October 1927|work=[[The Times]]|page=14}}</ref>
The old borough did not cover the whole [[ancient parish|parish]] of Kingston upon Thames, and separate local government arrangements were later put in place for the outlying parts of the parish. [[Surbiton]] was made an [[improvement commissioners district]] in 1855,<ref>{{cite web |title=Surbiton Improvement Act 1855 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/18-19/36/contents/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> and [[New Malden]] was made a [[Local board of health#Local Government Act 1858|local government district]] in 1866.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23195|page=6834|date=7 December 1866}}</ref>
Such districts were reconstituted as [[Urban district (England and Wales)|urban districts]] under the [[Local Government Act 1894]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government Act 1894|year=1894|chapter=73|access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> New Malden was enlarged in 1895 to take in the neighbouring parishes of [[Coombe, Kingston upon Thames|Coombe]] and [[Old Malden|Malden]], at which point the urban district was renamed The Maldens and Coombe. Surbiton was also enlarged in 1895, absorbing the parishes of [[Hook, London|Hook]] and [[Tolworth]], and again in 1933 when it absorbed [[Chessington]]. Both urban districts were incorporated to become municipal boroughs in 1936, at which point The Maldens and Coombe was renamed Malden and Coombe.<ref>{{cite web |title=Malden and Coombe Urban District / Municipal Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10166706#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Surbiton Urban District / Municipal Borough |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10206212 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
The modern borough was created in 1965 under the [[London Government Act 1963]], covering the combined area of the former municipal boroughs of [[Municipal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames|Kingston-upon-Thames]], [[Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe|Malden and Coombe]] and [[Municipal Borough of Surbiton|Surbiton]]. The area was transferred from [[Surrey]] to Greater London to become one of the 32 London Boroughs.<ref>{{cite book | first=Frederic |last=Youngs | title=Guide to the Local Administrative Units of England | volume=I: Southern England | year=1979 | publisher=[[Royal Historical Society]] | location=London | isbn=0-901050-67-9}}</ref> Kingston's royal borough status transferred to the enlarged borough.
Most of the borough continued to have Surrey postal addresses until postal counties were abolished in 1996. Districts mainly use the KT [[postcode]], except from the parts of [[Ham, London|Ham]] in the borough which use the TW code, and the Kingston Vale area in the north-east which has an SW15 postcode.
==Districts in the borough==
Areas in the borough include:
{{div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Berrylands]]
* [[Canbury]]
* [[Chessington]]
* [[Coombe, Kingston upon Thames|Coombe]]
* [[Hook, London|Hook]]
* [[Kingston upon Thames]]
* [[Kingston Vale]]
* [[Malden Rushett]]
* [[Motspur Park]]
* [[Worcester Park]] (partly)
* [[New Malden]]
* [[Norbiton]]
* [[Old Malden]]
* [[Surbiton]]
* [[Tolworth]]
{{div col end}}
==Governance==
{{main|Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council}}
[[File:Guildhall, Kingston.jpg|thumb|right|[[Kingston upon Thames Guildhall]] is the home of the Borough Council]]
The local authority is Kingston Council, which is based at [[Kingston upon Thames Guildhall]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://www.kingston.gov.uk/council-democracy/contact-us/1 |website=Kingston Council |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref>
===Greater London representation===
Since 2000, for elections to the [[London Assembly]], the borough forms part of the [[South West (London Assembly constituency)|South West]] constituency.
===UK Parliament===
The borough includes the whole of the [[Kingston and Surbiton (UK Parliament constituency)|Kingston and Surbiton Parliamentary Constituency]] and part of the [[Richmond Park (UK Parliament constituency)|Richmond Park Constituency]] with both constituencies being created in 1997. The previous constituencies re-arranged to form these two had been essentially Conservative.
