The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

 

Royal Borough of Kingston up Thames is an attractive place to reside partly due to its location south of London, it is very convenient for commuters just 10 minutes by train into Waterloo station, leadings to all  major underground stations.

 

Kingston is so called because it used to be the old capital city where all the ancient kings and queens were crowned, thus Kings-stone.  After the kings coronation stone can be seen at the Guildhall near Market Place where you can buy almost anything from vegetables to a sewing machine.

 

Just a short distance from here one has the feeling of living in the countryside with the beautiful parks and lakes where deer roam freely.  The river Thames flows past Surbiton and Kingston and on to Richmond, another Bahá'ícommunity with which Kingston has close ties.  We share many events with Richmond including tree planting in the Richmond park, which is all that divides Kingston from Richmond.

 

Hampton Court with its history and beautiful rose gardens where Henry the VIII was one of its more famous residents, its even more famous maze within the grounds.  Son et Lumière is displayed all summer, with some wonderful historical plays about its past inhabitants.

Kingston boasts some of the finest educational establishments in the country, with Kingston college, and Kingston University which is among the first 50 in the United Kingdom.  Most schools in the borough are excellent and have a high level of pass results.  In 1999 they were classed best in the country along with Sutton.

 

The first group of Bahais came to live in Kingston in 1959.  The first Local Assembly of 9 Bahá'ís was formed in 1962.  Since this time the Bahá'ícommunity has grown into a large incorporated charity, involved with supporting other like-minded organizations such as UNA, Kingston Racial Equality Council, Amnesty International, and various other  multi-cultural and educational organizations.  Talks in schools are offered.  We also support various charities WWF, UNICEF and the Save the Children Fund, amongst others.