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Published: 29 July 2026.

Many people may assume that Pembroke Street in Kensington Park was named after Pembroke School, given their close proximity and shared name. However, the historical record tells a different story.

Pembroke Street appears on a subdivision plan dating from 1876, indicating that the name was in use well before the establishment of what is now Pembroke School. The school's origins can be traced to Girton School, founded in 1915, and Kings College, founded in 1924, meaning the street name predates the institution by almost four decades.

The naming of Pembroke Street is likely associated with a broader pattern of street names in the area drawn from places in the United Kingdom. Nearby examples include Bedford Street, Ellesmere Street, Uxbridge Street and Walsall Street, reflecting the influence of British place names on the development of Kensington Park during the nineteenth century.

Photograph: Aerial view of Kensington Park, arrow to indicate Pembroke Street, 1949.