In 1997 the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] won both seats. [[Jenny Tonge]] took Richmond Park constituency and in 2005 [[Susan Kramer]] became its Liberal Democrat MP with a majority of 3,731 but she was beaten in the May 2010 election by Conservative [[Zac Goldsmith]] with a majority of 4,091. Goldsmith retained his seat at the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], with a greatly increased majority of 23,015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/zac-goldsmith/4062 |title=Zac Goldsmith MP |publisher=UK Parliament |website=Parliament.uk |access-date=14 July 2017}}</ref> Goldsmith stood as an Independent candidate in the [[2016 Richmond Park by-election|by-election]] held on 1 December 2016, but was defeated by [[Sarah Olney]], a Liberal Democrat, after the Conservative Party decided not to put forward its own candidate.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The Guardian]]|title=Zac Goldsmith quits as MP over 'doomed' Heathrow expansion decision|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/25/zac-goldsmith-quits-as-mp-over-doomed-heathrow-expansion-decision|date=26 October 2016|access-date=27 October 2016}}</ref> Goldsmith regained the seat for the Conservatives in the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]] with a significantly reduced majority of 45 votes.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1SGkPQqosDbVL9tSX_uMNaXPGiW2z02z2fchDezlyNss/edit#gid=0|title=GE2017 – Constituency results|work=Britain Elects (Google Docs)|access-date=10 June 2017|language=en}}</ref> Sarah Olney then regained the seat during the 2019 general election.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/politics/constituencies/E14000896|title=Richmond Park parliamentary constituency - Election 2019 - BBC News|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref>
In 1997 [[Ed Davey]] overturned the previous Conservative majority of more than 10,000 in Kingston and Surbiton, to win by 56 votes after three recounts. He retained the seat in 2001 with a majority of 15,676 over the Conservative candidate [[David Shaw (UK politician)|David Shaw]]. In 2005 Davey's majority was 8,961, and in the May 2010 general election he again retained the seat with a slightly reduced majority, beating the Conservative candidate [[Helen Whately]]. In the [[2015 United Kingdom general election|2015 general election]], Davey's seat was taken by [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[James Berry (politician)|James Berry]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/commons/james-berry/4489 |title=James Berry |publisher=UK Parliament |website=Parliament.uk |access-date=14 July 2017}}</ref> with a majority of 2,834. Davey's was one of six Liberal Democrat losses in London and 49 overall as the party suffered its worst election results since its formation in 1988.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000770 |title=Kingston & Surbiton parliamentary constituency – Election 2017 |work=BBC News |date=9 June 2017 |access-date=14 July 2017}}</ref> Davey regained the seat in the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|2017 general election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Kingston & Surbiton |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000770 |work=BBC News |access-date=31 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925233752/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000770 |archive-date=25 September 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== Demography ==
[[File:Kingston upon Thames population pyramid.svg|thumb|Population pyramid of the Borough of Kingston upon Thames]]
{{Historical populations
| title= Population census
| percentages =
| 1801 |4612
| 1811 |4960
| 1821 |6050
| 1831 |7212
| 1841 |9587
| 1851 |12080
| 1861 |19863
| 1871 |27647
| 1881 |35430
| 1891 |44106
| 1901 |54956
| 1911 |68481
| 1921 |79468
| 1931 |92220
| 1941 |115055
| 1951 |143545
| 1961 |142448
| 1971 |141375
| 1981 |131230
| 1991 |137453
| 2001 |147295
| 2011 |160060
|footnote=Note:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/data_cube_table_page.jsp?data_theme=T_POP&data_cube=N_TPop&u_id=10057346&c_id=10001043&add=N|title=Kingston: Total Population |access-date=6 September 2011 |work=A Vision of Britain Through Time |publisher=Great Britain Historical GIS Project }}</ref>
}}
===Ethnicity===
The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 2001 and 2011 census in Kingston upon Thames.
{|class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="12" |Year
|-
! colspan="2" |1971 estimations<ref>{{Cite web |title=Migration and London's growth |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/74375221.pdf#page=94 |publisher=LSE}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref>{{Cite journal |date=1985 |title=Ethnic minorities in Britain: statistical information on the pattern of settlement |url=https://jstor.org/stable/community.28327806 |journal=Commission for Racial Equality |language=English |pages=Table 2.2|last1= Equality|first1= Commission for Racial}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref>{{cite web |title=1991 census – theme tables |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/asv2htm.aspx |access-date=20 January 2017 |publisher=NOMIS}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/submit.asp?forward=yes&menuopt=201&subcomp= |title=KS006 – Ethnic group |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2011 census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/QS201EW/view/1946157259?cols=measures |title=Ethnic Group by measures |publisher=NOMIS |access-date=8 January 2016}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!–
!97.9%
!122,709
!94.6%
!121,548
!91.4%
!124,392
!84.46%
!119,219
!74.48%
!114,831
!68.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 111,810|| 75.92% || 101,015|| 63.11%
|90,288
|53.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 3,201 || 2.17% || 2,718|| 1.70%
|2,633
|1.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –|| 95|| 0.06%
|61
|0.0%
|-
|White: Roma
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|445
|0.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 9,381|| 6.37% || 15,391|| 9.62%
|21,404
|12.7%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!8,447
!6.35%!! 13,492 !! 9.16% !! 26,152 !! 16.34%
!29,938
!17.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,069
| || 5,322 || 3.61% || 6,325|| 3.95%
|7,731
|4.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|858
| || 1,916|| 1.30% || 3,009 || 1.88%
|4,380
|2.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|147
| || 384|| 0.26% || 892|| 0.56%
|932
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,089
| || 2,026 || 1.38% || 2,883|| 1.80%
|4,127
|2.5%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,284
| || 3,844 || 2.61% || 13,043|| 8.15%
|12,768
|7.6%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!1,296
!0.97%!! 2,309 !! 1.57% !! 4,021 !! 2.51%
!4,741
!2.%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|African]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|478
| || 1,406 || 0.95% || 2,616 || 1.63%
|3,105
|1.8%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|507
| || 772 || 0.52% || 1,027 || 0.64%
|1,081
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|311
| || 131 || 0.09% || 378 || 0.24%
|555
|0.3%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | [[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed or British Mixed]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–
!–!! 3,357 !! 2.28% !! 6,269 !! 3.92%
!8,996
!5.3%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 591 || 0.40% || 1,238 || 0.77%
|1,564
|0.9%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 392 || 0.27% || 700 || 0.44%
|1,090
|0.6%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 1,398 || 0.95% || 2,500|| 1.56%
|3,540
|2.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–|| 976 || 0.66% || 1,831 || 1.14%
|2,802
|1.7%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Other: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!1,705
!1.3%!! 3,723 !! 2.53% !! 4,399 !! 2.75%
!9,559
!5.7%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Arab
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–||  –||  –|| 2,439|| 1.52%
|3,580
|2.1%
|-
| style="text-align:left" | Other: Any other ethnic group
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,705
|1.3%|| 3,723|| 2.53%|| 1,960 || 1.22%
|5,979
|3.6%
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Non-White: Total
!–
!2.1%
!6,986
!5.4%
!11,448
!8.62%!! 22,881 !! 15.54% !! 40,841 !! 25.52%
!53,234
!31.7%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Total
!–
!100%
!129,695
!100%
!132,996
!100%!! 147,273 !! 100.00% !! 160,060 !! 100.00%
!168,065
!100%
|}
==Modern Kingston==
[[File:Surrey County Hall Clock Tower.png|thumb|Surrey County Hall Clock Tower|right]]
Kingston benefits from one of the biggest and most visited shopping areas outside of [[central London]], with a varied selection of high street stores, and a large number of independent boutiques and retailers.
The most famous shop in Kingston{{according to whom|date=November 2022}} is [[Bentalls]], started by [[Frank Bentall]] in 1867 in Clarence Street, where it (or at least the completely rebuilt [[Bentall Centre, Kingston|Bentall Centre]]) stands.
Close to Kingston, and located between Kingston, Richmond and Roehampton, is [[Richmond Park]], one of the oldest of London's royal parks.
The borough is home to the highest number of [[South Korea]]ns in Europe, in the town of [[New Malden]].{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}
==Tourism in Kingston==
{{Main|Parks and open spaces in Kingston upon Thames}}
Kingston has many attractions in and near it, ranging from nature and historical attractions to [[amusement park|theme parks]].
Some of the borough's attractions are:
* [[Chessington World of Adventures]]. Resort in the south of the borough. The closest railway station is Chessington South. Chessington is one of the UK's premier theme parks attracting thousands of visitors from all around the UK to its rides, aquarium and zoo.
* Thames Riverside. A walkway beside the Thames at Kingston and [[Surbiton]], it has a variety of restaurants.
* [[Coronation Stone (Kingston upon Thames)|Coronation Stone]]. Situated outside The Guildhall in Kingston, this ancient rock was the crowning point of some of England's early kings.
* [[Richmond Park]]. One of the world's largest urban parks, its Kingston Gate is situated within the borough's boundary.
* Kingston Town Centre. One of London's biggest shopping destinations, with hundreds of shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as a large entertainment complex, including an [[Odeon Cinema]] and Tenpin Bowling. Also in the town centre is a historic market which has been running for hundreds of years.
* [[Rose Theatre, Kingston|Rose Theatre]]. An 822-seat theatre in the centre of Kingston.
* [[Bentall Centre, Kingston|Bentall Centre]] (a shopping centre). It is home to over 75 shops (including the Bentalls department store), restaurants and other services.
==Economy==
Kingston is the 3rd largest retail centre by employment, in London.
[[Sega|Sega Amusements International]], responsible for the production of arcade games outside Japan, has its head office in [[Chessington]], Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.<ref>[http://www.sega-amusements.co.uk/contacts Contacts] Sega Amusements Europe</ref> Lidl relocated its UK Headquarters to Kingston in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Thames|first=The Royal Borough of Kingston upon|title=Lidl to move UK headquarters to Tolworth following £10m deal with Kingston Council|url=https://www.kingston.gov.uk/news/article/322/lidl_to_move_uk_headquarters_to_tolworth_following_10m_deal_with_kingston_council|access-date=2020-12-06|website=www.kingston.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref>
==Industry==
[[Sopwith Aviation Company]] had a factory in the Canbury Park area of Kingston, where the famous [[Sopwith Camel]] was produced during [[World War I]]. The [[Hawker Hurricane]] was designed in a site in Kingston town centre and built in the aviation factory near Ham now known as the Hawker Centre.
== Education ==
Primary responsibility for education in the borough lies with the local education authority.
{{Main|List of schools in Kingston upon Thames}}
[[Free school (England)|Free schools]]:
*[[The Kingston Academy]] (mixed), Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames, KT2 5PE
[[Academy (English school)|Academy schools]]:
*[[Chessington School]] (mixed), Garrison Lane, Chessington KT9 2JS
*[[Coombe Boys' School|Coombe Boys’ School]], College Gardens, Blakes Lane, New Malden KT3 6NU
*[[Coombe Girls' School|Coombe Girls’ School]], Clarence Avenue, New Malden KT3 3TU
*[[Hollyfield School|The Hollyfield School and Sixth Form Centre]] (mixed), Surbiton Hill Road, Surbiton KT6 4TU
*[[Holy Cross School, New Malden|Holy Cross School]] (girls) (Roman Catholic), Sandal Road, New Malden KT3 5AR
*[[Richard Challoner School]] (boys) (Roman Catholic), Manor Drive North, New Malden KT3 5PE
*[[Southborough High School]] (boys), Hook Road, Surbiton KT6 5AS
*[[Tolworth Girls' School|Tolworth Girls’ School and Sixth Form]], Fullers Way North, Surbiton KT6 7LQ
[[Grammar school|Grammar schools:]]
*[[Tiffin Girls' School|Tiffin Girls’ School]], Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5PL
*[[Tiffin School|Tiffin School (boys)]], Queen Elizabeth Road, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6RL
[[Private school|Independent Schools]]
*[[Kingston Grammar School]], 70 London Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6PY
*[[Surbiton High School]], 13 - 15 Surbiton Cres, Kingston upon Thames KT1 2JT
===Further education===
*[[Kingston College (England)|Kingston College]]
*[[Hillcroft College]]
===Higher education===
*[[Kingston University]]
==Transport==
Kingston has nine [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]] stations and [[Kingston bus stations|two centrally located bus stations]], but no [[London Underground]] or other [[Transport for London]] stations. In 2008, 64 bus routes served Kingston.
===Railway===
{{Main|Kingston railway station (London)}}
Coaching interests in Kingston opposed the plan of the [[London and South Western Railway|London and Southampton Railway]] to run its line to Southampton near Kingston. The line consequently avoided the town with a station opened in 1838 southwest of the town; it was later resited to the present site of [[Surbiton railway station|Surbiton station]].
In 1863 a branch was built from Twickenham to a terminus in Kingston. That line was extended to the main line in 1869 to form the [[Kingston Loop Line]].
All rail services in the borough are operated by South Western Railway, who provide regular services to and from [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]].
Railway stations in the borough:
*{{rws|Berrylands}}, London Zone 5
*{{rws|Chessington North}}, London Zone 6
*{{rws|Chessington South}}, London Zone 6
*[[Kingston railway station (London)|Kingston]], London Zone 6
*{{rws|Malden Manor}}, London Zone 4
*{{rws|New Malden}}, London Zone 4
*{{rws|Norbiton}}, London Zone 5
*{{rws|Surbiton}}, London Zone 6
*{{rws|Tolworth}}, London Zone 5
===Travel to work===
In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents used to travel to work were: driving a car or van, 26.1% of all residents aged 16–74; train, 7.1%; bus, minibus or coach, 7.1%; on foot, 6.9%; work mainly at or from home, 4.3%; bicycle, 2.8%; underground, metro, light rail, tram, 2.5%.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 Census: QS701EW Method of travel to work, local authorities in England and Wales|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/2011-census/key-statistics-and-quick-statistics-for-wards-and-output-areas-in-england-and-wales/rft-qs701ew.xls|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=23 November 2013}} Percentages are of all residents aged 16–74 including those not in employment. Respondents could only pick one mode, specified as the journey’s longest part by distance.</ref>
==Coat of arms==
{{multiple images
|perrow= 2/1
|total_width = 300px
|image1 = Coat of Arms of the Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe.svg
|image2 = Coat of Arms of the Municipal Borough of Surbiton.svg
|image3 = Coat of Arms of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.svg
|footer = Arms of the Former Municipal Boroughs of [[Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe|Malden and Coombe]] (top left) and [[Municipal Borough of Surbiton|Surbiton]] (top right), whose [[Crest (heraldry)|crests]] and [[supporter (heraldry)|supporters]] respectively were added to the Kingston's coat of arms in 1966 (bottom)
}}
The Kingston [[coat of arms]] displays three salmon and its shield is almost identical to the coat of arms of the [[Sweden|Swedish]] municipality of [[Laholm Municipality|Laholm]]. Both coats of arms can be traced back to the 16th century. The arms of the [[Norway|Norwegian]] town of [[Mandal, Norway|Mandal]] is also similar, but more recent.
In 1966 the newly created [[London Borough]] added a set [[Crest (heraldry)|crests]] and [[supporter (heraldry)|supporters]] taken from the localities merged into it. The crest came from the [[Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe]], with that borough's arms hung from the neck of the stag, and the supporters taken from [[Municipal Borough of Surbiton]], with again its arms hanging from the stags' necks.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kingston-upon-Thames - Coat of arms (crest) of Kingston-upon-Thames |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/wiki/Kingston-upon-Thames |website=Heraldry of the World |access-date=19 August 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
==International links==
Although not officially 'twinned', The Royal Borough of Kingston has a partner city of [[Oldenburg (city)|Oldenburg]] in [[Germany]] and [[Gwanak-gu]], an administrative subdivision of [[Seoul]], in [[South Korea]]. Some road signs announce that Kingston is linked with [[Delft]] in the [[Netherlands]] but this official link has ended.<ref>[http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/community_people_and_living/international.htm International Relations – European and International Partnerships] Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames</ref>
==Sport and leisure==
The Borough of Kingston upon Thames has several football clubs in its area:
* [[Kingstonian F.C.|Kingstonian]], a [[Non-League football]] club who play at [[Imperial Fields]], Mitcham
* [[Corinthian-Casuals F.C.|Corinthian Casuals]], a non-League club who play at King George's Field, Tolworth
* [[Chessington & Hook United F.C.|Chessington & Hook United]], a non-League club who play at Chalky Lane, Chessington
* [[Chelsea F.C. Women]], who play at the [[Kingsmeadow Stadium]] in [[WSL 1]]
Other sports:
*Old Kingstonaian Hockey Club is a [[field hockey]] club that competes in the [[London Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.okhockey.com/|title=Old Kingstonaian Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/old-kingstonian-hc|title=England Hockey - Old Kingstonaian Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref>
*[[Old Cranleighan Hockey Club]], [[Surbiton Hockey Club]] and [[Teddington Hockey Club]] are also in the area and compete in the [[Women's England Hockey League]], the [[Men's England Hockey League]] and the [[London Hockey League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ochockeyclub.org/|title=Old Cranleighan Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/old-cranleighan-hc|title=England Hockey - Old Cranleighan Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.surbitonhc.com/|title=Surbiton Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/surbiton-hc|title=England Hockey - Surbiton Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.teddingtonhockey.club/|title=Teddington Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.englandhockey.co.uk/clubs/teddington-hc|title=England Hockey - Teddington Hockey Club |access-date=23 October 2024}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Portal|London}}
* [http://www.kingston.gov.uk/ Kingston upon Thames Council]
{{LB Kingston upon Thames}}
{{London}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|51.39|-0.28|type:city_region:GB-KTT|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Borough Of Kingston Upon Thames}}
[[Category:Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames| ]]
[[Category:London boroughs|Kingston upon Thames]]
[[Category:Local authorities adjoining the River Thames|Kingston upon Thames]]
[[Category:1965 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Places with royal patronage in London]]